This Month in the Shoalhaven’s History - July
Monday, July 20th, 2009 | Author: admin |  Email This Article to a friend Email This Article to a friend

On July 5th 1879, work began on the construction of the iron bridge over the Shoalhaven River at Nowra. Amazingly (I’d like to see it happen today), the bridge was opened on the 1st August that same year by Hon John Lackey MLA, Minister for Works, in the presence of 7,000 people.

The bridge was constructed by the Edgemoor Iron Co of Delaware, USA and was the largest in NSW at the time. The ‘whipple truss’ bridge, which of course is still in use today, has seven spans each 124 feet plus one 181 feet 6 inches with a total length including approaches of 1103 feet. It is 20 feet wide. The clearance above the roadway is 22 feet and was intended to also carry rail traffic.

The bridge was originally built high to allow for navigation and to be flood free. It has never been covered by water. Its official name is the “Nowra Bridge” and cost a total of £42,500.


Category: History, Local Articles
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