The Save the Victor Causeway group and Conservation Architect Sandy Wilkinson addressed a meeting of the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) yesterday in a last-ditch attempt to save the heritage-listed Granite Island causeway.

The Panel met at the Victor Harbor Library to hear submissions on the Department for Transport and Infrastructure plan to build a concrete replacement causeway at a cost of $31.1M. 

Mr Wilkinson told the panel that he disagreed with the Department's assessment that only about 13% of remaining material in the causeway was original.

He says that nearly two thirds of the existing structure is original material and that the money that would be saved if the structure was conserved, instead of replaced, could be used to reinstate the lost swimming baths that were once attached.

He also explained how the Morgan Wharf on the River Murray was successfully restored by experienced conservation engineers and how access to Granite Island could largely remain in place while restoration took place.

Eli Bickley of the Save the Victor Causeway Group represented the views of the more than 10 000 people who have signed a petition to save the structure.

The group argue that it is not necessary to replace the 151-year-old structure and that a 2010 assessment found that the causeway was one of Victor Harbor’s principal tourist attractions.

Once the panel have considered the submissions they will make a recommendation about the project to Planning Minister Vickie Chapman.