Sturt Reserve upgrade receives $572,000 funding boost

The Murray Bridge council didn't get all the federal funding it had hoped for, but the cash it got will help its riverfront project.

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Murray Bridge’s ongoing riverfront upgrade has received a $572,000 boost from the federal government.

The money will be spent landscaping the area around a new war memorial currently being built at Sturt Reserve, beneath Wharf Hill, and on other aspects of the surrounding history and tourism precinct.

Murray Bridge councillors held a meeting on Monday night to decide how to spend the funding from the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

The council had pledged $1.7 million of its own funds to the project, and had hoped for another $1.4 million from the federal Building Better Regions Fund.

However, it recently found out its funding application was not successful.

Councillors including Airlie Keen were all in favour of the substitute plan.

“I really support council’s proposal to spend this money in that location,” she said at the meeting.

“It won’t go as far as what was originally proposed, given it’s half the amount, but I’m sure it will be put to good use and ... give us an area we can be proud of.”

The scope of the landscaping works is yet to be determined, as further funding for the first stage of the riverfront revamp is yet to be confirmed.

Image: Rural City of Murray Bridge.