WORK is finally underway on the Gunbower Creek footbridge at Koondrook.
Construction of the bridge is the first stage in the creation of a nature-based tourism hub fronting the Gunbower Creek south-east of the new wharf.
Early last week, engineers Price Merrett began setting out piles for the bridge, which will connect the Koondrook waterfront area off Tramway Place and Gunbower Parade with Gunbower Island.
Once the bridge is complete, work is expected to begin on six safari style glamping tents designed to accommodate between two and four people each.
A camp kitchen and canoe platform are also planned for the area.
The project is the centrepiece of a plan to build Koondrook’s tourism appeal to an environmentally engaged demographic, with the bridge and associated work set to provide access to walking, cycling and canoe trails in the Gunbower Island forest.
Planners also envisaged that Koondrook will benefit from the development of the Murray River Adventure Trail – an ambitious multi-stage touring route along the Murray from Albury to Mildura that is currently in the early stages of development.
The nature hub is also intended to link to a Kerang to Koondrook rail trail for cyclists.
With road work to improve traffic flow in the Koondrook CBD already complete, road sealing and kerb and channel works in Tramway Parade between the Goods Shed and tourism hub area are also due to occur soon.
Also planned for the area is the redevelopment of the former Goods Shed into a café.
The $1.2 million nature-based tourism hub plan, which has received $800,000 from Regional Development Victoria, is intended to build on beautification works carried out over many years along the Koondrook waterfront, including the construction of the award-winning wharf, which was completed in 2016.
The footbridge and glamping accommodation components of the plan were originally slated to be completed in early to mid 2019.
