AUSTRALIAN SMALL BRIDGES
Copyright © 2025 Leading Infrastructure - ABN 42 604 899 578
SPONSORSHIP AND EXHIBiTION SALES ARE NOW OPEN
SMALL TO MEDIUM SPAN BRIDGES & CULVERTS
13th Australian Small Bridges
Conference and Exhibition
Adelaide Convention Centre, South Australia
Tuesday 28th - Wednesday 29th july 2026
ABOUT OUR CONFERENCE
Since 2005, the long running Australian Small Bridges Conference, and Exhibition, provides practical guidance – and alerts bridge, road and rail engineers, asset owners, managers, contractors and suppliers about significant new developments and requirements for small to medium span bridges, including culverts and associated civil and geotechnical works.
Our Conference Chair leverages decades of industry experience to curate our speaking program:
- Geotechnical Engineering and Civil Works for Bridges, Road and Rail.
- Sustainability, Environmental and Safety (Worker and Road User) Issues.
- Geotechnical Engineering and Civil Works.
Bridges and culverts can be for road vehicles, trains, aircraft, mining equipment, pedestrians, cyclists, services, powerlines or even stock and wildlife.
While the conference will be conducted in Australia, projects and topics are from throughout the world. In 2024, we had speakers from ten different countries presenting.
2026 conference program outline
DAY 1- TUESDAY 28 JULY 2026
- 8.00 am Registration and Exhibition Opens. Tea & Coffee will be available from 8.00 am
- 8.30 am Conference Opens and Speaking Streams commence
- 5.55 pm Day 1 Speaking Program Concludes
- 6.00 – 7.15 pm Networking Drinks (Included for all Tuesday Delegates)
- 7.15 pm Optional Conference Dinner (is an extra cost)
DAY 2- WEDNESDAY 29 JULY 2026
- 8.00 am Registration and Exhibition Opens. Tea & Coffee will be available from 8.00 am
- 8.40 am Conference Speaking Streams commence
- 4.00 pm Speaking Streams conclude and Conference closes.
Projects and Speakers are from around the world, and are not just Australia. Delegates, as well as Exhibitors, also attend from many different countries, though Australians are our largest proportion of attendees.
WOMEN IN BRIDGES
Women in Bridges was one of our conference themes in 2024 and we conducted two events at the conference for it. We will again in 2026 organise a special event for this, and when details are known we will make these available.
DRESS CODE
For all Day Sessions (Speaking Streams) and Social Functions (Networking Drinks and the Optional Conference Dinner) – Smart Casual or Business attire. Ties are optional, but are definitely not required!
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CONFERENCE UPDATE LIST
To be added to our 13th Australian Small Bridges Conference 2024 Update List, email Karlene at karlene@leadinginfrastructure.com
2024 CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
To download the Proceedings of the 12th Australian Small Bridges Conference click HERE
(WARNING: Note that the Proceeding is 1054 pages and 141 MB in size)
registrations
2024 PROCEEDINGS
You are invited to download Proceedings of the 12th Australian Small Bridges Conference facilitated in 2024.
DOWNLOAD HERE
(WARNING: Note that the Proceeding is 1054 pages and 141 MB in size)
Proudly sponsored by
Platinum Sponsor: DOWN UNDER BRIDGE UNITS
Gold Sponsor: LB AUSTRALIA
Principal Partners: Business Events Adelaide,
Government of South Australia,
and Adelaide Convention Centre
Silver Lanyard Sponsor: Confirma & Silver Sponsor Tensile
BRONZE SPONSOR: GRANOR RubBER & ENGINEERING
2024 conference abstracts and projects
The photographs below are from some of the accepted abstracts from the 12th Australian Small Bridges Conference, held during 2024.
EXHIBITION, SPONSORSHIP & ADVERTISING
This is your opportunity to demonstrate what your organisation has to offer by Sponsoring, Exhibiting and/or Advertising at the 13th Australian Small Bridges Conference and Exhibition.
Exhibition, Sponsorship and Advertising options, are all available. You can choose what best suits your organisation. These opportunities are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have another sponsorship, exhibition or advertising idea, we can tailor a solution for you.
We offer a variety of tools to get your message across including:
- Sponsorship and Brand-building from $6,000 inc GST
- Speaking (as part of sponsorship and MUST be technical presentations)
- Exhibition Booths: 3x2m $4,700 inc GST; 3x3m $5,900 inc GST. 6x3m and 6x6m booths are also available. Space only display of large items, like vehicles/bridges, can be negotiated.
- Advertising in the Conference Handbook from $600 inc GST and/or Proceedings
- Insertion of promotional material into delegate’s bag. Only $990 inc GST
- Please note that all costs are in $AUD
BOOK NOW TO SECURE YOUR PREFERRED EXHIBITION BOOTH LOCATION – CORNER BOOTH LOCATIONS ARE STILL AVAILABLE
The Conference will feature a comprehensive exhibition which will provide conference attendees the opportunity to view and discuss innovative products and services now available from bridge contractors, designers and suppliers.
This exhibition is Australasia’s only exhibition dedicated to Small to Medium Bridges and Culverts. It will also be Australasia’s largest bridge exhibition.
Exhibition bookings are open. Book your booth now.
For Sponsorship, Exhibition Opportunities or Advertising please contact Scott Matthews (See contact details below).
