Victor Harbor Golf Club is one of the lucky community organisations in line to receive some of the timber from the dismantled Granite Island Causeway.

The Department for Industry and Transport (DIT) issued an update about the timber distribution on 19 December.

“We have recently met with local community groups and will be providing them with a small amount of decontaminated timber for projects that will provide an opportunity to enjoy the timber in appropriate outdoor community settings, while paying homage to the history of the Causeway.”

Golf club member John Griffen told ABC Radio on 21 December that the club will receive three pieces of the rare timber, which form a permanent monument to the Causeway.

It will be placed on the first tee, along with a commemorative plaque.

Adjacent to the clubhouse, the tee offers views of Encounter Bay, including Granite, Seal and Wright Islands and the Bluff.

The $43 million new concrete Causeway opened to pedestrians in December 2021, with the horse drawn tram resuming service early in 2022. 

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) had assessed its condition and determined that retaining the old structure was not viable.

Sections of the old Causeway were retained and reconstructed as viewing platforms and local groups were invited to submit expressions of interest to repurpose the remaining timber.

DIT has stored some of it to use on jetties in the future and has given some to Alexandrina and Victor Harbor councils for use on local projects, including reconstruction of the Currency Creek bridge and fencing for the Horse Tram Authority.

It had previously issued a ‘timbers update’ statement in November, saying the community has been notified that testing of the timber has identified elements, including bitumen and lead paint, which were historically used to treat timber to prolong its life. 

Mr Griffen says the golf club had to sign a waiver regarding the contamination in order to receive the timber, which it expects to get next March.