At the moment residents wanting to get from one side of the village to the other simply drive across the Dam Road, but if the road closure goes ahead, Wyangala residents face a 40-50 minute drive on a road that in places is not wide enough for two trucks to pass each other.

With Wyangala Dam one of the major attractions in the region for water sports, fishing and camping, Boorowa residents should be concerned about a possible drop in tourism numbers in Boorowa should tourists decide the alternate partly dirt road is just too hard to traverse.

The population of Wyangala Village swells from 130 to over 1000 during the Christmas holidays and the road closure is expeted to make it difficult and dangerous to access the facilities of the village.

“The closure of the road over the Dam will cost the village not only tourist dollars but will add to the cost of everything that is delivered to the village due to increased fuel costs incurred in the extra distance the carriers will have to travel” said Wayne Hudson, Treasurer of Wyangala Country Club.

“The other concern is for any emergency vehicles that have to attend emergencies in the village, be it ambulances or fire trucks for bushfires, will have to take the detour and that could mean a matter of life or death” said Mr Hudson

Mr Hudson pointed out that the village could be placed in a precarious position in a fire emergency should the Mt McDonald Road be breached by fire leaving villagers no escape route.