Scott Matthews BEng
Conference Chair and Convenor
Email: scott@leadinginfrastructure.com
Phone: 0448 777 058
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
SUBMIT ON BRIDGES, CULVERTS, ELEVATED BOARDWALKS & ASSOCIATED GEOTECHNICAL/CIVIL WORKS
SECOND
SEE POSSIBLE ABSTRACTS - TOPICS
The two-day, three stream, speaking program may include topics such as:
• Small to Medium Span Bridges
• Sustainability and Environmental Issues
• Flooding and Scour
• Investigation and Testing
• Asset Management
• Condition Assessment
• Structural Design including Load Capacity
• Bridge Code Changes
• Repair, Maintenance, Painting, Refurbishment and/or Strengthening
• New Construction
• Materials: Timber, Concrete, Steel, Stone and Composite
• Culverts
• Innovations in Design, Construction and Maintenance
• Architectural and Heritage Issues
• Bridge Components including Joints and Bearings
• Provision for Services and Power
• Crash Barriers and Protection, as well as Handrails and Pedestrian Barriers
• Road User and Worker Safety
• Structures for Road, Rail, Pedestrian, Cycling, Mining, Industrial and Airport Applications
• Geotechnical Engineering, Retaining Walls and Earth Structures
• Piling
• Civil Works
Experienced bridge practitioners, and asset owners, including from local government, will present technical topics and case studies that will focus on best practice in design, construction, maintenance, asset management and new technologies.
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
The Australian Small Bridges Conference has now been held twelve times, and is conducted every 14-24 months. The first conference was held on 12-13 October 2005 in Sydney, Australia and to date it has been Chaired each time by Scott Matthews.
The conference alerts bridge and road engineers, managers, contractors and suppliers about significant new technical developments and requirements for small to medium bridges, and like structures including culverts, viewing platforms etc.
The conference will also have speakers on associated geotechnical engineering and civil works. All speakers are encouraged to deliver very practical presentations and technical papers.
The conference program is held over two days in multiple streams and has a focus on small to medium span bridges for road, rail, wildlife, stock and pedestrians.
Unlike many bridge conferences, this conference has a focus on Small and Medium Span Bridges, as well as Culverts. These structures are the most common type of bridge in use. Local Government Authorities are in particular currently faced with major challenges in their management.
Small to Medium Span Bridges are located not only within road reserves but also occur on railways, parks and gardens, national parks, mines, airfields, private property and in public areas such zoos. They can be for road vehicles, trains, aircraft, mining equipment, services, pedestrians or even stock and wildlife.
This conference brings together councils, state government road managers, railways, government agencies and the private sector. Senior managers and leading practitioners and consultants in the bridge sector will present up-to-the-minute, highly relevant information to assist road/rail managers and engineers to perform their roles in an increasingly complex road environment.
HOW TO SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT
The First Call for Abstracts will close on 30 SEP 2025.
To propose an abstract for presentation, you MUST use the ABSTRACT SUBMISSION FORM. Click HERE to download the form.
To complete the form you will need to provide the following:
Please see our topics list in our POSSIBLE ABSTRACTS -TOPICS Tab above as a guide as to what abstracts may be suitable, however abstracts on other topics will also be reviewed. You can also look at the abstracts that were accepted for previous conferences as a guide.
Presentations, and Technical Papers, are required to be in English.
Email all abstracts to: ATTENTION: Scott Matthews BEng Conference Chair and Convenor
Email: scott@leadinginfrastructure.com
Phone: 0448 777 058
To complete the form you will need to provide the following:
- Topic Title
- Synopsis (approx 100-300 words). Images and drawings may also be submitted.
- Author/s Name, Business Title, Organisation, Bio (approx 50-100 words) and pic (head-shot)
- Proposed Speaker/s (ie which of the co-authors, if there are multiple authors, will present at the conference)
- Do not submit as a PDF of the form as we cannot easily use it.
Please see our topics list in our POSSIBLE ABSTRACTS -TOPICS Tab above as a guide as to what abstracts may be suitable, however abstracts on other topics will also be reviewed. You can also look at the abstracts that were accepted for previous conferences as a guide.
Presentations, and Technical Papers, are required to be in English.
Email all abstracts to: ATTENTION: Scott Matthews BEng Conference Chair and Convenor
Email: scott@leadinginfrastructure.com
Phone: 0448 777 058
SPEAKER REGISTRATION
At least one Speaker per accepted abstract must be registered, and have paid, by 28 Jan 2026, for a two-day speaker registration to attend the conference and present, unless they have a two day speaker registration as part of a Sponsorship Package.
All Co-Speakers must also register, and pay, for a two-day speaker registration to attend the conference and present, though they can do so up till 3 July 2026.
TECHNICAL PAPERS
If your Abstract is accepted, a Technical Paper will need to be prepared and lodged by COB Friday 15th May 2026.
- You MUST use our Technical Paper Template, which will be forwarded after an Abstract has been accepted. However you can see the 2024 Proceedings as a guide.
- Do not submit as a PDF as we cannot edit and track changes on it.
- There is no recommended maximum length limit for Technical Papers.
- We will publish the Proceedings as an eBook PDF.
ASSET OWNER APPROVAL
If your accepted abstract is on an asset that you do not own please consult with the asset owner and gain any necessary permission from the asset owner for the abstract, technical paper and presentation.
Please also note that this process can take some time to achieve with some asset owners, and so please contact your asset owner as early as possible.
Where approval is required, you may submit an initial abstract to see if it will be accepted, and if accepted, then gain permission. In this situation your abstract will be kept private till permission is gained.
