Anniversary gift for Kirwans

The small community at Kirwans Bridge, outside of Nagambie, is elated at the news that their bridge will be reopening. Exactly four years to the day that the vital local thoroughfare closed due to flood damage in 2022, news came that $4 million in federal funding had been secured to repair and reopen the bridge. Local advocacy group Go Nagambie executive officer Sissy Hoskin welcomed the news on last Wednesday 15 October. "It's very exciting, and it's even better that this has come on the anniversary of the bridge's closure after the floods," she said. "We are pleased because a lot of work has been done in the background." Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell said the funding had finally been secured to restore and reopen the historic Kirwans Bridge after years of persistent advocacy, and that Strathbogie Shire Council was the successful applicant to secure the project under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program. “This is a great win," Mr Birrell said. "I have worn a path to the minister’s door over the past four years, but the credit belongs to the community. "Their persistence has paid off." Ms Hoskin agreed that the success of the application was due to the diligence of Go Nagambie, and singled out committee member Robyn Taylor. "Go Nagambie has worked closely with the shire, but Robyn has been instrumental with her group of people," she said. "They have been working very hard for a long time. "There's a group of people out at Kirwans Bridge who have never given up, so hats off to them." Mr Birrell said the funding was a major breakthrough. “Strathbogie Shire Council, the Kirwans Bridge Action Group and Go Nagambie have worked tirelessly to keep this project on the agenda and build the case for funding," he said. "This funding provides the pathway to reopen a vital local crossing and reconnect the community.” Kirwans Bridge opened in late 1890 and at a span of 310m, is the longest timber bridge in Victoria. The two-stage structural renewal project will restore the historic Goulburn River crossing and allow it to reopen to passenger vehicles. The design phase will determine the bridge’s load capacity and final scope of works, and construction will include structural strengthening to meet road safety standards, integration of heritage requirements, drainage, and approach roadworks. The bridge’s substructure and superstructure will be rehabilitated, with any deteriorated piles either strengthened or replaced, a new concrete deck built, steel girders strengthened and corrosion protected, and barriers upgraded to current standards. Improvements to traffic management will also be made. Ms Hoskin commended the advocacy of Strathbogie Shire Council. "The shire have been terrific with the grant application," she said. "It's been a long process but a really good one. "There is a terrific link between the shire and our community." Encouragement from other areas of Nagambie's wider community buoyed Go Nagambie's persistence during the process. "The letters of support we have received from all different organisations have been amazing," Ms Hoskin said. "It was so wonderful to hear from them, such as Taungurung (Land and Waters Council) who were the first to reply with a letter of support to get the bridge back open." Although the $4 million allocation is expected to be sufficient to reopen the bridge to passenger vehicles, Mr Birrell said further funding would be required to achieve a higher load limit, vowing to continue the cooperation with all parties. “Today is an important milestone, but the job is not finished." A long story hopefully towards its end The Euroa Gazette has reported on the on-again-off-again history of the status of Kirwans Bridge and advanced the case of locals who have maintained their consistent lobbying. Historically, Kirwans Bridge was closed to vehicular in June 2010 and then re-opened in 2011 after an engineer at the time was able to restore it with locals and the shire for about $2 million. In June 2022, The Euroa Gazette reported on a $100,000 grant for investigating options for the bridge's future with heritage talks taking place the next month. After the heavy storms on 12-13 October that year, which impacted Euroa's sporting facilities around Memorial Oval and saw much of northern Victoria flooded, Kirwans Bridge was permanently closed. April 2023 saw 140 locals gathered to protest the bridge's closure, with local Keith Irwin using the same protest signs he made in 2011; and in August Strathbogie Shire committed $700,000 toward a proposed budget of $7m to restore the bridge. In September 2025, council sought $7.5 million in state and federal funding to deliver either extensive structural repairs or construction of a new replica bridge that included pedestrian and cycling access, with continued lobbying at the federal level from Sam Birrell and Senator Bridget McKenzie.