Locals are banding together in a fight to save the historic Gundagai railway bridge.
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The 114-year-old bridge, one of the top four tourist attractions in the Riverina, is in a state of disrepair, but a community lobby group and Gundagai Historic Bridge Incorporated (GHBI) argue it can be saved.
Together, they are campaigning to see the bridge turned into a rail trail, conserving the structure in its entirety and connecting south and north Gundagai for pedestrians.
Mason Crane, president of GHBI, thinks re-purposing the original structure will see it looked after in the future.
“This bridge isn’t just a railway bridge, it’s something of international engineering significance,” Mr Crane said.
“It’s also a major part of Gundagai’s identity.”
The committee and GHBI launched a crowdfunding campaign last week. $40,000 is needed to evaluate the site and determine the cost of repair and construction. So far the campaign has raised $1025 and drawn messages of support from locals.
“It's iconic, it's symbolic of Gundagai's significant transport history and the opportunities it presents are too important to our future. Doing nothing is not an option,” wrote supporter Cindy Smith on the campaign page.
Mr Crane said a rail trail would be a major tourist attraction and an important piece of infrastructure for the community.
“People from the south would be able to get to the north without having to cross any main roads,” he said.
A spokesperson from John Holland Rail, who manage the bridge on behalf of Transport NSW, said it was currently investigating options for its future management.
“No decision has been made, however we are considering a number of options which may include modifications or the removal of spans over public roadways,” it said.
“We met with community representatives in May 2017 to discuss their preferences and this feedback will be considered in our planning.”
“Safety is our top priority and any decision made will need to ensure the community is not at risk.”