MEMBERS and visitors to the Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club are ecstatic that their rickety and rattly old wooden access bridge has finally been repaired.
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The wooden structure provides the only access to the golf club’s leased course and clubhouse, and has been deteriorating rapidly over the years, to the point where the board of directors were increasingly concerned about the soundness of its construction and public safety.
The golf club is widely used by the community, not only for golf with nearly 300 members, but there is an active squash club with more than 60 keen players, weekly bingo, and the club’s range of social activities, raffles etc. The Island Restaurant is one of the most popular dining venues in the Nambucca Valley, well patronised by members and guests.
Following discussions with council, it was determined that it was the golf club’s responsibility to effect repairs to the bridge. With concrete construction replacement estimated in the vicinity of $80,000, this option was out of the question.
The club entered into discussions with local bridge builders J & J Bilson, and an affordable repair plan was devised. This entailed replacement of the decking with more substantial timbers, and construction of a concrete retaining wall to rectify erosion and shorten the overall length of the bridge - a total cost of $14,160.
The golf club then applied for grant funding assistance under the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership, and with support from local Member for Oxley, Melinda Pavey, it was successful in receiving a grant of $13,250.
The refurbished bridge now provides a much safer and smoother access to Stuarts Island, much to the delight of all who cross it, and well worth the wait.
The golf club wishes to express its thanks to Mrs Pavey for facilitating the grant funds, and to J & J Bilson for completion of the project.