On the downstream side is the original 1936 bridge, with art deco-styled decorative parapets, pillars, and light fittings.

And beside it a far more utilitarian concrete bridge completed in 1992.

In the beginning

Lynch’s Bridge was an early crossing place on the Maribyrnong River for those headed west of Melbourne, with owner of the neighbouring Pioneer Hotel, Michael Lynch, operating a punt on the site from 1849. A competing crossing was operated by Joseph Raleigh at Maribyrnong, which replaced his punt with a bridge in 1858.

SLV photo IAN20/12/66/4

And so in 1863 Michael Lynch petitioned the government for permission to replace his punt with a pontoon bridge, provided he was granted a half acre of land on the eastern bank of the river for the abutments and approaches.

Members of the Essendon and Flemington Council not in favour of private bridges, and the matter was debated, with one local resident questioning the motives of Lynch.

In September 1864 a motion was passed to prohibit Lynch from building a bridge, but it soon rescinded, with the new bridge in use for Melbourne Cup Day 1864.

‘Flemington Racecourse from the Footscray side of Salt Water River, Victoria ‘ by J Ryan

Local residents found the toll gate a nuisance, but Lynch talked up his bridge, telling Western District sheep and cattle owners they only needed to pay a single toll if headed to the sheep and cattle yards on the opposite bank.

As a result in 1866 the Essendon and Flemington Council proposed purchasing Mr Lynch’s bridge, as did the Footscray Council in 1867. However it took until in 1882 for the bridge to be brought under public ownership, the Footscray Council abolished the toll and requesting the Commissioner of Public Works pay the reminder of the loan.

A replacement bridge

However that was not the end of the saga – in October 1901 Lynch’s Bridge was closed by the Public Works Department due to it falling into disrepair, and a Mr J. Byers erected a pontoon bridge beside it to carry traffic to Flemington Racecourse, for a “small toll” of one penny. The debate as to who should fund the cost of a new bridge continued in the months that followed, with a tender finally awarded in December 1902 – eighteen months since the bridge was closed.

MMBW plan 781

The new bridge opened without ceremony in May 1903, after contractors finished their work and left it open for traffic, with members of the Flemington and Kensington Council holding an official opening a few days later, without the involvement of the Footscray Council who also funded it.

SLV photo H2151

The new bridge was built of timber, and had a lifting span in the middle, which sometimes caused delays to river traffic, and had high ongoing running costs.

Haven’t we been here before?

September 1929 was a familiar event – Lynch’s Bridge closed after being declared unsafe for traffic, reopening after temporary repairs were completed over a three week period.

The Footscray Council and the City of Melbourne then considered a number of options for a permanent crossing – a new five span reinforced concrete bridge for £38,750, a new three span steel bridge for £35,900, or extending the life for the existing bridge for five years for £2,250. The Footscray Council objected having to fund half the cost of a new bridge, delaying the start of construction, with an agreement finally reached in January 1936 for the Country Roads Board to pay half the cost of the project.

Opened in 1939, the new Lynch’s Bridge was built on a different angle to the timber bridge it replaced, allowing Ballarat Road to be realigned to meet Smithfield Road, eliminating a dangerous curve on the Footscray side. The Footscray Council suggested naming the new bridge ‘Gent’s Bridge’ after the Town Clerk of Footscray, but it came to nothing.

Traffic troubles

As Melbourne grew, the amount of traffic using Lynch’s Bridge grew – 43,000 vehicles per day using it in 1989, half the volume that used the West Gate Bridge. And the area became known as a blackspot for motor vehicle crashes, with the 1985-88 period seeing 79 separate incidents, including 16 head-on collisions, and nine deaths.

The Age, 23 November 1989

Leading in November 1989 to a coronial inquest being opened into a number of recent fatalities at the site.

Excessive speed was the main cause of car accidents on Lynch’s Bridge in Kensington, an inquest on three deaths on the bridge was told yesterday.

Sergeant Noel Osborne, of the accident Investigation section at Brunswick, said that despite measures to make the four-lane bridge safer, most vehicles approached it too fast. 

The deputy state coroner, Mr Graeme Johnstone, is holding joint inquests on Kevin John Lewis, 35, of Broadmeadows, and Emily Jane Stonehouse, 4, of Werribee, who were killed in an accident on 23 October 1988, and Matthew James Simmons, 25, of Box Hill, who died in an accident on 14 February this year.

