The September 15, 2015 email from Chris Brassel to his works supervisor Andrew Palmer was, titled ‘The Good, Bad and the Ugly.’

“(It contained) photos of the bridge approaches appearing to show potholes and uneven gravel appearing on the road,” counsel assisting the coroner Timothy O’Donnell said.

Deputy State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan is presiding over the three-day inquest into James Hughes’ death on October 4, 2015. 

It is examining the manner and cause of the 50-year-old Canberra man’s death in a motorcycle accident on the bridge’s Goulburn side. Mr O’Donnell said the inquest would also explore whether the council responded appropriately to its own internal notifications and community complaints about the road’s surface.

Mr Hughes’ death on his prized Ducati bike came nearly three weeks after the new bridge’s opening on September 10, 2015.

Mr O’Donnell said a witness, the late Brendan Lindsay, had observed Mr Hughes “brace himself against the handlebars just before the bike hit the pothole.” 

“He was thrown forward when the rear wheel hit the pothole. The bike began to wobble and hit the barriers on the left hand side of the bridge. Mr Hughes was thrown off his motorbike over the edge of the bridge,” Mr O’Donnell said.

Witnesses rendered first aid to no avail.

On Wednesday, the inquest heard from two men who said they earlier hit the same pothole, reported it to the council but had no response.

In opening remarks Ms O’Sullivan acknowledged Mr Hughes’ family and partner, Melissa Pearce.