Belmore Bridge - 1964 - Maitland, NSW, Australia
S 32° 43.774 E 151° 33.201
56H E 364443 N 6377766
On the opposite side at the western end of Belmore Bridge, to the Dated plaque for the erection of the Belmore Bridge in 1964, is the plaque for the Official Opening, by P D Hills MLA, on 4th April, 1964.
Waymark Code: WMXKPR
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 01/25/2018
Views: 1
The first 'Belmore Bridge' was built in 1869, with a different alignment to the current bridge, to cross the Hunter River, as the 'Tidal Limit', and a gravel bar just west of the current bridge was for a few decades the only crossing place for many miles. [And subject to flooding issues.] Even thought Pitnacree Bridge a few kilometres downstream opened in 1866, the crossing at 'the Falls' remained a regular crossing point until the iron truss Belmore Bridge was opened in 1869.
Even though so high above the Hunter River, it still was flooded over the top of, in the severe 1955 flood of the Hunter River. It is unclear how much higher the newer bridge is, to the earlier bridge, but access to the bridge would be cut a lot earlier, than the actual bridge going under.
To see the difference in the alignments of the two bridges, see an aerial photograph in the following 'Patterson River history' link: Belmore Bridge
The current bridge is a reinforced concrete, two-lane bridge, with footpaths on either side. It is multi-span, with concrete pylons for the reinforced concrete beams to bear onto.
This Bridge was Opened
by
The Hon. P.D. Hills, MLA
Minister for Local Government
and Minister for Highways
4th April 1964
Patrick (PD) Hills (1917-1992), born in Surrey Hills, Sydney had an apprenticeship in electrical engineering as a Toolmaker before starting his own engineering business. He entered local politics in 1948, becoming Lord Mayor of Sydney from 1953 - 1956. At aged 34 he was the youngest Lord Mayor of Sydney. He was also the First to take down the Union Jack on Sydney's Town Hall, replacing it with the now well known Australian flag.
He entered State politics in Sydney in 1954, and continued on until 1988. [Website: Sydney's Aldermen - Patrick Hills]
Visited: 1135, Sunday, 22 January, 2017