Old Kawarau River Bridge
Posted by: 
3l diesel
S 45° 00.553 E 168° 54.025
59G E 334547 N 5013880
This is the original bridge crossing of the Kawarau River and was in use until replaced in 1963.
Waymark Code: WM9PZY
Location: South Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 09/16/2010
Views: 14
The Kawarau River suspension bridge was constructed in 1880 and remained in service until 1963. Thereafter, the disused structure fell into disrepair until the world's first commercial Bungy jumping site was established on site. By 1990, the Department of Conservation and A J Hackett had restored the bridge. A portion of the jump fees goes towards bridge maintainance.
A waymark for the bungy jump (WM9F) has been established for some time. This waymark would like to concentrate on the bridge itself.
Completed and opened after 18 months of construction, the demands of traffic including bigger buses and the tight turn off the northern side resulted in its replacement (see waymark WM9NTR). Subsequently the bridge fell into disrepair until 1988 when the bungy jumping enterprise started.
The bridge has some signage (see gallery) where they state that 28 cables support the bridge. This means 14 cables on each side, "each 4 7/8 inches (125 mm)". As can be judged by the GPSr laying next to the cables at an anchor (in the gallery), this dimension would have to be the cable circumference.
Also from the signage, we read "
THE BRIDGE WAS DESCRIBED AS A 'MODEL STRUCTURE IN BOTH DESIGN AND WORKMANSHIP' AND THE BRIDGE'S ENGINEER, H.P. HIGGINSON, WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS TELFORD PREMIUM AWARD FROM BRITAIN'S INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.
"
Date Completed: 12/30/1880
Usage: Automobile
Length: 91.5m
WWW: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Log your find with the picture of the bridge that you like. No gpsr required in the photo...different seasons and lighting for the pictures is what will be the goal.