The association's president Rob Purtle is also miffed a member of his committee, Ken McLean, fired off a letter to Victorian roads minister Luke Donnellan quizzing the government about the bridge's long-term future.

Mr Donnellan's decision to axe the bridge, which was outlined in a return letter to Mr McLean, has blindsided the progress association.

It helped gather more than 10,000 signatures in support of retaining the existing Lake Mulwala crossing which was opened nearly a century ago.

Mr Purtle said the two towns wanted to keep the existing bridge for pedestrian and cycle use.

"The progress association is still keen to keep the old bridge as are the majority of people in Yarrawonga and Mulwala," he said.

"We still can't believe what Victoria and NSW are saying about the upkeep of the bridge.

"If they are going to spend $6 or $7 million pulling it down that sort of money would last a long time providing the upkeep on the bridge.

"It has been stipulated $450,000 is spent maintaining the bridge.

"The locals would love to have a view of the costings on where they spend that sort of money.

"In our opinion nothing has been done for the last 10 years."

The progress association is also backing the green route option which will see the replacement bridge built close to the current weir crossing which is being decommissioned.

The grey route option is for the replacement bridge to be constructed near the current traffic bridge which will continue to link the main streets of Mulwala and Yarrawonga.

"We were still under the impression they were going to retain the bridge and still hadn't made a decision on the route of the new bridge," Mr Purtle said.

Mr Purtle said Mr McLean had also "stretched the boundaries” in writing to the government.