For thousands of riders who crossed it every year the Bingo Munjie Bridge was essential to the adventure of riding the Victorian Alps.
Risky, dangerous, terrifying, and yes—exhilarating—presuming you and your bike made it to the other side in one piece. And that did not always happen.
The bridge over the Bingo Munjie Creek along the highway from Omeo was always a major talking point for riders in the epic Peaks Challenge, the Bicycle Network annual event that takes riders over a testing 235 km distance with a gruelling 4000 metres of climbing.
The ancient, trembling timbers had cracks that would swallow a wheel, bumps that would snap a spoke, and splinters so sturdy that they could pin the bones in a broken leg.
When the event first started in 2010, with the road from the bridge only recently converted from gravel to asphalt, stringent measures had to be taken to mitigate the risk for riders.
Eventually, the bridge deck had deteriorated to such a point that event organisers decided to place a temporary ‘bike lane’ on the structure.
From now on though, crossing the creek will be a full-gas activity.
Regional Roads Victoria is replacing the decrepit structure with a new, modern bridge.
A new stronger concrete structure is being constructed in place of the existing bridge with a $2.228 million investment by the Victorian Government.
As well as being a safe and quick option for bike riders, the new structure will allow passenger and heavy vehicles to cross the creek easily and safely for the next 100 years.
The road will be widened on both approaches to the new crossing with sealed shoulders
Construction of the new bridge involves culverts installed in the creek with the road over the top.
The bridge has the latest standard safety barriers and there will be new road signs and line marking.
Peaks Challenge early bird tickets now open! It's time to take on the legend.
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