Fed up Toodyay resident Mick Bell is calling for Slaughterhouse bridge to reopen for  local and emergency vehicles and 150 have signed on to his petition.

By Rashelle Predovnik
July 2026

One hundred and fifty residents have signed up to a petition calling for Slaughterhouse Bridge to be reopened and allow local and emergency vehicles to pass.

The petition, presented to council this month, said the continuing closure of the bridge – impacted local residents by adding extra travelling time for attendance by lifesaving emergency vehicles.

 It also made it impossible for people who use mobility vehicles to safely get to town and it added extra time and fuel costs for locals to get to work or get children to school.

In May, ABC News reported the bridges closure forced residents to travel an extra 12km into town, through heavy haulage and gravel roads.

Those interviewed said the closure and extra 12km’s has impacted the quality of life of the 500 nearby residents.

Residents demand action

Lead petitioner Mick Bell said there had been no consultation with the affect residents.

“The community would appreciate some sort of communication with the shire because it has been deathly silent from their end,” he said.

“Hence the petition.”

Mr Bell said council just needed to get on with opening the bridge again for emergency vehicles and local traffic.

“They can find the money to pay two CEO’s at the moment and that wouldn’t have been in the Budget so find the money to get bridge open again.”

Shire says council is listening

Toodyay Shire president Mick McKeown said the original Slaughterhouse Bridge was destroyed in 1934 due to heavy rain that caused serious flooding in Toodyay.
He said the bridge was then replaced with the timber bridge that is now in place.

The president said the shire had been listening to the community concerns about the closure of Slaughterhouse Bridge.

“There were concerns raised by the ABC about access for emergency services being limited to West Toodyay because of the closure of the bridge.”

But he said emergency services vehicles had already lost access to Slaughterhouse Bridge as there was a weight limited to 3.5 tonnes.

“So, they had been accessing West Toodyay via either Picnic Hill Road off the Toodyay Bindi-Bindi Road or Toodyay West Road off Julimar Road,” he said.

“Travelling at the speed limit to access West Toodyay via these routes can take just a few minutes longer than by using Slaughterhouse Bridge.

Building a bridge

A spokesperson from the Department of Local Government Department said local governments were responsible for the maintenance of bridges on local government roads as well as the maintenance of its local road network. 

A Main Roads spokesperson said the Shire of Toodyay had successfully secured state funding in 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 to undertake design and development work on a replacement bridge.

According to Main Roads the Shire of Toodyay has received state funding over the past three financial years to progress the design and development of a replacement bridge.

“The shire successfully secured state funding in 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26 to undertake design and development work on a replacement bridge.”

 In December 2025 the shire issued a statement advising residents council had endorsed a single-lane bridge with a footpath as the preferred option for the replacement of Slaughterhouse Bridge.

The shire said Main Roads WA (MRWA) would prepare a 50 per cent design for the single-lane bridge with footpath option, including updated cost estimates.

“This will then be presented to council for further consideration.

“Should council resolve to proceed, the shire will then be required to source applicable funding.”

A revised bridge plan

But this month, Cr McKeown said Main Roads was currently working on the 15 per cent design stage of the bridge design.

He said the 15 per cent design stage was a preliminary design stage that included investigation of feasible options and the suitability, general alignment, and basic structural configurations for the bridge.

   “Once the design reaches a point that costings can be confirmed, the shire will be able to prepare an application for special project funding for a new bridge.”

“The shire will then have to wait until the bridge design stage triggers an application request from the West Australian Local Government Grants Commission to apply for funding.

 “So, the shire must wait for approval from these two State Government departments before building a new bridge.”

   Cr Mc McKeown said the shire had also approached MRWA about the possibility of opening the bridge for pedestrian use.

“Last month MRWA approved that request and the shire is currently investigating what works are required to re-open the bridge as a pedestrian only bridge.”

   “This will require installation of barriers that restrict traffic on the bridge to pedestrians only.”

   “This work will commence in July and is expected to be completed by the end of July.”

 

Bridge blame game: Main Roads rejects

shire’s claims over closure

MAIN Roads WA (MRWA) has flatly rejected claims it was responsible for the closure of Slaughterhouse Bridge, saying it was the Shire of Toodyay who made that decision in 2025 despite having the option of repairing the bridge instead.

The dispute stems from comments made by Toodyay Shire president Mick McKeown, who said residents should remember it was not the shire that ordered the closure but MRWA.

The shire president said in the 90 years the bridge had been in use, gradual deterioration of the wooden structure had resulted in its recent closure by MRWA.

He said the closure has been gradual with decreasing load limits being put in place by MRWA over the last few years.

But Main Roads has provided a markedly different account, saying the shire had been warned for years about the deteriorating condition of the 90-year-old timber bridge and was repeatedly advised repairs were needed.

A Main Roads spokesperson said the Shire of Toodyay did structural repairs to Slaughterhouse Bridge in 2011, 2016 and 2019 with funding support provided by the State Government.

“Main Roads advised the Shire of Toodyay about its concerns with the bridge’s condition following a five-yearly detailed inspection of the bridge in October and November 2021,” the spokesperson said.

 “Following a load assessment in March 2023, Main Roads advised the Shire of Toodyay to consider closing the bridge, restricting the load limit or undertake repairs.”

 The MRWA spokesperson said the shire chose to install temporary steel props and imposed a nine-tonne weight limit. 

“Regular inspections have been undertaken since September 2023 and in that time, Main Roads has requested the shire rectify the bridge props,” the spokesperson said.

“A further review in November 2025 led Main Roads to again advise the Shire of Toodyay to consider undertaking repairs or close the bridge.”

 “The shire chose to close the bridge.”

MRWA also disputed any suggestion it had prevented repairs, saying it did not receive any applications from the shire for funding to repair the bridge before it was closed.