Queanbeyan railway bridges over Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers

Queanbeyan rail bridges over Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers
Location of Queanbeyan rail bridges over Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers in New South Wales
Location Bombala railway line, Queanbeyan, Queanbeyan-Palerang Region, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates 35°20′33″S 149°13′54″E / 35.3424°S 149.2317°E / -35.3424; 149.2317Coordinates: 35°20′33″S 149°13′54″E / 35.3424°S 149.2317°E / -35.3424; 149.2317
Built 1926
Owner RailCorp
Official name: Queanbeyan rail bridges over Queanbeyan and Burbong Rivers
Type state heritage (complex / group)
Designated 2 April 1999
Reference no. 1052
Type Railway Bridge/ Viaduct
Category Transport - Rail

The Queanbeyan railway bridges over Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers are two heritage-listed railway bridges on the Bombala railway line at Queanbeyan, Queanbeyan-Palerang Region, New South Wales, Australia. They were built in 1926. The property is owned by RailCorp, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

History

The bridges were first built by contractors Johnston & Co. in 1885-87 along with the extension of the railway from Bungendore to Michelago through Queanbeyan. The Molonglo River bridge was completed in May 1886 and the Queanbeyan River bridge in July 1887, both opening with the line in September 1887. The original bridges consisted of arched hardwood timber girders on brick piers and stone abutments, featuring four spans (Molonglo River) and five spans (Queanbeyan River) of 80ft each. The stone for the abutments came from the quarries at Pyrmont in Sydney. A temporary bridge over the Queanbeyan River during construction was reported at the time to be the largest temporary railway bridge ever constructed in New South Wales.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

The bridges were completely rebuilt in 1926-27 at a cost of £19,000, reusing the foundations of the original bridge. Both bridges were of the Warren deck steel truss type, consisting of four 44ft. steel spans on the approaches to each side with three (Queanbeyan River) and two (Molonglo River) spans of 90ft comprising the main bridge. The timbers of the original bridge were still in "a remarkable state of preservation" when replaced, such that it could not be cut in some cases.[8] The bridge upgrade allowed a heavier type of engine to be run on the line.[9][1]

The Molonglo River bridge is sometimes known as the Burbong bridge, Burbong being a historical name for its location.[1]

Heritage listing

The Queanbeyan rail bridges over Queanbeyan and Burbong Rivers was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.[1]

The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

This item has some historical rarity due its association with the 1887 Cooma Railway and the reuse of the original foundations for the 1926 replacement trusses. The Warren deck trusses are relatively rare because there are only four other railway sites in NSW with this type of superstructure.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Queanbeyan rail bridges over Queanbeyan and Burbong Rivers, New South Wales State Heritage Register (NSW SHR) Number H01052". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "OPENING OF THE RAILWAY TO QUEANBEYAN". The Sydney Morning Herald (15, 431). New South Wales, Australia. 9 September 1887. p. 4. Retrieved 24 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "Local Intelligence". Queanbeyan Age. New South Wales, Australia. 3 August 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 24 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20TH". Queanbeyan Age. New South Wales, Australia. 21 January 1886. p. 2 (Mornings.). Retrieved 24 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "GOULBURN TO COOMA RAILWAY". The Burrowa News (585). New South Wales, Australia. 22 January 1886. p. 2. Retrieved 24 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "MOLONGLO". Queanbeyan Age. New South Wales, Australia. 1 May 1886. p. 2 (Mornings.). Retrieved 24 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ↑ "PROGRESS OF THE GOULBURN TO COOMA RAILWAY". Goulburn Evening Penny Post. New South Wales, Australia. 28 September 1886. p. 4. Retrieved 24 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ "RAILWAY BRIDGE". The Canberra Times. 1, (29). Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 17 March 1927. p. 15. Retrieved 24 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "NEW RAILWAY BRIDGE". The Sydney Morning Herald (27, 835). New South Wales, Australia. 23 March 1927. p. 16. Retrieved 24 July 2018 – via National Library of Australia.

Attribution

This Wikipedia article was originally based on Queanbeyan rail bridges over Queanbeyan and Burbong Rivers, entry number 01052 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales and Office of Environment and Heritage 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 2 June 2018.

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