NINE months after the January 2026 bushfires, Murrindindi Shire Council and Emergency Management Victoria are getting closer to agreeing on a pathway to progress the replacement of Fawcett Hall Bridge. Fawcett Hall President Sam Hicks has called for clearer disaster recovery policies as a result of the damage to the bridges in the area. The fires destroyed road bridges across the district, disrupting access to schools, medical appointments, emergency services and everyday services. “This became bigger than Fawcett Hall Bridge. It was about bridges across our valley and the wider difficulties in securing funding approvals, including for Breakaway Bridge in Acheron, damaged in the October 2022 floods,” Sam said. Sam acknowledged Murrindindi Shire Council, including Mayor Cr Damien Gallagher, CEO Livia Bonazzi and council staff, parliamentary representatives including Helen Haines MP, Emergency Management Victoria staff, and residents who shared their stories online, through song and with national media. “Thank you to everyone who listened, asked questions and worked alongside us. Speaking up after a disaster takes courage, and our community’s stories mattered.” Sam called for changes to policy and agreement wording through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements review. “Funding agreements need to clearly support reinstating infrastructure to today’s equivalent, using modern materials and meeting current engineering and building standards,” she said. “When a timber bridge is destroyed, there should be a clear pathway to a modern and more resilient replacement.” Having contributed close to 100 volunteer hours, Sam said advocacy across the community and three levels of government had consumed staggering resources. “Our regions will face bushfires, storms and floods again. We need a simpler process that restores essential connections and helps communities recover. “And thank goodness we do not have to knit or sell 16 kilometres of sausages to get our bridge back. Thank you to everyone who supported us.” They are seeking a replacement which will be a single-lane bridge designed to current Australian safety and engineering standards. The aim is for it to accommodate everyday traffic and standard heavy freight vehicles, including B-doubles, supporting a safe and reliable road network. Council’s engineering team is working on the technical and procurement requirements. Once it receives the final sign-off, it is hoped that project will go to market in the coming weeks through a Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) approved panel. Council is aiming for completion in 2027, subject to final sign-off, the outcome of procurement, construction conditions and final project approvals. Once final approval occurs, council is expecting to fund the construction costs upfront and seek reimbursement for eligible costs through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), with funding provided by the Australian Government and administered through the Victorian Government. Mayor Cr Damien Gallagher said the community had waited a long time for a clear path forward. “We recognise how deeply the loss of the bridge has affected people, particularly during recent heavy rainfall…” he said. “I want to acknowledge the community’s determination and strong advocacy throughout the past nine months.” As the project develops, it is expected that the new bridge will be built to contemporary standards providing a more resilient critical community asset supporting contemporary needs and designed to withstand future extreme weather events. Council is also progressing nine fire-damaged bridge packages through eligibility and concept review. Council continues to work with the DTP and Emergency Management Victoria on the recovery of fire-damaged bridges, including how reconstruction can restore each asset’s pre-disaster function while meeting applicable contemporary standards for safety, load capacity and design.
