A piece of Australian engineering history has connected parts of the Hunter region for more than a century, and yet it is so understated that many drive past it every day.
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Three of the region's historic timber-truss bridges have spanned the Williams and Karuah rivers, and connected Port Stephens, and have had their heritage signposted as part of the state government's timber truss bridge conservation initiative.
Cooreei Bridge over the Williams River at Dungog is historically important as it was the first Henry Harvey Dare-type timber truss bridge to be built in NSW. The Dare design, which dates back to 1905, and includes diagonal bracing towards a cross-bar centre, borrowed from similar de Burgh and Allan style bridges, and were often used to replace the more complex Bennett truss which included cross-bracing on each section.
Dare reworked Percy Allan's design for the earlier timber truss bridges, which resulted in a stronger and more sustainable bridge for Cooreei.
The newly installed signage for Monkerai Bridge over the Karuah River will depict its long history as the second-oldest surviving timber truss bridge in NSW, completed in 1882.
Signage on the Cooreei bridge shares its story from the award of tender in 1902 to its official opening on 16 August 1905.
Hinton Bridge, located in Port Stephens, is historically important as one of only three lift bridges remaining in the Hunter region.
The bridge's new signage explains how the lift span is a significant technological feature of 19th century bridge engineering associated with historic river trade along the Paterson River.
Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison, who runs the state's roads adn regional transport portfolio, said the new signage were a nod to the history of the bridges, and the wider region.
"More than 400 timber truss road bridges were built in New South Wales between 1856 and 1936. Less than 30 remain as rare and representative examples, a heritage jewel of the State," she said.
The signage was announced in a joint statement by Ms Aitchison, Hunter minister Yasmin Catley, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and Emily Suvaal, the deputy MLC for the Upper Hunter.
The timber truss bridges of NSW are managed by Transport for NSW.
Simon McCarthy
Simon McCarthy is a journalist working at the Newcastle Herald in NSW. He writes news and features, and produces video and multimedia, for the Herald and Herald Weekender magazine. He contributes regularly to the Newcastle Herald’s daily Topics column, and is the co-creator and producer of the Toohey’s News podcast. McCarthy has worked as a journalist in regional NSW since 2013. He joined the newsroom of the Newcastle Herald in 2017 from the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he worked from 2015 to 2016.
Simon McCarthy is a journalist working at the Newcastle Herald in NSW. He writes news and features, and produces video and multimedia, for the Herald and Herald Weekender magazine. He contributes regularly to the Newcastle Herald’s daily Topics column, and is the co-creator and producer of the Toohey’s News podcast. McCarthy has worked as a journalist in regional NSW since 2013. He joined the newsroom of the Newcastle Herald in 2017 from the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he worked from 2015 to 2016.