Lynch’s Bridge crosses the Maribyrnong River near Flemington Racecourse. The approach from Footscray, on Ballarat Road, has three lanes that narrow to two before a sharp left-hand bend on to the bridge. The Smithfield Road approach, from Flemington, is two lanes.

Sergeant Osborne, asked by Mr Johnstone to suggest safety measures, said that even if the Ballarat Road approach was narrowed to one lane in an effort to slow traffic, he believed many drivers would still try to take the bend too fast. He said the answer was to duplicate the bridge.

“That in my mind is the answer. We certainly would not be having the head-ons as we are now. The number of people killed at this location has caused me great concern. It appears that not a great deal has been done.”

Mr John Connell, of the Roads Corporation, said speed cameras had shown that more than 70 per cent of vehicles approaching the bridge on Ballarat Road travelled faster than the 60 kmh speed limit. The fastest speed had been 139 kmh despite signs recommending 55 kmh.

Peter James McDonald, a truck driver from Maidstone who crosses Lynch’s Bridge regularly, said that at the time of the accident involving Mr Simmons, the camber of the road pulled vehicles to the right as they turned left on to the bridge from Ballarat Road. The inquiry is continuing

The inquest heard that duplication of the bridge had been proposed in 1975, with the cost in 1989 money estimated to be $3 million.

In his findings to the 1989 inquest, Coroner Graeme Johnstone noted that the 1938 bridge was not unsuitable for the volume and speed of traffic passing over it, recommending that the Ballarat Road approach to the bridge be restructured so that the three-to-two lane merge is further from the sharp bend onto the bridge, and that the VicRoads make duplication of the bridge a priority in their road improvement program.

As a result, a duplicate bridge on the upstream side of original bridge was completed in 1992, allowing the 1936 bridge to be dedicated to westbound traffic.

The duplication of Lynch’s Bridge and road approaches at Flemington was opened to traffic in April 1992 and has eliminated one of Melbourne’s worst accident blackspots. In accordance with a Coronial Inquiry recommendation to fast track the works, new technology for bridgeworks and roadworks construction was used. Road approaches over poor ground conditions utilised polystyrene as lightweight fill – a first for VicRoads and Australia. The method reduces road settlements to manageable levels and achieves cost savings over more conventional alternatives. The project was completed in June 1992 at a cost of $5.5million.

And finally – another upgrade

In August 2019 it was announced that Lynch’s Bridge would be upgraded as part of the Western Road Upgrade public–private partnership.

A National Trust-listed bridge which was once the main gateway to Melbourne’s west will be upgraded this week as part of the Victorian Government’s Suburban Roads Upgrade.

Member for Footscray Katie Hall today announced the start of important work to rehabilitate the Ballarat Road Bridge, under the $1.8 billion Western Roads Upgrade.

The crossings over the Maribyrnong River are steeped in history, with the outbound Lynch’s Bridge built in 1936 and heritage listed for its “historical and technical significance” by the National Trust in 2005. Millions of Victorians and visitors would have crossed this bridge in some form.

Lynch’s Bridge also holds technical engineering significance, as one of the first steel and concrete crossings designed so the reinforced concrete deck works together with the steel beams.

The historic five-span bridge sits alongside its more modern counterpart known as the Smithfield Bridge, which was built in 1990.

The 108-metre bridges will undergo work to strengthen them for the future for up to 45,000 vehicles which travel over them every day.

It is anticipated they’ll be used by up to 50,000 cars and trucks daily by 2031.

The art-deco style of Lynch’s Bridge will be preserved as safety barriers are upgraded on both bridges, and footpaths and drainage will also be improved.

There will be some lane closures in place as this work is underway to ensure road crews can work safely and quickly.

Work included.

– removed old barriers and replaced them with new safety barriers
– installed cathodic corrosion protection to protect the metal bridge supports from rust and deterioration
– resurfaced the road on the bridges and on approach to the bridges
– removed features no longer needed such as broken lights.

You had to look close to see the changes.

Major Roads Project Victoria photo

But the big new crash barriers are easy to see when driving past.

But one thing that is obvious is the focus on motor vehicles, not active transport.

The bridge has enough space for a grass median strip!

Yet pedestrians are forced into a narrow footpath.

And cyclists are given a narrow strip of asphalt, centimetres from passing vehicles.

Pretty crap upgrade, isn’t it?

