Sandridge Bridge, Melbourne

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Sandridge Bridge
Carries	Pedestrians, cyclists
Crosses	Yarra River
Locale	Melbourne, Australia
Design	Steel girder
Longest span	36.9 m (121.1 ft)
Total length	178.4 m (585 ft)
Width	17 m (55.8 ft)
Opening date	1888

The Sandridge Bridge is a historic former railway bridge over the Yarra River in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, which has been redeveloped in 2006 as a new pedestrian and cycle path featuring public art.

The bridge is 178.4 metres (585 ft) long and is made up of five spans, measuring in length, from the south bank to the north bank: 36.9 metres (121.1 ft), 36.6 metres (120.1 ft), 36.3 metres (119.1 ft), 36.9 metres (121.1 ft) and 31.7 metres (104 ft). The bridge is 17 metres (55.8 ft) wide and the girders are 2.74 metres (8.98 ft) high from the top to the bottom of the flange. The Bridge is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

[edit] History

Sandridge bridge built in 1888 (historical site) redeveloped

Constructed at a 33 degree angle to the river bank, the bridge provided a direct route from Flinders Street Station to Port Melbourne at Hobsons Bay on Port Phillip, carrying the Port Melbourne and St Kilda railway lines. There were a total of four tracks.

The Sandridge Bridge is a historic structure, registered as a Melbourne heritage site.^[1] It was built by David Munro in 1888, one of the first railway structures in Melbourne to use steel girders rather than iron. The workforce included a young engineering student, John Monash. The bridge replaced two earlier railway bridges, erected in 1853 and 1859, for the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company's Sandridge (now Port Melbourne) railway line.

It was last used for freight in the 1950s, and passenger services closed in 1987, with the replacement by light rail lines of Melbourne tram route 96 to St Kilda, and Melbourne tram route 109 to Port Melbourne. The bridge lay unused from this time, with a number of different redevelopment plans proposed in during the period.

[edit] Redevelopment

The bridge was redeveloped in 2006 as a new pedestrian and cycle path and public space connecting a new Queensbridge Square at Southbank to Flinders Walk on the north bank. A series of metal statue-like structures called "The Travellers" has been erected along the bridge, which represents the different types of immigrants who traditionally arrived by train over the bridge from Station Pier.^[2]

On 11 June 2007, the bridge was vandalised when a person or persons unknown apparently used a sledgehammer to smash 46 of the 128 glass panels of the "Travellers" exhibit. Each glass panel offers information about Australian indigenous peoples or the countries of immigrants to Australia, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. It is expected to cost between A$200,000 and A$300,000 to repair and city councillors are considering using more durable materials to replace the glass.^[3]

Sandridge Bridge, Yarra River and Melbourne skyline from Riverside Quay

[edit] Gallery

Sculptures on the Sandridge Bridge	The glass panels contain information about each country from which immigrants came to Melbourne.	The bridge as viewed from Southbank.	Vandalised glass panels have been sectioned off behind temporary fencing.
Sandridge Bridge Towards Flinders Street Station	Sandridge Bridge (Built 1888) Redeveloped in South Bank End	Melbourne South Bank & Sandridge Bridge	Sandridge Bridge with South & North Banks

[edit] References

• Sandridge Bridge - Department of Sustainability and Environment

1. ^ Statement of Cultural Heritage Significance National Trust register. Accessed May 5, 2007
2. ^ Revamped bridge makes the journey worthwhile by Chantal Rumble, The Age, March 13, 2006. Accessed May 5, 2007
3. ^ Disbelief at vandal's attack on migrant tribute by Daniella Miletic and Lawrence Money, The Age, June 14, 2007. Accessed June 15, 2007