Federation Council general manager, Adrian Butler discusses the way forward with Moira Shire chief executive, Matt Morgan and Green Route Community Group chair, John Lawless (centre).
After 20 years of campaigning, the Victorian and NSW Governments are aligned with Moira and Federation Councils and communities, with the Green Route officially endorsed for a new bridge across Lake Mulwala, connecting the twin towns of Yarrawonga and Mulwala.
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Frustration has simmered since the 2017 Moira Shire plebiscite, which showed 77 per cent support for the Green Route.
With the Victorian Government unwilling to commit to a route, progress stalled on planning and on the business case needed to seek funding from the Federal Government.
Moira Shire Council chief executive Matthew Morgan said Victoria’s decision on February 20 to endorse the Green Route was a moment of "great excitement" and a testament to years of tireless community advocacy, but he was quick to temper the celebration with reality.
"We're just very grateful to have this first step, and it is only the first step," Mr Morgan said.
He said that with the Victorian Government now aligned with NSW, the Council could finally begin constructive, meaningful conversations about the future of the Yarrawonga foreshore and Belmore Street.
The endorsement means the Shire can now realistically plan for a town centre free of B-doubles and explosives and potentially pedestrianise parts of Belmore Street to better link the town with Lake Mulwala.
On the NSW side of the river, Federation Council general manager Adrian Butler is relieved that the holding pattern has ended.
He said the decision provides the clarity needed to protect local investments, which were difficult to plan around while the route remained uncertain.
Mr Butler said his focus was on a "one lake, one community" philosophy, which aims for joint planning with Moira Shire to ensure the twin towns grow together rather than duplicating services.
The Green Route, which runs alongside the railway line, is expected to provide more efficient outcomes for the substantial population boom projected over the coming decades.
It crucially promises to remove heavy vehicle traffic from the heart of both towns, transforming Belmore and Melbourne Streets into safer, more amenable shopping precincts.
There are no decisions about the future of the old bridge but the Green Route leaves the option to retain it as a walking and cycling link.
Ovens Vally MP, Tim McCurdy said he clearly remembers standing on the banks of Lake Mulwala in 2014 with then Minister for Roads Terry Mulder, when the Green Route was announced as the right solution for the region’s future.
“It has taken nearly 12 years, but the Victorian Government has finally agreed with the decision we made back then,” Mr McCurdy said.
“I look forward to continuing strong advocacy alongside the Federal Member for Nicholls, Sam Birrell, to secure a new bridge on the Green Route,” he said.
“This is a long-overdue step forward, and while it should have happened years ago, it finally provides the certainty our border communities deserve.”
Mr Birrell said the Green Route was a practical, widely supported solution that reflected consultation and local advocacy and now the route had been decided, the Federal Government could properly assess and support funding for “this critical piece of regional infrastructure”.
The 102-year-old bridge across Lake Mulwala is no longer fit for purpose and now agreement has finally been reached on a route for a new bridge.
The Victorian Government has made it clear the endorsement does not guarantee immediate funding.
Advocacy has turned to Federal Ministers Catherine King (Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) and Pat Conroy (Defence Industry) to secure a federal funding commitment for a project now estimated at more than $200 million.
Chair of the Green Route Community Group, John Lawless said it was critical to determine which state would be the lead agency.
Mr Lawless is in no doubt he believes that should be NSW, which has “been ready to go for two and a half years”.
The Green Route allows for the old bridge to be retained as a walking and cycling trail, however all parties have agreed that the focus, for now, needs to be on a new bridge; the old bridge is a conversation for another day.