Footnote: water under the bridge

When I visited Lynch’s Bridge in December 2020, I noticed these new looking steel additions to the piers of the 1992 bridge.

My initial thought was strengthening work linked to the Western Road Upgrade project, but turns out I was wrong – it’s actually linked to the West Gate “Tunnel” Project.

West Gate Tunnel Project photo

A post on their Facebook page dated 11 November 2021 mentioning the work.

West Gate Tunnel Project crews have started working on modifications to streamline the piers on the Smithfield Road Bridge.
These works will help during high flows in Maribyrnong River and mitigate flooding once our new Maribyrnong River bridge is built. Gaps between the columns will be filled with concrete to create a wall type pier with rounding at both ends.

The works required to compensate for new piers in the Maribyrnong River at Footscray.

West Gate Tunnel Project photo

Forming part of the elevated roadway between Footscray Road and the actual West Gate “Tunnel”.

West Gate Tunnel Project photo

And the work at Lynch’s Bridge seems to have flown under the radar – the only other mention of it I could find was a single line in the West Gate Tunnel Project “Final Report for Submission to the Minister for Planning” for March 2019 to August 2019.

Flood mitigation works completed at Smithfield Bridge

I wonder what difference these works made to the October 2022 Maribyrnong River flood?

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Photo via Adam Bandt

The flooding

The recent Maribyrnong River flood inundated the inner west.

Coming up beneath the railway line at South Kensington.

Maribyrnong River flooding viewed from the Sunbury line train. Kensington Rd under. Some buildings impacted. pic.twitter.com/MsQtTXLAvD

— Melbourne Way (@MelbourneWay) October 13, 2022

And putting Kensington Road underwater.

Luis Ascui photo via The Age

Which isn’t unexpected, given the entire area is covered by a ‘Land Subject to Inundation Overlay’.

As is the low lying land around Moonee Ponds Creek.

Enter the Metro Tunnel

The western portal to the Metro Tunnel is located beside South Kensington station, right in the middle of the floodplain.

So flooding was a consideration when designing the project, with the “Surface Water Impact Assessment” report dated April 2016 examined the risk of flooding to the tunnel, from four different sources.

• Maribyrnong River, which is approximately 500 m from the western portal
• Moonee Ponds Creek, which is approximately 100 m from Arden station
• Yarra River. This is approximately 120 m from CBD South station and could also potentially impact on the eastern portal at South Yarra
• City of Melbourne drainage systems along Swanston Street, adjacent to CBD South station.

The context of the Maribyrnong River at the tunnel portal.

The area immediately to the west of the western portal precinct is subject to flooding from the Maribyrnong River. The Maribyrnong River is one of metropolitan Melbourne’s most significant waterways. It’s catchment area upstream of the three parallel railway bridges to the west of the western portal is approximately 1,400 km2.

The three existing railway bridges through the rail embankment form a significant constriction to flood flows. The floodplain upstream of the bridges is relatively wide, and includes Flemington Racecourse on the east bank and parkland on the west bank. The floodplain upstream of the railway bridges is of the order of 800 m wide, yet the span of railway bridges is only of the order of 100 m. While there is a large bank of culverts through the embankment that forms the right (west) abutment for two of the bridges (the third – the Regional Rail Link Bridge – is a series of bridge spans), the only opening in the left abutment is along Kensington Road. The rail embankment is relatively high and would only be overtopped by an extreme flood event.

Flood gradients along the Maribyrnong River are relatively flat. Consequently, any flood level increases due to works in the floodplain are likely to propagate upstream for a significant distance.

Residential developments and associated compensatory mitigation works have been undertaken along the floodplain upstream of the rail bridges in recent decades. These include, for example, the Edgewater Development. This development included landfilling to enable residential development and excavation of the floodplain to provide compensatory flood conveyance.

Under existing conditions, a one per cent AEP flood would inundate Childers Street near JJ Holland Park to a depth of around a metre.

Looking into the probability flooding in these waterways would impact the tunnel.

Maribyrnong River:

The area around the existing rail embankment, in which the western portal (tunnel decline structure, and cut-and-cover section of tunnels) would be constructed, forms part of the Maribyrnong River floodplain. Under existing conditions, a one percent Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) flood would inundate Childers Street near JJ Holland Park to a depth of around a metre. There is potential for Maribyrnong River floodwaters to fill the tunnels within hours during a flood event. Up to a days warning would typically be available in advance of such an event.

