Residents take fight to bridge

Jessica Benton
ANGRY Barwon Heads residents have swarmed the towns riverbanks to protest bridge redevelopment works.
About 30 protestors armed with signs and banners launched the first protest on Tuesday morning to slam State Government’s decision to demolish the town’s iconic bridge and replace it with two parallel bridges for vehicle and pedestrian use.
One Voice One Bridge spokesperson Sandy Gatehouse said the group was targeting politicians and their decisions.
“We’re genuinely concerned that we’re being typecast as activists but we’re just normal people who think this is appalling,” she said.
“It’s got to the stage now where they’re starting to trash the beach and there’s nasty things sticking out of the sand, so we had to do something.”
Ms Gatehouse warned the Government it faced indefinite community action.
“This is just the beginning of ongoing protests,” she said.
“People who were here today are all prepared to come back again.”
Ms Gatehouse said the protest group members reflected the widespread hostility toward the Government’s “two-bridge” project.
“There are people from Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads and a diverse range of young and old who have become involved. A lot of people came on their way to work or school,” she said.
“They braved the chilly weather and disrupted their day to support the protest.”
State Government defied community opposition and an upper house disallowment motion earlier this year to push ahead with the project. The decision drew widespread condemnation from the community as well as environmentalists who feared the project would damage an adjacent spit.
Residents were also concerned about loss of car parking spaces, beach access and increased traffic.
Vicroads’ Robin Miles praised the protesters for their “peaceful and respectful” behaviour.
The protesters confined themselves to a Vicroads-specified area near the bridge, Mr Miles said.
“The protest did not disrupt the construction schedule and Vicroads staff and contractors were able to go about their work.”