The Swing Bridge is back!

Planning is officially underway to rebuild the much-loved Swing Bridge, says Roy Fraser, Chair of the Rotary River Pathways Trust.

“The Trust has always been clear – the Swing Bridge will be rebuilt. The first step already underway is to get an up-to-date cost estimate. We know delays have been frustrating, and costs have climbed, but our commitment hasn’t wavered. Now we’re putting together a plan to raise the funds needed, and it will take a big community effort.”

The Trust will be launching fresh fundraising initiatives and reviving the popular ‘Friends of the Trails’ programme to give locals the chance to play their part. “Watch this space – very soon we’ll be asking the community to join us in making the bridge a reality again.”

The Swing Bridge has always been more than wood, steel, and concrete. It was a place where cyclists, walkers, picnickers, and visitors gathered – a place of connection. It linked Waipawa and Waipukurau, connected people with each other, and opened a gateway to nature along the Tukituki Trails.

“Rebuilding the bridge isn’t about pointing fingers at the past – it’s about looking forward. It’s about this community coming together, as it did before, to make something special happen again.”

When the bridge was first built, the community raised around $300,000, gifting the finished project to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council as trail guardians. That idea began almost as a joke – a casual comment about linking the towns by a bridge – but it quickly sparked the imagination of locals. The result was a loop ride that attracted both residents and visitors, feeding into the national boom in cycle tourism alongside the Otago Rail Trail, Alps 2 Ocean, and the Timber Trail.

The Swing Bridge became a symbol of Central Hawke’s Bay’s vision: a place people wanted to visit, and a reason people wanted to stay. “Amenities like our trails, our bridge, and the mountain bike park make this district not only a destination, but a great place to call home,” Fraser said.

Now it’s time to rebuild – together.