Moonee Ponds Creek:

The Arden station construction work site, and permanent entrances to Arden station, are in the Moonee Ponds Creek floodplain. The land around the station box and entrances is subject to flooding in events as frequent as 10 per cent AEP. Flood warning times in Moonee Ponds Creek are typically relatively short at only one to two hours.

Yarra River via City Loop:

The Melbourne Metro tunnels are potentially subject to flooding from the existing City Loop tunnels through the underground interconnection at CBD North station. Of the six City Loop tunnel portals in the area between Flinders Street and Richmond Stations, the portal on the line between Flinders Street and Parliament stations, near Federation Square, is at by far the greatest risk of riverine flooding, and is subject to flooding from the Yarra River in an event more frequent than a Year 2100 (ie including allowance for climate change impacts) one per cent AEP Yarra River flood. Up to three day’s warning would typically be available in advance of such an event. The Melbourne Metro tunnels could fill within hours once inundation thresholds were exceeded.

Yarra River via Eastern Portal:

In the absence of any additional mitigation works, the eastern portal would be subject to flooding from the Yarra River in an estimated Year 2100 0.1 per cent AEP (1,000 year ARI) event. A flood immunity risk assessment is required to determine whether this is acceptable.

Overland flows along Swanston Street:

The permanent entrances to CBD South station are subject to flooding from overland flows along Swanston and Flinders Streets. The Flinders Street Station entrance facing Swanston Street, in particular, is subject to some slight ponding of stormwater flows. Very little warning (tens of minutes) would typically be available in advance
of a major overland flow event at this site.

And detailed mitigations to prevent the Metro Tunnel from turning into a giant water slide for trains.

Maribyrnong River:

In the absence of any additional mitigation works, the permanent portal would be protected against flooding from the Maribyrnong River in an estimated one per cent AEP (100 year Average Recurrence Interval (ARI)) event, under Year 2100 conditions, with a 600 mm freeboard allowance. This would be provided by a proposed retaining wall on the north side of the rail embankment along Childers Street. It is proposed that automatic flood gates be installed during the project’s operational phase to protect the portal against flooding from more extreme events. These gates would extend to the full height and width of the portal and thus provide protection against even the most extreme flood event.

Moonee Ponds Creek:

The permanent station entrances in the Concept Design would be above 0.1 per cent AEP flood levels, including allowance for climate change impacts. The adequacy of this would need to be determined by flood immunity risk assessment.

Yarra River via City Loop:

Flooding from the existing City Loop tunnels through the underground interconnection at CBD North station could be mitigated by installation of flood gates on the City Loop tunnel portal near Federation Square to provide protection during both the construction and operational phases of the project. The other five portals in this area are all immune from flooding in a Year 2100 0.1 per cent AEP (1,000 year ARI) Yarra River flood event. A flood immunity risk assessment is required to determine whether this is acceptable.

Yarra River via Eastern Portal:

At a very minimum, it is recommended that a flood warning system be implemented, such that rail services could be suspended and the tunnels and stations evacuated in advance of an extreme flood. If the risk is not deemed to be acceptable, additional emergency management measures such as sandbagging or flood gates would need to be put in place to protect the tunnels from flooding in an extreme event during both the construction and operational phases of the project. It is currently proposed that the portal incorporate works to allow flood gates in the form of stop logs to be installed across the portal in advance of an extreme flood event. It is also proposed that stop logs be stored adjacent to the portal.

Overland flows along Swanston Street:

All entrances would need to be elevated slightly to provide an appropriate level of flood protection to be determined by flood immunity risk assessment.

A follow up report in August 2016 titled “Flood Defence Options at Tunnel Portals” looked deeper at the flood defence options, and included some additional options.

Eastern Portal:

The Surface Water Impact Assessment recommends that a flood warning system be implemented at this location. In my opinion it will be necessary, as part of the assessment of potential flood protection measures at this location, to also consider the installation of automatic flood gates as a response to extreme flood events. A flood warning system would continuously monitor precipitation and Yarra River water levels and, once predefined flood levels were reached, the system would issue a series of warnings to the operators (including operational and maintenance staff). Once the critical flood level was reached, the operational system would then close down the rail infrastructure (e.g. de-energise the OCL) and automatically close the flood gates.

