Heritage footbridge near Mary Valley Rattler to get $370k repair

It has been deemed too dangerous to use, and boarded off for a decade, but that is all about to change

The heritage footbridge at the Mary Valley Rattler’s station is expected to be open to the public once more by the end of April.

Part of Gympie’s rail heritage is about to be brought back to life thanks to a $370,000 helping hand from the State Government.

The historic footbridge across the Gympie train tracks near Lady Mary Terrace is expected to reopen at the end of April following an extensive repair job in which the timber structure will be replaced like-for-like.

It will end an almost decade long closure for the bridge, which has been shut to the public since at least 2012 over safety concerns.

In 2017, Transport and Main Roads declared the footbridge unsafe. It was saved from demolition by its status on Queensland’s Heritage Register as part of the station complex.

Rattler director Garry Davison at the entrance to the blocked bridge in 2019.

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For the past three years the bridge has been closed to traffic and supported by metal caging and zip ties, prompting continued questions about its long term future.

A $175,000 restoration plan was unveiled by the council in 2019 but it was not until this financial year that funding was secured through the State’s Work for Queensland program.

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Originally published as Heritage footbridge near Mary Valley Rattler to get $370k repair