Coffs Harbour City Council votes to repair Boambee footbridge

Upgrading the old footbridge under the railway line across Boambee Creek has thrown up its share of challenges and now council is proposing a short term workaround to keep it open.

Boambee Creek and the bridge captured by Bronwyn Hawkes.

Upgrading the popular old footbridge under the railway line across Boambee Creek is proving a complicated process for Coffs Harbour City Council.

At their April 28 meeting councillors voted to defer a decision on allocating government funds to allow more time to work with state and federal MPs – Gurmesh Singh and Pat Conaghan – to secure approvals and look at the time frame of the project.

But now the matter is back on the agenda, and a report has revealed that council still hasn’t been able to get access permissions from the owner of the railway bridge (the Australian Rail Track Corporation ARTC), nor the owner of the land which provides access to the bridge (Crown Lands).

Instead, a consultant has been engaged to design the refurbishment of the existing pedestrian bridge which should extend the life of the structure for 10 to 15 years.

The cost for this refurbishment is expected to be $450,000 as opposed to approximately $2,483,192 to build an entirely new one.

The matter was up for discussion on Thursday evening, June 23, with Cr Scott Wolgamot asking for clarification on the costing.

Director of business services, Andrew Beswick, said it was a high priority project and the refurbishment option will “buy council a significant amount of time” as it continues to source funds and approvals for a new footbridge.

The footbridge is located under the railway line across the picturesque Boambee Creek at Sawtell; popular with paddle boarders and dog walkers.

It’s a well-worn access point and when it was closed temporarily in 2020, there was considerable community concern and people continued to use it, climbing over the barricade, creating an obvious safety hazard.

With the refurbishment plan estimated to cost $450,000, this opens up the opportunity to submit three additional projects which meet the criteria for consideration by the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCIP):

- West Coffs Cycleway two sections:

Flintwood to Robin Street - Narranga Public School $400,000

Frances Street to Gundagai Street bridge, including a pedestrian refuge at $250,000

- Dalgety St foot / cycle bridge from the manufactured home estate to Dalgety Street, Woolgoolga $530,500

- Local roads repair:

Duke and Vernon, Coffs Harbour AC repairs 1664m2 $160,000

Hurley Drive, Toormina – Ray McCarthy Drive to chainage 150m asphalt $430 000

Cook Drive, Coffs Harbour – roundabout to Frazer Drive asphalt $262,692

On Thursday evening, June 23, councillors voted unanimously to support this spending plan.