Western Portal:

The Surface Water Impact Assessment recommends automatic flood gates be installed. Due to the relatively short advance warning times involved, an automated flood gate defence system that integrates an appropriate flood monitoring, warning and fault reporting system is recommended. Once the critical flood level was reached, the operational system would then close down the rail infrastructure (e.g. de-energise the OCL) and automatically close the flood gates.

Interconnection between the MURL and Metro Tunnel Rail Network:

The proposed interconnection between the MURL (Melbourne Central Station) and Metro Tunnel (CBD North Station) networks would provide pedestrian access between the underground station platforms, thereby providing an ingress for water to the Metro Tunnel. As with the Eastern and Western Portals, it is recommended that automated gates are installed at each MURL tunnel portal vulnerable to flooding during a ‘Probable Maximum Flood’ event. Alternatively, it is possible to install a flood gate in the connecting tunnels which would isolate the Metro Tunnel from any flood water in the MURL tunnels, should the MURL not have flood defences retro-fitted.

A final decision

December 2017 saw the flood mitigation scope set, following the signing of the “Metro Tunnel – Tunnel and Station PPP Project Agreement“.

5.2.7 Drainage and Flood Control

(e) The Tunnels, Stations and Portals must be protected from flooding through the most effective, practicable means. Active flood control may be required to prevent flooding into the Portals and some Stations. Passive means must be used where appropriate.

(f) Protection from surface water flooding must be provided as follows:

i. A freeboard that is 300mm above the 1:200 year Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) rainfall event level (plus provision for climate change) must be provided at all openings into the Tunnels and Stations to protect against surface water or other non-river flooding event.

ii. At the Portals, transverse drainage must be placed across the entrance to the Tunnels to capture the 1:200 year ARI flood event (plus climate change considerations for rainfall) in the decline structures and discharge the storm water in a controlled fashion to the local drainage system in accordance with the requirements of the statutory authorities.

(h) To protect against a river flooding event, a freeboard that is 600mm above the 1:1000 year ARI flood event level (plus provision for climate change considerations for rainfall and sea level rise) must be provided at all openings into the Tunnels and Station.

(i) Any flood waters from the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers must be prevented from entering the Portals. The design must:

i. determine appropriate warning systems;
ii. determine likely warning times;
iii. determine active responses which may include a manual or automatic responses; and
iv. consider the ease of tunnel closure in the case of a large flood event.

Works at the portals.

5.4 Portals
5.4.1 Project Co must:

(f) design, supply and install active flood protection (1:1000 year event);

And requirements for specific locations.

5.8.1 Arden

(b) At Arden Station, to provide levels consistent with surrounding properties designed in accordance with the “Melbourne Water Guidelines for Development in Flood Prone Areas”, entrances and all openings must be as a minimum 600mm above the Moonee Ponds Creek 1:100 year ARI river flooding event level (plus provision for climate change).

5.8.2 CBD North

(c) Floodwaters from the Yarra River must be prevented from entering the CBD North Station via the connection to Melbourne Underground Rail Loop (MURL) at platform level.

(this change removed the need for changes to the City Loop to remove the flooding risk via that source)

It also required climate change to be taken into account.

15.4 Climate Resilience

15.4.1 The design must include measures for all high and extreme climate change risks to ensure the infrastructure, Stations and precincts are resilient to the projected impacts of a changing climate over the relevant asset’s Design Life. This should be in accordance with the adopted climate change projections and scenarios within the MMRA Climate Change Risk Assessment and Climate Change Adaptation Plan.

And another problem

The “Western Portal Development Plan” dated 2020 details the solution to another problem – how to prevent the emergency egress structure at South Kensington turning into a giant plughole leading into the tunnel.

The building itself is large.

The functional requirements of the ancillary building, combined with required setbacks from existing infrastructure, largely dictate the form and scale of the building and demand a robust and enduring materiality. The building footprint is approximately 22 metres long, 12.5 metres wide and 9.1 metres high. This consists of two levels above ground facing Childers Street, and a basement below ground reaching the tunnels.

But is still in the middle of the floodplain.

But couldn’t be moved.

The above-ground building serves two core functions for the safe operation of the railway tunnels. Firstly, it contains spaces and equipment associated with safe emergency egress
of passengers from the tunnel, and secondly, having created an opening to below-ground infrastructure, the building is required to provide flood immunity through elevating all shaft and stair
openings above the predicted future flood levels.

As it needed an exit to ground level.

So the solution.

