Treendale-Millbridge bridge to soon receive moniker

The bridge between Treendale and Millbridge will soon have an official name.

Since it opened to traffic in March last year the bridge has remained nameless and had often simply been referred to as the Treendale-Millbridge bridge.

Harvey shire president Tania Jackson said a name for the bridge had been agreed on by the Harvey and Dardanup shires as well as Main Roads.

“The announcement will be made very soon,” she said.

“It’s just a matter of organising a day when we will announce that name and install the signage.”

She said community feedback received about the bridge had been positive.

“It’s made the connection between the areas much easier, in terms of shopping and schools, as well as the communities themselves,” she said.

“Accessing those communities used to mean going out onto the highway or leaving the area to then come back in.

“Sometimes I’m in Eaton and I still automatically start going the other way before I remember I can go straight through – there is still that sense it is something to be grateful about.”

Dardanup shire president Mick Bennett agreed it had been fantastic for both shires.

“There used to be a lot of contact with Australind before Eaton and Millbridge grew so much and that has returned,” he said.

“I think it has been fantastic for re-joining of the two communities as they were in the past.

Cr Bennett said it had been good for businesses on both sides of the Collie River.

“I think it’s great for businesses that are external to Bunbury because it’s just opened everything up a lot more,” he said.

“There is a lot more selection and choice now.”

Cr Jackson said the bridge had also led to further development on the Treendale side of the bridge.

“We think a new subdivision with a new developer has been at least partly facilitated by the opening of the bridge,” she said.

“We think it was triggered by that – there is a slightly different housing style going in there because of its location near the water and it’s higher density in the offering for residential land available in the area.”