Bridge on Fernleigh Track closed after vandals start late-night fire

Lake Macquarie City Council's horror stretch of vandalism has continued, with a bridge on the Fernleigh Track closed due to fire damage.

The wooden pedestrian and cycling bridge between Burwood Road and Whitebridge had its western side destroyed by a fire started by vandals.

Luckily the fire burnt itself out without spreading to nearby bush.

The Redhead to Whitebridge portion of the Fernleigh Track only reopened on December 12 after being closed for six days after a bushfire.

Lake Macquarie City Council was notified of the vandalism on Wednesday and sent crews, who closed the bridge and put in a detour.

A gravel path alongside the bridge will provide a low-speed alternative route until a structural assessment can take place to determine the extent of necessary repairs.

Fernleigh Track users are urged to use caution when using the detour.

Earlier in December, the council was rocked by the theft of 23 sandstone blocks, each weighing 1.1 tonnes, from the side of the road on The Esplande in Speers Point. The blocks and their installation were valued at $10,000.

Then on December 12, two youths aged 11 and 14 allegedly broke into the Hunter Sports Centre at Glendale and caused more than $100,000 in damage, including the slashing of Olympic-standard gymnastics equipment, cutting data cabling and spraying fire extinguishing foam throughout the building.

Anyone with information about the vandalism on the Fernleigh Track should contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

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