Flood immunity at the Western Portal is achieved by elevating all shaft and stair openings above the predicted future flood levels. The additional 3 metres in height (making up the total approximate 9.1 metre height of the ancillary building), is required to house a lift overrun and mechanical plant for the safe operation of the tunnel and emergency egress.

The ancillary building concrete treatment is reflective of the local context of the Western Portal and is required to provide water resistance. The proposed treatment of the upper section of the ancillary building, which is situated above the 1 in 1,000-year flood level, is perforated powder coated aluminium façade panels for screening the roof mounted plant.

Raising everything above flood level.

And building it

Walking past the Metro Tunnel portal at South Kensington, the tall concrete flood wall has been disguised by artwork.

But is clearly seen from inside the approach ramp.

The flood doors themselves to be installed at a later stage.

The lack of openings in the ventilation and emergency egress structure beside South Kensington station is also visible.

But the raised entrance at the future entrance to Arden station is still hidden behind the construction hoardings.

The flood doors in the link between State Library and Melbourne Central stations is also in the future.

But one completed aspect is the signal equipment room beside the railway at Hobsons Road, South Kensington.

Built atop an elevated steel deck.

Which has already kept it above the most recent floods.

Photo via Adam Bandt

Sources

• Melbourne Metro Rail Project Surface Water Impact Assessment (April 2016)
• Melbourne Metro Rail Project Flood Defence Options at Tunnel Portals (August 2016)
• Metro Tunnel Western Portal Development Plan (October 2020)

February 2023 update

The Age has published a piece Metro Tunnel among projects that may have exacerbated flood.

Footnote: examples elsewhere

In Hong Kong the Mass Transit Railway uses flood gates to protect the system from flooding via a damaged immersed tube tunnels.

Connections between stations and basements of neighbouring buildings are also protected by flood doors.

And station entrances are raised above street level to prevent localised flooding from entering stations.

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Weston Langford photo

Going back in time

Today’s Raleigh Road bridge carries four lanes of traffic into the western Melbourne suburb of Maribyrnong.

Lining up with Maribyrnong Road in Ascot Vale.

And used by route 57 trams to West Maribyrnong and route 82 trams to Footscray.

But the bridge didn’t always carry cars – the 1966 Melway shows that road vehicles once had their own bridge to the north.

Melway edition 1, map 28

Taking a dogleg beside the Anglers Tavern, while trams had their own timber trestle bridge.

1945 Department of Lands and Survey photo map

So how did it come to be?

Early years

The first river crossing on the site opened in 1852 – a punt operated by Joseph Raleigh, owner of a nearby meat preserving works, to serve diggers headed to the goldfields. In 1858 the punt was replaced by a pontoon bridge.

SLV photo IAN20/12/66/4

The bridge was soon joined by two hotels – a two story bluestone building called the Raleigh’s Punt Hotel in 1866, followed by the the Anglers Hotel in 1870.

Charles Nettleton photo, SLV H82.246/2

And in 1870 the pontoon bridge was replaced by a sturdier timber bridge, funded by the nearby Melbourne Meat Preserving Works, and local landowner George Petty.

Charles Nettleton photo, SLV H84.79/1

Regular floods on the Maribyrnong River threatened the bridge.

SLV photo H90.160/864

Which needed to be patched up to cater for heavier traffic.

SLV photo H90.160/865

But it took until 1906 for work to start on a replacement. Designed by John Monash with five reinforced concrete spans, each nominally 40 feet (12.2m) in length, work started in 1909 and was completed in 1911.

SLV photo H90.160/866

In the years that followed, local residents agitated for the extension of trams from Ascot Vale into Maribyrnong.

The Age, 10 August 1927

But it took the outbreak of World War II for the tram extension to be approved, to serve the explosives factories on the western side of the Maribyrnong.

The Age, 1 October 1940

As might be expected for wartime, the minimum effort was made – the existing road bridge was left in place, trams being carried over the river by a timber trestle bridge.

A fatal fall

In November 1950 a man walking across the tramway bridge fell and drowned.

The Herald, 10 November 1950

The bridge being a popular shortcut for local residents.

Schoolboys Use Bridge As Short-Cut

The Maribyrnong tramway bridge was perfectly safe for pedestrians, the publicity officer of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tram ways Board, Mr L. E. Russell, said today.

Last night, Edward Kordus, a New Australian, of Raleigh Street, Maribyrnong, was drowned when he slipped into the river from the bridge.

