REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Tuesday, October 31, 2006 THE Gold Coast’s richest man was given his own personal driveway to the Tugun bypass.

Main Roads constructed a $1.1 million bridge which allowed Billabong founder Gordon Merchant direct access to the new highway.

The expensive quirk arose because the bypass cut access to Mr Merchant’s Tugun home.

Mr Merchant, who bought the property for $1.4 million in 1993, built a sprawling, twostorey home on the ridge line to capitalise on the spectacular views to the ocean.

For that reason alone, Main Roads decided it would be cheaper to construct the bridge than to resume the Merchant mansion and the 13ha property on which it sits.

According to bypass planning documents, section C of the bypass passes Mr Merchant’s house through an area called the Hidden Valley, one of the most environmentally sensitive sections of the roadway.

A spokesman for Main Roads admitted the situation was strange, but said the bridge simply had to be built.

“Main Roads’ planning for the bypass, or any project, has to include making sure people can still get into and out of their properties,” he said.

“The detailed design for the Tugun bypass does not include an off-ramp at this location but the project team is building a single-lane bridge to the property.”

It was understood the bridge could eventually be used to access several properties if land near the Merchant mansion was developed, but for the time being it would serve as a oneman highway link.