Orbost business, Findley’s Engineering, has the job of fabricating an entry feature for the Snowy Rail Bridge.
Made of steel and painted red, this colonnade-style entry has been designed to reflect the size of the 20 metres long VFTY railway wagon and its 12 upright stanchions.
This was the largest wagon on the Orbost Railway Line and was painted a red colour.
The entry feature, along with the Big Red Bike and Railway Signal Tower, which are also receiving some attention from Neil and Ryan Findley, will be installed on the embankment at the eastern (Orbost) end of the bridge.
“When the entry feature is installed, an important milestone will be achieved,” Liz Mitchell, chairperson of the Save the Snowy Rail Bridge committee said.
“Also to be installed are a suite of signs and story-boards which tell some of the history of Orbost, the Railways and this district.
“Along with other features such as carparks, landscaping, picnic areas, lookouts and an under-bridge walk, the entry colonnade has been made possible with funding from the Federal Government’s Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants.
“This funding is specific for these items and was not able to be used on any of the bridge restoration works.
“Stage one of the bridge restoration works is also complete, providing walking and cycling access to sections of repaired and stabilised bridge and new mesh decking and safety rails at both ends.
“These works have been achieved by financial support from the Victorian Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Program.
“Stage two of bridge works to complete the decking and repairs is dependent on funding being available.
“I am very proud of all the work done to date by our principal contractor McInnes Earthmoving, project management by Gippsland Project Management, landscaping by GLaWAC (Gunaikurnai Land and Water Aboriginal Corporation), and metal fabrication by Findley’s Engineering.
“The project has been guided by a Project Control Group and our Save the Snowy Rail Bridge committee of local citizens, who in the last four years alone have collectively volunteered the equivalent number of hours as nearly three years of a full-time position
“I anticipate that all facets of Stage one, including installation of the entry feature colonnade, signs and story-boards etc., will be completed within the next few weeks,” Liz said.
