The Government has thrown a lifeline to a small community cut off from the West Coast Wilderness Trail Great Ride after a historic bridge was closed over safety concerns. It has announced funding of up to $1.6 million to replace the Totara River Rail Bridge (pictured) near Ross, the money coming from the international visitor conservation and tourism levy.
Westland District Council closed the 115-year-old bridge last August after engineers warned it could fail at any time, with potentially fatal results, leaving the old goldmining town disconnected from the trail, which lures 15,000 cyclists to the region each year.
