History of Iron Cove Bridge
The original Iron Cove Bridge was completed in November 1882. Two bridges (the other being at Gladesville) were built to shorten the distance to the city from farms in the Parramatta district (refer to photo bottom left).
The current Iron Cove Bridge was commissioned to replace the original bridge. It was completed in September 1955. This steel truss bridge forms a local landmark that has a “gateway” quality for the suburbs of Balmain and Drummoyne (refer to photo bottom right). It is one of the largest steel truss bridges constructed in NSW, metal bridges are relatively rare types of road bridges. It stands as a record of NSW State Government optimism in the depressed period after World War II.
The bridge was officially opened by the Hon. J.J. Cahill, MLA, Premier and Colonial Treasurer of NSW on the 30 July 1955. The design of the bridge incorporates many elements of the Inter-War Art Deco style (1915 to 1940), including distinctive piers and abutments. The original bridge was then dismantled and some spans belonging to the bridge were re-erected at the Gunning Gap Bridge near Forbes (still there today).
The RTA proposes to build a new three lane bridge over Iron Cove on the western side of the existing bridge that would join the Victoria Road near the abutments of the original bridge built in 1882.
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