Million dollar bridge in Aus collapses before its opening

The incident embarrassed the North Burnett regional council in Australia's Queensland state and prompted residents of Mundubbera town to express discontent over the authority's logic, couriermail.com reported Thursday.

The Derrabungy Creek bridge was completely smashed by recent floodwaters. When the construction was announced, local residents had raised questions over having the publicly-funded bridge rebuilt since only five families use it to get into town.

But North Burnett Regional Council billed the link as an exciting 'new-age design' that could withstand virtually anything the creek threw at it. It worked very well for about two months. Shortly after Christmas, the swollen Derrabungy lifted and flung the steel bridge into the water.