Although council has not received direct official word from the defence minister John Faulkner that its application to borrow or hire two portable army bridges has been unsuccessful, advice has been provided via the member of Lyne, Rob Oakeshott in a letter received to his office on February 18.

Greater Taree City Council mayor, Paul Hogan said that council has been working together with the Tourist Drive 8 Action (TD8) Group on this army bridge option in a quiet manner.

"We were mindful that such an application had to be carefully developed in accordance with an array of defence criteria; and that this would create a precedent in terms of local government accessing surplus army infrastructure."

It is understood by council, that the defence department has some 19 bridges currently in storage that are now 'surplus to requirement' because the design has been superseded.

Mayor Paul Hogan encourages community members to write to Prime Minister Rudd, questioning why these 'moth-ballled bridges' cannot be used.

In a recent email to the minister for defence, the TD8 Action Group wrote: "Clearly, with the nation's rural road infrastructure in crisis, and the decaying of old timber bridges a looming catastrophe, there is a moral obligation for any government department to transfer their surpluses urgently to where they are needed."

The TD8 website now urges the community to express their views by sending emails to Senator Faulkner. "Rob Oakeshott has assured us he will continue to pursue this despite the discouraging initial reply, so a barrage of emails right now might help to change the Minister's mind", TD8 member Sandra Kwa said.

At the February 17 meeting between council and TD8 members, Mayor Hogan confirmed that in addition to the up to $1 million of borrowings approved by council last November for temporary measures, council is prepared to dedicate their entire annual bridge budget of $1.3 million for the next two years ($2.6 million) towards building two permanent bridges estimated to cost $4.5 million to replace Marlee and Duffs Bridges, leaving a shortfall of just short of $2 million.