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Produced and published by the School of Historical & Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne
Published July 2008
Published July 2008
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This important example of 19th-century industrial technology opened in 1888, was designed by the Victorian Railways to carry the busy Port Melbourne and St Kilda railway lines. The structure's long riveted plate iron girders were remarkable for their time. With piers like giant sunken columns topped by decorative niches, it is the most highly decorated railway bridge in Victoria. The unusually sharp angle across the Yarra River is also a reminder of Australia's first railway line, which joined the city to its port in an almost straight line. With the conversion of the railway lines to tram routes in 1987, it was abandoned and was considered an eyesore by many. In 2003 the State Government announced that it would be restored for use as part of the riverside promenade network.