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Coordinates: 31°56′53″S 115°52′58″E / 31.94794°S 115.88286°E / -31.94794; 115.88286
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'''Bunbury Bridge''' was a single-track, timber railway bridge in [[East Perth, Western Australia|East Perth]] in [[Western Australia]]. The bridge crossed the [[Swan River (Western Australia)|Swan River]] near [[Claise Brook]] and was built for passenger and freight traffic to [[Bunbury, Western Australia|Bunbury]] on the [[South Western Railway, Western Australia|South Western Railway]].
'''Bunbury Bridge''' was a single-track, timber railway bridge in [[East Perth, Western Australia|East Perth]] in [[Western Australia]]. The bridge crossed the [[Swan River (Western Australia)|Swan River]] near [[Claise Brook]] and was built for passenger and freight traffic to [[Bunbury, Western Australia|Bunbury]] on the [[South Western Railway, Western Australia|South Western Railway]].


The Bunbury Bridge (then called the Swan Bridge<ref name="picnic">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3043278 |title=The South-Western Railway: Mr Neil McNeil's Picnic |work=[[The West Australian]] |location=Perth |date=19 December 1892 |access-date=2012-10-14 |page=2}}</ref>) was built in 1892 by Atkins and Law.<ref name="Gunzburg">{{cite book |chapter=Table ''Construction of the W.A Government Railways network, 1879-1931'' |pages=208–210 |first1=Adrian |last1=Gunzburg |first2=Geff |last2=Austin |year=2008 |title=Rails through the Bush: Timber and Firewood Tramways and Railway Contractors of Western Australia |place=Perth, Western Australia |publisher=Rail Heritage WA |isbn=978-0-9803922-2-7 |ol=12330925W}}</ref> Construction was delayed due to troubles with sinking the [[jarrah]] piles into the soft riverbed: they were intended to be sunk {{convert|42|ft|m}} below the water level, but reached this depth under their own weight as soon as they were put in position. Ultimately, they had to be driven to {{convert|85|to|96|ft|m}} before a solid footing was found.<ref name="picnic" />
called the Swan Bridge<ref name="picnic">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3043278 |title=The South-Western Railway: Mr Neil McNeil's Picnic |work=[[The West Australian]] |location=Perth |date=19 December 1892 |access-date=2012-10-14 |page=2}}</ref> was built in 1892 by Atkins and Law.<ref name="Gunzburg">{{cite book |chapter=Table ''Construction of the W.A Government Railways network, 1879-1931'' |pages=208–210 |first1=Adrian |last1=Gunzburg |first2=Geff |last2=Austin |year=2008 |title=Rails through the Bush: Timber and Firewood Tramways and Railway Contractors of Western Australia |place=Perth, Western Australia |publisher=Rail Heritage WA |isbn=978-0-9803922-2-7 |ol=12330925W}}</ref> Construction was delayed due to troubles with sinking the [[jarrah]] piles into the soft riverbed: they were intended to be sunk {{convert|42|ft|m}} below the water level, but reached this depth under their own weight as soon as they were put in position. Ultimately, they had to be driven to {{convert|85|to|96|ft|m}} before a solid footing was found.<ref name="picnic" />


