MITCHELL Shire’s decision not to restore the old Goulburn River Bridge has sparked debate about heritage, cost, and community identity. The bridge, once a vital link, now stands as a relic of another era. Some residents see it as an important piece of history; others view it as a decaying liability.
The central question is one that many councils, not just Mitchell, face – just because something is old, is it worth saving? Age alone does not make a structure significant. Without a clear cultural, historical, or functional value, restoration can become an expensive exercise in nostalgia.
Supporters of preservation argue that heritage should be about more than utility. The bridge, they say, connects the community to its past, telling stories of trade, travel, and connection across the Goulburn River.
Opponents counter that sentiment should not outweigh cost, and practicality. If a structure no longer serves the community in a meaningful way, they argue, public money is better spent elsewhere.
The late, great Peter Allen’s famous line, “Everything old is new again,” rings true in this debate. Old structures can indeed find new life when reimagined for modern use: think walking trails, early town hubs, the Old Echuca Wharf is a good example. But without a plan to make the Goulburn River Bridge relevant to today, it risks becoming nothing more than a rotting monument to indecision.
Mitchell Shire’s choice reflects the tension between heritage and progress. The challenge now is ensuring that the decision, whether to demolish, restore, or repurpose, serves not just history but the living, breathing community. After all, a bridge is only as valuable as the connections it continues to make.
As the debate over the Goulburn River Bridge drags on, Peter Allen’s line from the above referenced song “Let’s go backwards when forward fails” feels less like wisdom and more like a warning.
Clinging to a decaying structure simply because it’s old risks turning heritage into dead weight. Progress stalls when sentiment replaces practicality, and Mitchell Shire can’t afford to move backwards under the guise of preservation.
Sometimes, letting go of the past is the only way to build a future. But then, that’s just my opinion.