“Hundreds of people pass over the bridge every day,” Mr Russell said. “This is the first fatal accident that I have heard of.”

Today, a Herald reporter and photographer inspected the bridge.

It has three wooden gangways for pedestrians. They are about 2ft. 3in. wide and. are bolted to the tram line sleepers. There is a clear drop through
a two- foot gap, between the sleepers, to the water below.

It would be possible, but unlikely, for a man to slip through. The bridge is lit at night.

Is Short Cut

The reporter saw half-a-dozen people pass unconcernedly over the bridge. They included a small boy who said that he and his schoolmates used the bridge as a short-cut to school.

Pedestrians cut off about 100 yards by using this bridge instead of a neighbouring one, which is for motorists and has only one footpath.

The bridge has notices “Trams Only,” but this is meant to apply only to cars. The gangways were put across the bridge expressly for pedestrians.

But some locals didn’t consider the bridge safe for pedestrians.

I cannot agree with the Tramways Board Publicity Officer that the Maribyrnong River Tramway Bridge is safe for pedestrians. If it were, the board would surely have provided a more convenient approach than by the open cattle pits at the north-east end. It should be stressed that the bridge was erected as a temporary structure during the war and should now be replaced.

New warning signs were soon added.

The tramway bridge over the river at Maribyrnong is often used by pedestrian traffic but this practice is extremely dangerous. Before Christmas a
New Australian fell through the bridge and was drowned and recently another fatality was only narrowly averted.

Notices are posted on the bridge warning people that they must not walk across or use the bridge for swimming but at Monday’s council meeting, Cr. J. McDonald declared that this hadn’t stopped the practice.

He moved that the Tramways Board be asked to prosecute any persons contravening the by-laws.

But the Braybrook Council wanted the bridge replaced.

The necessity to do something about the Tramway bridge over the river at Maribyrnong was mentioned again in the Braybrook Council on Monday.

Though the bridge is purely for trams it is used a lot by pedestrians and last week a New Australian walking along fell through the bridge and was drowned in the river.

Cr. J. McDonald said that the traffic bridge alongside was almost as dangerous.

The Council only recently gave consideration to’ improving the bridge and has been in contact with several government departments who are interested parties.

It was decided to ask the authorities to expedite the reply to the Council’s proposition.

Cr. Dobson said that residents of the area should be told that the Council had been active over the matter.

And the new bridge

In the years that followed the tramway and road bridges continued to deteriorate, but it took until the 1960s for work to start on a replacement – a seven span bridge 145 metres (478 feet) long, carrying a roadway 15 metres (50 feet) between kerbs with two 2 metre (7 feet) footpaths.

The first stage being ground stabilisation for the western abutment.

Country Roads Board annual report 1965

Followed by a complicated juggling act.

A.E. Smith photo, SLV H83156/49

Equipment set up on one track.

Country Roads Board annual report 1967

While the foundations for the new bridge were driven.

Country Roads Board annual report 1967

The new piers were built alongside the existing timber trestle.

A.E. Smith photo, SLV H83156/47

While trams continued to use it.

A.E. Smith photo, SLV H83156/51

The Country Roads Board describing the process in their 1967 annual report.

The 1964/65 and 1965/66 Annual Reports described the methods adopted to accelerate the consolidation of the compressible strata at the Sunshine abutment. This report refers to the construction procedures used, in view of tram traffic requirements and the confined space for pile driving.

The new bridge is on the same alignment as the original timber and steel girder tramway bridge. Stage construction methods have been used as described below, to maintain the two-way tram service while this bridge is under construction. Road traffic has continued to use the existing road bridge.

Stage 1

Step 1. The tram traffic was restricted to the existing upstream track while the pier pile groups at the downstream side of the new bridge were driven.

Step 2. The tram traffic was restricted to the existing downstream track while the pier pile groups on the upstream side of the new bridge were driven. The downstream pile caps and columns were constructed during this stage.

Step 3. The tram traffic was restricted to the existing upstream track, ,and the downstream track and the downstream section of the superstructure were demolished. The abutment piles were driven and then the pier and abutment crossheads and the superstructure for the downstream side of the new bridge were constructed.

Step 4. The tram traffic was restricted to a temporary single track located on the Stage 1 deck of the new bridge.

Stage 2

Step 1. The upstream superstructure was demolished and the abutment piles beneath the upstream track were driven and the upstream crossheads and superstructure completed.

