Gundagai Town of Historic Bridges

The old town of Gungafai was built on the flats where these bridges now cross. The town was first gazetted and surveyed in 1838. The town flooded about 1 metre in 1844 and 1851.

On the 25th June 1852 the old town was destroyed by a flood 4 to 5 metres deep across the flats. There were 78 recorded deaths. This was Australia's worst natural disaster. An even greater flood followed in 1853. There after the present town site was developed.

Prince Alfred was Queen Victoria's second son. He was the first member of the British Royal Family to visit Australia, touring in 1867-68 when he was 23. His visit was very popular and well publicised (sic). He was shot in an assassination attempt at Clontarf (Sydney) March 1868.

Although he never visited Gundagai this bridge was named in his honour, but not without dissent, some locals wanted it named after William MacLeay MLA, who did so much to get the bridge built.

·The iron spans of the Prince Alfred Bridge are of unique design. The top chord is continuous and rests on roller bearings. This section was completed in 1867.
·The piers are made of 6 ft. high by 6 ft diameter (approx. 2m x 2m) cast iron drums made at the "Fitzroy Iron Works" Mittagong. They were the first large iron castings made in Australia.
·Of all the bridges built across the Lachlan Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers the "Prince Alfred" is the oldest still standing.
·It is the second oldest metal truss bridge in Australia. There re only 8 older metal bridges in Australia.
·This timber viaduct built in 1896 replaced the original viaduct. Total length of bridge 921 metres.
·The railway viaduct (built 1903) is the longest timber truss bridge ever built in Australia. Length 819 metres.
·The new Sheahan Bridge (1977) is the second longest bridge in N.S.W. (1144 metres). Sydney Harbour Bridge 1149 metres.
·Photographs of the two old bridges are on display in several local businesses

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The White Gate Historical
Lambie Street
Cooma 1890 / Cooma 1925

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