by the federal Minister for Transport, Peter Morris, having cost $28.4 million. Other portions of the Newman – Port Hedland link were completed over the next two years, with the last part officially opened on 16 December 1989 by Bob Brown and Bob Pearce, the federal and state transport ministers. This last section of Great Northern Highway also completed the sealing of the National Highway, and the opening ceremony, held on location south of Port Hedland, received national media coverage. Fitzroy River crossing, Willare In the late 1960s, Main Roads investigated alternative crossing points over the Fitzroy River, to replace the existing low-level bridge at Yeeda. Flooding in January 1966 had demonstrated that Willare was the best site. The new route would be longer, and required two bridges, but would result in a better quality road. When tenders were called, the river flooded again, washing away of the old bridge. Rather than reconstruct the low-level crossing, the construction timeframe was shortened from 18 months to 38 weeks. The Willare Bridge and Minnie River Bridge opened on 12 June 1968, having cost almost $700,000. While situated higher than the worst known flood level, the single-lane bridges were designed to accommodate more extensive flood levels, with the water flowing over them if necessary. By the early 1980s, it was clear that the Fitzroy River crossing was still inadequate. Seasonal flooding had closed the road several times, and damaged the embankments leading up the bridges. The crossing had been closed for twenty four days in 1982; while in 1983, the most severe flooding since 1914 extensively damaged of the highway, closing it for twenty-five days. To alleviate the problem, two new bridges were built in 1985, and the road was widened and raised above the flood plain. The earthworks for the project included constructing guide banks to direct excess water to flow over floodways, which were protected with rocks. This was designed to minimise the time the road would be closed in such a scenario. The $11 million upgraded crossing was opened on 19 December 1985 by the federal Minister for Transport, Peter Morris. Then, one month later, Cyclone Hector produced 70% more water than the crossing had been designed for. Water overflowed the road all along the flood plain, not just at designated floodways, ravaging the shoulders and then destroying sections of road. of the highway was washed away, leaving the bridges