Step 2. The tram tracks were located at the final position on the structure.

Step 3. Tram traffic was permitted on the final location two way, double track.

The two stages of the superstructure are separated by a longitudinal joint running the full length of the bridge.

And the design of the foundations.

The bridge foundations consist of concrete filled 18 inches diameter steel shell piles up to 70 feet long in the abutments and up to 60 feet long in the piers. At some of the pile groups it was necessary to use a special pile toe incorporating an RSJ to penetrate hard layers above the contract level and to achieve the required degree of fixity. The pile driving was done with a B.S.P. diesel hammer on hanging leaders supported from Dutch shear legs. This type of pile driving frame was very suitable for this site where working space was extremely confined.

Once the new bridge was completed, the 1911 concrete bridge by John Monash was demolished.

Country Roads Board annual report 1967

Giving the scene seen today.

Footnote: another upgrade

Now pedestrian and cyclist traffic is overwhelming the current bridge, so $2.7 million is being spent to widen the paths on each side of the bridge.

The Raleigh Road Bridge shared user path and surrounding trails are popular routes for cyclists and pedestrians.

The Victorian Government is investing $2.7 million to provide new three-metre-wide paths on each side of the Raleigh Road Bridge.

With over 33,000 vehicles and 3,000 pedestrians and cyclists each day, the Raleigh Road bridge upgrade will provide a safer experience for locals and drivers alike.

The shared user path upgrade will provide safer active transport infrastructure by:

• Providing a safer crossing for cyclists and pedestrians on the Raleigh Road Bridge through increasing the path width to 3.0m on both sides
• Improving connections to the river trails to the north and south of the bridge
• Relocate tram poles to remove fixed hazards
• Upgrades to the bridge barriers.

We’re starting works in November 2020 and expect to complete construction by early 2021.

Sources

• Country Roads Board annual report 1967
• The Herald, 10 November 1950
• Maribyrnong Heritage Review – Volume 2: Environmental History
• Living Museum of the West – Ecomuseum Broadsheet: Getting Around
• Victorian Places: Maribyrnong
• Timeline of the bridge rebuilding

And a few more photos

• X2 class tram No 678 heads across the old bridge in 1962
• Looking towards and along the old bridge.
• ‘Bathing and diving prohibited’ sign on the old bridge.
• Looking south-west and north-east over the bridge replacement works.
• Single track over the bridge and with one track gone during the works.

Postscript: Melbourne’s other tram bridges

After putting this post together, I realised there were a few more tramway only bridges in Melbourne.

The Miller Street’ hump next to Preston Workshops connects St Georges Road to High Street.

The tangle of bridges at St Kilda Junction.

And one carrying the route 59 tracks over the Calder Freeway at Airport West.

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My first mystery

The first series of photos is from the Harold Paynting Collection, and is captioned “Aerial views of Sunshine, Victoria (between 1950 and 1960)“.

We see industry beside empty grasslands.

SLV photo H2009.95/45

A pair of gasometers.

Nissen Huts.

A creek meandering past creeping suburbia – Kororoit Creek?

SLV photo H2009.95/46

Houses as far as the eye can see.

SLV photo H2009.95/47

The buildings of the CBD in the distance.

Possibly a new Housing Commission of Victoria estate?

And a kinked dual carriageway road, located beside what looks like a racetrack.

There are enough clues there to suggest Sunshine, but things didn’t quite fit…

• The Housing Commission estate at Maidstone is nowhere near Kororoit Creek,
• The White City greyhound track was beside a railway,
• I can’t remember any gasworks being in the area,
• And none of the dual carriageway roads around around Sunshine have a kink in them – they all run dead straight.

I then turned my mind to the northern suburbs, and finally found a match – Preston!

The waterway is Darebin Creek.

Albert Street has a kink in it, next to T.W. Blake Park and the Housing Commission estate in Reservoir.

And the gasometer and Nissen huts – they were located next to what is now Northland Shopping Centre.

And another mystery

This time we have a Wolfgang Sievers photo, captioned “Myer Storage, Sunshine, Vic.” and dated 1963.

SLV photo H2003.100/592

It’s definitely Myers.

That steep hill is probably the Maribyrnong River valley.

But what is this strange looking compound?

I know – Jack’s Magazine in Footscray, next door to what is now the Edgewater Estate.

Built on the site of the Defence Explosive Factory Maribyrnong – no wonder I didn’t recognise it!

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