A community group says two old bridges “must be saved” after the local council earmarked them for demolition.
The Yandina and Community Association has urged Sunshine Coast Council to do what it can to preserve Ninderry Road Bridge and Yandina Rail Bridge: two heritage-listed timber crossings that have been unused for decades.
A council spokesperson confirmed the former is set to be destroyed in 2027 and the latter will be taken apart in due course.
“The dilapidated condition and resultant public safety hazard is the main driver for the removal of these structures,” the spokesperson said.
YADCA president Marie Reeve said the bridges were too significant to destroy and she believed they had been abandoned by local authorities.
“The Queensland Heritage Act 1992 places an obligation on local governments to identify places of cultural heritage significance and to protect them for the benefit of present and future generations,” she said.
“The council has neglected its obligation to protect and manage local heritage places in its care.”
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She said concerned community members were talking to officials in an effort to retain the structures.
“YADCA welcomes the council engineer’s offer to discuss the matter and has also raised the issue with Cr Law at the October YADCA forum,” she said.
“Residents are asking that council focuses on the conservation of these two bridges rather than their demolition.
“It would be a tragedy to lose the bridges.
“Yandina is the oldest town in the Maroochy district with heritage buildings and structures and together they contribute to the town’s unique character and give us a tangible connection with our past.
“Even though the bridges are no longer in use, they still have value as historical features in our landscape, demonstrating the resourcefulness and talents of the pioneers.”
The council spokesperson said regular inspections of the bridges had been conducted and the infrastructure assets team recommended all timber elements be removed.
“They are now beyond conservation or restoration,” the spokesperson said.
“The cost of removal will be better known once the projects have gone out to tender.
“The steel sections of the rail bridge may be able to remain, but will require further investigation.”
The Ninderry Road Bridge was built in about 1930 and is known locally as ‘Old Rattley’ and ‘Chambers Crossing’.
It’s about 35m long and 4.5m wide and spans the Maroochy River near Yandina, 230m east of the Bruce Highway on Ninderry Road. A modern bridge was installed near it in 1995.
“The timber structure of the original bridge has now reached end of life, with major structural elements being significantly impacted by rot and termites,” the spokesperson said.
“Unfortunately, it now poses a safety risk to the public through collapse or potential damage to downstream infrastructure if it were to be washed away.
“The decision has been made to remove this structure proactively rather than wait for its collapse.”
The spokesperson said that the council “will work with the community on options to commemorate the heritage of the bridge”.
The Yandina Rail Bridge was built in 1891, with a steel truss added in 1910. It spans the South Maroochy River. One end can be viewed from Fleming Street, Yandina, and the other end is located near Koongalba Street.
The bridge, which is about 142m long and 4m wide, is on Queensland Rail land and is off limits to the general public.
A modern bridge was installed next to it in the mid-1990s.
The old bridge was then marked for demolition by Queensland Rail but a councillor negotiated a handover of the structure to council, to potentially use it a pedestrian bridge sometime in the future.
But a structural assessment was undertaken in 2015, when it was advised that the timber should be removed due to its poor condition.
“There is no doubt that the timber structure is beyond maintenance or conservation,” the spokesperson said.
“The steel structure needs further investigation,” the council spokesperson said.
The aerial imagery in this story is from Australian location intelligence company Nearmap. The company provides government organisations, architectural, construction and engineering firms, and other companies, with easy, instant access to high-resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D content, artificial intelligence data sets, and geospatial tools to assist with urban planning, monitoring and development projects in Australia, New Zealand and North America.
