Review Flood Damage

With a number of communities, farms and businesses still being impacted by high river levels and flooding from various rivers in central and northern Victoria, those upstream seeing river levels lowering are assessing the damage to property and infrastructure. The City of Greater Bendigo council is currently prioritising its responses to the community and damaged infrastructure, including damage to the O’Keefe Rail Trail.

Council has advised that it’s staff are currently undertaking a review of the whole 50km length of the O’Keefe Rail Trail, to assess what damage has occurred from recent weather events and flooding. Council will then determine a priority to undertake the necessary repair work.

The Friends of the Bendigo-Kilmore Rail Trail group’s President Colin Scott has offered the council assistance from its members, to help with certain works required to repair areas of the rail trail where deemed suitable for volunteers to carry out such work.

Two sections of the rail trail will remain closed to the public for a period of time, due to one bridge being damage and inundation from Lake Eppalock’s high water levels. These closures are at the trail’s bridge over the Campaspe River at Axedale, and the second being the trail’s causeway across Lake Eppalock at Derrinal. The remainder of the rail trail is open for use, with the trail’s surface being rated as in relatively good condition (considering the wet conditions!) for walking and cycling on suitable bikes.

Businesses that normally receive patronage from locals and visitors using the popular O’Keefe Rail Trail, look forward to trail users supporting them as service providers who have been affected by the floods.