Durong State School parents concerned after rug pulled on funding for dangerous GS Bond Bridge

A rural community is on edge as locals fight to save children’s lives following a major government funding blow.

Nanango MP Deb Frecklington said GS Bond Bridge is in desperate need of complete replacement and realignment.

Parents in the South Burnett have expressed concern about their children’s journey to school after millions of dollars in funding for the ‘dangerous’ GS Bond Bridge was scratched.

Nanango MP Deb Frecklington said the bridge, which needed a complete replacement and realignment, was one of several in the region in desperate need of maintenance.

She said this is particularly concerning in the wake the Nanango electorate being ranked as the region with the second highest number of road fatalities in Queensland.

“GS Bond Bridge is a bad bridge and there was hope several years ago when it was listed for a $13 million overhaul,” Mrs Frecklington said.

“However, in this year’s Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program, the funding for GS Bond Bridge has disappeared.”

Mrs Frecklington said she was told the funding had been removed and will go towards “higher priority” projects.

“The GS Bond Bridge should be a very high priority, given it is a very narrow bridge with inadequate signage, no safety railings, and low visibility and limited room on its approaches,” she said.

“It is a school bus route and I’ve talked with parents with children at Durong South State School who are very concerned about the safety of this bridge.”

Mrs Frecklington said this story was sadly all too common in the South Burnett region, with another dangerous bridge, the single-lane Tanduringie Creek Bridge on the Kingaroy-Cooyar Road, in the same situation.

“It has received no funding despite desperate calls from myself and the community after a near tragedy involving the school bus and truck,” she said.

Mrs Frecklington said the list of bridges in need of maintenance include Running Creek Bridge on the Brooweena-Woolooga Road, which burnt down, the Wide Bay Creek Bridge, which was reduced to one lane, and Coppermine Creek Bridge on Kilkivan-Tansey Road.