This bridge is a McDonald timber truss road bridge. Timber truss road bridges were extensively used in New South Wales because of the high quality of local hardwoods and the shortage of steel during the early decades of settlement of the state. The timber truss was highly developed for bridges in New South Wales, perhaps more so than anywhere else in the world at that time. The McDonald truss is a significant evolutionary link in the development of timber road bridges in New South Wales and has three standard span lengths, 65'/19.96m, 75'/22.86m and 90'27.43m . At March 1998 there were seven McDonald truss road bridges remaining in New South Wales, this bridge being a representative example. The bridge has been assessed as having State Significance.
Date Significance Updated
09 April 1998
Description
Designer
John McDonald
Builder
NSW Public Works
Construction years
**** - 1892
Physical description
The bridge consists of two 75' (22.86m) truss spans flanked by by two timber girder spans at each end (one 35; (10.67m) and one 30' (9.14m) span at each end). All are supported by timber piers with piles driven into rock. The bridge width is 4.57m (15') between kerbs at its narrowest.
Generally fair to good condition with maintainence by the RTA as it is a functioning road bridge.
Modifications and dates
Flashing on the top chord and the provision of steel rails under the deck to hang the working platforms from.
Date condition updated
03 April 1998
History
Historical notes
RTA and PW records indicate it was built in 1892 for a cost of 2,964 pounds.
Listings
Heritage Listing
Reference Number
Gazette Number
Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register
Assessment of Significance
Historical Significance
McDonald truss bridges have historical significance because timber truss bridges were developed and refined in Australia to achieve the highest level of timber bridge construction for the time of their design and the McDonald truss is an important recognisable design in the evolution of timber truss bridges in NSW.
Aesthetic Significance
McDonald truss bridges have aesthetic significance because they are evocative of Australian methods of bridge construction, in their materials, scale and configuration they reflect and express nineteenth century technologies and experiences and for the time of their design and construction they demonstrate the best quality design available.
Social Significance
McDonald truss bridges have social significance because their size and location contribute directly to the local area and they are a strong element in the local address.
Technical Significance
Integrity/Intactness
****
Representativenes
****
Rarity
****
Assessed Significance
State
References
Type
Author
Year
Title
Written
unknown
1951
Main Roads Vol XVII, No.1
Written
Trueman E.G
1982
Timber Bridge Conservation in NSW
Written
unknown
1939
A Survey of Bridge Building in Australia
Written
Colin O'Connor
1985
Spanning Two Centuries
Written
NSW Dept of Main Roads (DMR)
1987
Timber Truss Bridge Maintainenc Road Bridge
Written
Allan,Percy
1924
Highway Bridge Construction -The Practice in NSW
Study details
Title
Year
Author
Inspected by
Guidelines used
New Bridge over Bombala River at Cunningham's Point - Heritage Significance Stud
1997
NSW RTA and HTL Reinhold
Yes
New Bridge over Bombala River at Bibbenluke - Heritage Significance Study
1996
NSW RTA and HTL Reinhold
Yes
McDonald Truss Road Bridges in NSW
1998
NSW RTA and Hughes Trueman Reinhold
Yes
Custom fields
RTA Region
Southern
Bridge Number
6129
CARMS File Number
****
Property Number
****
Conservation Management Plan
Yes - Prepared by Hughes Trueman Reinhold, May 1999. Contact Kevin Kennedy or Ian Archer, Southern Region.
Heritage and conservation register
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