Victoria Bridge

About

The Victoria Bridge, also known as the Victoria Bridge over the Nepean River, is a heritage-listed former railway bridge and now wrought iron box plate girder road bridge across the Nepean River on the Great Western Highway in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith in the City of Penrith local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The bridge was designed by John Whitton, the Engineer–in–Chief of New South Wales Government Railways, and built from 1862 to 1867 by William Piper, Peto Brassey and Betts (superstructure), William Watkins (piers). It is also known as Victoria Bridge, The Nepean Bridge and RTA Bridge No. 333. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 27 May 2016.

The bridge initially carried rail and horse–drawn traffic, and was converted in 1907 to exclusively carry the Great Western Highway. The bridge is managed by Transport for NSW. The bridge is the oldest surviving crossing of the Hawkesbury–Nepean River. As at 2009, Roads & Maritime Services estimated that Victoria Bridge carried an average daily traffic of 25,000 vehicles per day.

Until 1856 travellers who wished to cross the Nepean River were required to use either the Emu Ford or a punt that was located south of the present day Victoria Bridge on Punt Road. This arrangement meant that in times of flood, travellers were often delayed at Penrith for days or even weeks waiting to cross the river. A small village developed near Emu Ford to cater to the people waiting to cross the river. With the discovery of gold west of the Great Dividing Range the flow of people, produce and animals through Penrith and across the river increased dramatically. It was no coincidence that attempts were made to build a permanent structure across the river, resulting in two timber road bridges located near to the eventual Victoria Bridge site being constructed.

Prior to the construction of the Victoria Bridge, a punt service was located at the site of the bridge. Following the discovery of gold in the west of the Great Dividing Range demand for a permanent river crossing increased. A timber bridge was constructed with private funds, charging a toll for its use.

In 1850 the Government of New South Wales, reacting to lobbying by Penrith locals, passed an Act authorising the construction of a bridge at the western end of Jamison Road. This scheme never went ahead. A second Act was passed in 1851 authorising the formation of a company, allocating A£6,000 for the construction of the bridge and allowing for the collection of tolls on the bridge. Following this act the Penrith and Nepean Bridge Company was formed. A further Act in 1854 increased the allocated funds to £20,000. The first directors of the Penrith and Nepean Bridge Company were local entrepreneurs Robert Fitzgerald, James Thomas Ryan, Edwin Rouse, John Perry, Charles York, Henry Hall, Alexander Fraser. Construction of the bridge was under the supervision of David McBeth, a Scottish surveyor.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.