▁In ▁November ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁a ▁pet ition ▁was ▁prepared ▁by ▁the ▁residents ▁of ▁Hay ▁request ing ▁that ▁the ▁town ship ▁be ▁granted ▁municipal ▁status .   ▁ ▁E lections ▁for ▁al der men ▁were ▁held ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 8 7 2 .   ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁first ▁municipal ▁meeting ▁the ▁local ▁business man , ▁Frank ▁Joh ns , ▁was ▁elected ▁mayor . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁bridge ▁over ▁the ▁M urr umb idge e ▁River ▁at ▁Hay ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁£ 2 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁structure ▁included ▁a ▁tur nt able ▁which ▁enabled ▁the ▁middle - section ▁to ▁be ▁sw ung ▁open ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁steam ers .   ▁ ▁The ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁Hay ▁Bridge ▁was ▁delayed ▁while ▁the ▁approaches ▁were ▁formed . ▁It ▁was ▁finally ▁opened ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁August ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁by ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Secretary ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁Henry ▁Park es .   ▁ ▁The ▁old ▁bridge ▁was ▁eventually ▁replaced ▁by ▁a ▁new ▁one , ▁opened ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁The ▁old ▁Hay ▁Bridge ▁was ▁subsequently ▁demol ished . ▁The ▁tur nt able , ▁last ▁used ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁river - b end ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁where ▁the ▁bridge ▁had ▁been . ▁ ▁As ▁it ▁developed ▁Hay ▁became ▁an ▁essential ▁hub ▁of ▁the ▁surrounding ▁district . ▁Past oral ▁runs ▁surrounding ▁the ▁town ship