Susanna Freymark
The long awaited Montgomerys Bridge at Iron Pot Creek was officially opened today, Tuesday, September 8.
Residents, council staff and Kyogle councillors celebrated the new $3.3million bridge.
The bridge restores access to Iron Pot Creek and Ghinni Ghi residents after almost six years of lengthy detours.
For councillor Rob Cullen, who cut the opening ribbon with mayor Danielle Mulholland, it was a part of his family’s history.
“It was a big honour to be asked as a descendant of a pioneer of Kyogle,” Mr Cullen said.
John Montgomery, the bridge’s namesake, was Mr Cullen’s great grandfather. He was born in Scotland and came to Sydney, Australia.
In 1901, he became superintendent of the South Kyogle Station near Stony Gully.
In 1912, he bought property at Iron Pot Creek and was a dairy farmer with his wife Margaret. They had eight children.
When the Montgomerys retired from farming, they moved to Afterlee.
Mr Cullen only found out recently that Mr Montgomery was a Kyogle councillor in the 1920s to the early 1930s.
He died in 1939.
Long time resident Mark O’Reilly has lived at Iron Pot for 27 years. His family have been farming in the area for 80 years.
“Kyogle Council have done a mighty job,” Mr O’Reilly said.
“It’s so good for the neighbours.”
For six years, neighbours could only wave across the gap and creek dividing them unless they wanted to take a long drive around to the other side.
In the past five years, the council has replaced 110 ageing timber bridges across the LGA through a funding partnership with the Australian and NSW governments.
“Now we can cross timber bridges off our list and crack on with roads, culverts and causeways, along with the many other projects we have in the works,” Ms Mulholland said.