Wolgan Valley short film circulates social media

The Wolgan Valley Residents Association has released a short film that graphically illustrates the area's access issues after their only road was deemed unsafe. The video can be viewed on the Wolgan Valley Association's Facebook page.

After months of uncertainty, the association's members decided to make the short film to raise awareness on social media of the situation residents and businesses continue to endure.

The film is two minutes long and includes aerial views of the now closed Wolgan Gap Road, footage of floods, photos of the valley during the devastating Gospers Mountain fire and the landslip that closed the road.

Text over the footage explains the ongoing impacts the fires, floods and landslip have had on residents and businesses.

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Local and film director, Matt Bird, said the idea for the film came after discussions in the community.

Mr Bird said he was also inspired by the training himself and other residents received to navigate the temporary road, known as the Donkey Steps; which at its steepest is approximately a 32 per cent gradient.

President of the Wolgan Valley Association (WVA) Martin Krogh told the Lithgow Mercury in February the detour "is amongst some of the steepest roads in the world".

He said experiencing the training course through tools like the drone inspired him to reach out to the Wolgan Valley Association.

"I felt like there was a story to be told here visually," he said.

The Wolgan Valley Association placed Mr Bird in touch with fellow local, Eddie Martignago, to collaborate on the project.

"We just started chatting about ideas about how to get the message across to those that are working away from the area," Mr Martignago said.

"It was a way that we could bring the imagery and the gravity of the situation to them, and not have to expect them to come to the site."

Mr Martignago said residents appreciate the effort Lithgow City Council has made to make Donkey steps possible, but there are still difficulties they face.

"We've gotten to the point where the road has improved greatly," Mr Martignago said.

"Council and contractors have done a great job in getting it to this point."

According to Mr Martignago, due to the treacherous nature of the Donkey steps, the road is required to close during wet weather.

"As residents and business owners, it's very unsettling to know what could occur with another significant rain event," he said.

"We just want we want an all weather accessible road for all vehicles and all people in which we're not there yet."

Lithgow mayor Maree Statham announced in April that $30 million would be made available for a permanent road solution, which will "make an alternate alignment a reality".

This funding has been made available under the Natural Disaster Recovery Arrangements, a program funded and administered by the state and federal government, and delivered by local councils.

"The valley means so much to so many people. Those childhood memories of camping at Newnes or being blown away by your first glimpse of the red sandstone cliffs at sunrise, they stick with people for life," said Mr Krogh.

"We want more than anything to see people back here in the valley to continue those traditions and experience those moments. We want to see the Wolgan accessible to everyone again".