OLDEST - Sale Swing Bridge, Sale, Vic, Australia
S 38° 08.782 E 147° 05.220
55H E 507623 N 5777941
This Movable Bridge was the First, and still operating Swing Bridge built in Australia.
Waymark Code: WMWH71
Location: Victoria, Australia
Date Posted: 09/05/2017
Views: 0
"Opened to traffic in 1883, this is the OLDEST operational swing bridge in Australia. It is a very rare, intact and unaltered example of a type of bridge providing both for road traffic and shipping.
"It was designed by distinguished Australian engineer and architect, John Grainger, the father of the world famous pianist and composer Percy Grainger.
"Built of cast iron with wrought iron cross beams and trusses, and manually operated, this bridge was remarkable for its exceptionally wide movable span and for transferring deadweight to the end fixed spans by way of a system of jacks.
"The builder was Sale-based contractor Peter Platt, the castings supplied by Tyne Foundry in Melbourne.
"This superb bridge is a palpable reminder of the critical role of navigable lakes and rivers in Australia's early transport story, and how shipping shaped the pattern of development in this part of Gippsland. This bridge which accommodated the early Gippsland arterial road from Port Albert enabled both coastal and lakes shipping to reach Sale which became an important port town.
"Earliest bridgekeeper was George Bailey. Principal bridgekeepers following Bailey were John Towner, 1888-1891, and 1893-1912, Eliza Ball, 1891-1893, and Tom Kivlighon, 1912-1938." [ex-signage]
Visited: 1120, Monday, 9 May, 2016
FIRST - Classification Variable: Place or Location
Date of FIRST: 01/01/1883
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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