By Bruce Wardley
THE future of the partially collapsed Kilcunda viaduct bridge hangs in the balance with Bass Coast Shire Council to vote this week on whether it should be demolished.
When Bass Coast Shire Council took control of the bridge after the closure of the Nyora-Wonthaggi rail line in 1978 the bridge had been neglected for almost 30 years.
The viaduct bridge is currently fenced off due to public safety concerns and the risk of further collapse, however, local residents have urged Council to preserve the bridge.
An important part of Kilcunda’s history, Bass Coast Shire Council engaged a local contractor to explore possible options for the bridge including preserving viable sections of the structure and removing or replacing parts that had failed.
Council will this week vote to authorise its demolition.
A report by the Heritage Council of Victoria found many of the structures on the Nyora-Wonthaggi rail corridor had been neglected and were unsafe.
The current rail trail path alignment was chosen to avoid using the viaduct bridge.
Many other railway bridges including the iconic, heritage-listed Bourne Creek Trestle Bridge were refurbished and put into service to support the new rail trail.
Since acquiring the viaduct bridge in 1994 council officers have monitored it regularly to ensure the safety of the public walking under and around the structure.
An engineering report in 2021 identified the bridge as being in extremely poor condition requiring safety fencing and a mesh ceiling to ensure public safety.
A routine inspection of the bridge in 2024 identified significant instability, the bridge’s northernmost span had collapsed, and the southernmost span was at risk of collapse.
To manage the risk of further collapse council officers installed a temporary ring-fence in August 2024 to completely isolate the bridge from the public.
A number of possible management options were considered with the complete demolition of the bridge considered the most cost-effective and safest option.
To ensure its ongoing survival the local Kilcunda community wants the bridge restored.
A public change.org petition has urged Council to preserve the bridge and restore the surrounding vegetation however the bridge lacks heritage protection. The cost of establishing heritage protection in the local planning scheme is estimated at between $27,000 and $85,000, and would not require the structure to be restored.
Three feasible options remain open to Council including demolishing, dismantling and removing the structure, retaining the structure without repairs and installing a security perimeter fence with landscaping to maintain public safety, or restoring, designing and building a replica structure. Each option has been identified as having its own inherent risks.
Demolition is said to involve a reputational risk, perimeter fencing has a public safety risk to be managed through ongoing monitoring and maintenance, and a replica bridge may be financially unsustainable.
A future recreation space has been suggested for the site once the bridge is demolished, or an artistic or historic recognition installation possibly reusing reclaimed materials.
Local historical interpretive signage has been suggested to celebrate the bridge once it has been demolished, with an opportunity for the community to provide feedback.
The cost of demolishing the bridge has been estimated at $32,000, fencing $27,000 plus ongoing inspections and maintenance, and restoration could cost from $800,000 to $2 million.
A former member of the Rail Trail Committee claimed that when the rail trail was planned at Kilcunda it was intended that the viaduct bridge would be a historic feature.
“Our heritage gets completely neglected until it falls down like the western brace of the coal mine, drives me mad,” said another.
“I personally love driving into Killy and seeing that landmark.
“Can’t imagine it not being there.
“Surely this is an important historical marker well deserving of being preserved for generations to come.”
Go to engage.basscoast.vic.gov.au/kilibridge for more information.