The bridge was opened as part of the Perth to Bunbury Railway, which was officially opened on 8 September 1893 by [[William Cleaver Francis Robinson|Governor Robinson]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71190312 |title=City of Perth. |newspaper=[[Australian Town and Country Journal]] |location=NSW |date=14 October 1893 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=19 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66241493 |title=Perth-Bunbury Railway Bridge Over The Swan River|newspaper=[[The Inquirer & Commercial News]] |location=Perth |date=28 April 1893 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=1 Supplement: The Inquirer and Commercial News |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite wikisource |chapter=Chapter 21 |wslink=History of West Australia |plaintitle=History of West Australia |year=1897 |page=339}}</ref> Following concerns for its safety, a so-called "temporary" replacement bridge was built between 1930<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58390401 |title=New Bunbury Bridge Commenced. |newspaper=[[The Sunday Times (Western Australia)|The Sunday Times]] |location=Perth |date=15 June 1930 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=5 Section: Second Section |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and 1932.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32378548 |title=New Bunbury Bridge|newspaper=[[The West Australian]] |location=Perth |date=22 January 1932 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=20 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38508494 |title=New Bunbury Bridge|newspaper=[[Western Mail (Western Australia)|Western Mail]] |location=Perth |date=19 June 1930 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=23 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>Bunbury Bridge, East Perth – history of the bridge built in 1932 and plans for its replacement ''Westrail News'', April 1993, p.5</ref>
The bridge was opened as part of the Perth to Bunbury Railway, which was officially opened on 8 September 1893 by [[William Cleaver Francis Robinson|Governor Robinson]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71190312 |title=City of Perth. |newspaper=[[Australian Town and Country Journal]] |location=NSW |date=14 October 1893 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=19 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66241493 |title=Perth-Bunbury Railway Bridge Over The Swan River|newspaper=[[The Inquirer & Commercial News]] |location=Perth |date=28 April 1893 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=1 Supplement: The Inquirer and Commercial News |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite wikisource |chapter=Chapter 21 |wslink=History of West Australia |plaintitle=History of West Australia |year=1897 |page=339}}</ref> Following concerns for its safety, a so-called "temporary" replacement bridge was built between 1930<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58390401 |title=New Bunbury Bridge Commenced. |newspaper=[[The Sunday Times (Western Australia)|The Sunday Times]] |location=Perth |date=15 June 1930 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=5 Section: Second Section |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and 1932.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32378548 |title=New Bunbury Bridge|newspaper=[[The West Australian]] |location=Perth |date=22 January 1932 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=20 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38508494 |title=New Bunbury Bridge|newspaper=[[Western Mail (Western Australia)|Western Mail]] |location=Perth |date=19 June 1930 |access-date=7 April 2012 |page=23 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>Bunbury Bridge, East Perth – history of the bridge built in 1932 and plans for its replacement ''Westrail News'', April 1993, p.5</ref>

Revision as of 12:05, 23 December 2021

East Perth and surrounds, c. 1935
Bunbury Bridge, c. 1930

Bunbury Bridge was a single-track, timber railway bridge in East Perth in Western Australia. The bridge crossed the Swan River near Claise Brook and was built for passenger and freight traffic to Bunbury on the South Western Railway.

Originally called the Swan Bridge,[1] it was built in 1892 by Atkins and Law.[2] Construction was delayed due to troubles with sinking the jarrah piles into the soft riverbed: they were intended to be sunk 42 feet (13 m) below the water level, but reached this depth under their own weight as soon as they were put in position. Ultimately, they had to be driven to 85 to 96 feet (26 to 29 m) before a solid footing was found.[1]

The bridge was opened as part of the Perth to Bunbury Railway, which was officially opened on 8 September 1893 by Governor Robinson.[3][4][5] Following concerns for its safety, a so-called "temporary" replacement bridge was built between 1930[6] and 1932.[7][8][9]

After 63 years of use, the temporary structure was closed when a new concrete railway bridge opened in 1995.[10][11] The old timber bridge was demolished in early 1996. The 1995 concrete dual-track Goongoongup Bridge was built as part of the electrification of Perth's suburban railways. Windan Bridge (opened April 2000) is immediately adjacent and carries road traffic from the Graham Farmer Freeway.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "The South-Western Railway: Mr Neil McNeil's Picnic". The West Australian. Perth. 19 December 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  2. ^ Gunzburg, Adrian; Austin, Geff (2008). "Table Construction of the W.A Government Railways network, 1879-1931". Rails through the Bush: Timber and Firewood Tramways and Railway Contractors of Western Australia. Perth, Western Australia: Rail Heritage WA. pp. 208–210. ISBN 978-0-9803922-2-7. OL 12330925W.
  3. ^ "City of Perth". Australian Town and Country Journal. NSW: National Library of Australia. 14 October 1893. p. 19. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  4. ^ "Perth-Bunbury Railway Bridge Over The Swan River". The Inquirer & Commercial News. Perth: National Library of Australia. 28 April 1893. p. 1 Supplement: The Inquirer and Commercial News. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  5. ^ "Chapter 21" . History of West Australia. 1897. p. 339 – via Wikisource.
  6. ^ "New Bunbury Bridge Commenced". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 15 June 1930. p. 5 Section: Second Section. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  7. ^ "New Bunbury Bridge". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 22 January 1932. p. 20. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  8. ^ "New Bunbury Bridge". Western Mail. Perth: National Library of Australia. 19 June 1930. p. 23. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  9. ^ Bunbury Bridge, East Perth – history of the bridge built in 1932 and plans for its replacement Westrail News, April 1993, p.5
  10. ^ Bunbury Bridge, East Perth – $10m contract awarded to Transfield Constructions for new bridge construction Westrail News, Feb. 1994, p.1,6
  11. ^ "Official opening of Goongoonup Bridge (sic)". Govt. of Western Australia. 24 July 1995.

31°56′53″S 115°52′58″E / 31.94794°S 115.88286°E / -31.94794; 115.88286

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