Garratt Road Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Garratt Road Bridge |
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View along upstream bridge from north-west
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| Coordinates | 31°55′57″S 115°54′59″E / 31.9324°S 115.9164°E |
| Crosses | Swan River |
| Locale | Bayswater–Ascot |
| Owner | Main Roads Western Australia |
| Structure number |
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| Characteristics | |
| Material | Timber |
| Total length | 237 m (778 ft) |
| Width | 8.7 m (29 ft) |
| Longest span | 12.1 m (40 ft) |
| Number of spans | 38 |
| Piers in water | 37 |
| History | |
| Designer | Ernest Godfrey |
| Constructed by | Main Roads Department |
The Garratt Road Bridge is actually two bridges side-by-side that cross the Swan River. They connect the suburbs of Bayswater and Ascot in Perth, Western Australia. The first bridge was built in 1935. A second, matching bridge was added in 1972 to handle more traffic.
This spot was important even before the bridges were built. It was part of Aboriginal stories and had older bridges nearby for people and trains in the 1880s. For many years, people wanted a bridge for cars to cross the river here. Plans for the first bridge were delayed by the Great Depression, a time when many people lost their jobs and money.
The first bridge was designed by Ernest Godfrey, a chief engineer. It opened in 1935, allowing two lanes of traffic and pedestrians to cross. As more cars used the bridge, it was made wider in 1962. By the late 1960s, traffic was so heavy that a second bridge was planned. This new bridge opened in 1972. It was only expected to last 40 years, but special maintenance has kept both bridges strong for much longer. Because of their history, the bridges were added to the state heritage list in 2010.
Contents
About the Garratt Road Bridge
The Garratt Road Bridge is made up of two separate bridges. They cross the Swan River between Bayswater and Ascot. The older bridge (from 1935) carries traffic heading south. It also has a path for people walking and carries two large pipes. The newer bridge (from 1970) carries traffic heading north.
How the Bridges are Built
Both bridges are mostly made from timber (wood). They have wooden poles, called piles, driven into the riverbed. These piles are connected by strong wooden beams. On top of these beams are wooden logs that support the road surface. The first bridge is a bit lower than the second. Some of its original wooden beams have been replaced with strong steel ones. Both bridges now have modern steel safety rails. However, the original white wooden rail is still visible along the pedestrian path on the older bridge.
Bridge Size and Details
The original bridge has about 38 sections, called spans, supported by 37 piers (supports in the water). It is about 238 meters (781 feet) long. The Main Roads Western Australia department looks after both bridges. The road across them is called Highway H37. Each bridge has a special number: the upstream bridge is 950, and the downstream bridge is 952.
The original bridge is 236.4 meters (775.6 feet) long and 8.75 meters (28.7 feet) wide. The road part is 8.35 meters (27.4 feet) wide, and the footpath is 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) wide. The newer bridge is very similar in size. It is 237.7 meters (779.9 feet) long and 8.65 meters (28.4 feet) wide. The longest sections of each bridge are 12.1 meters (39.7 feet) long.
The Garratt Road Bridge is the longest timber bridge still standing in Western Australia. It might even be the longest timber bridge ever built in the state. The newer bridge was likely the last wooden bridge built in Perth.
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History of the Garratt Road Bridge
Early History of the Area
Before Europeans arrived, the land around the bridge site was home to Aboriginal people. The Mooro people lived north of the Swan River, and the Beeloo people lived to the south. The Beeloo people used the Martagarup flats, near the bridge, for fishing. This area is also important in Aboriginal stories. It is believed the Swan River was formed by the Wagyl, a snakelike spirit from Dreamtime. People say that scales from the male Wagyl can still be seen in the riverbank at Ascot.
After the Swan River Colony was started in 1829, European settlers received land here. Over time, the land changed hands many times. One important settler was John Wall Hardey, who owned a large farm called Grove Farm. He helped develop the Belmont area.
Early River Crossings
In the 1830s, people started asking for bridges to cross the river. The first major bridge, The Causeway, was built in 1843. Horse racing became popular at Grove Farm in 1848. Roads were built to make it easier to get to the races. In 1850, the races moved to the current site of Ascot Racecourse. To help people cross the river to the races, a system using a horse and pulley was set up in 1856.
Later, in the 1880s, more bridges were built. A drawbridge for people walking opened in 1881. A railway bridge was built in 1885. This railway bridge, later called the Belmont railway bridge, carried a train line that only ran on race days.
Plans for a Car Bridge
People in the Bayswater area wanted a bridge for cars for a long time. The first official request for a car bridge between Bayswater and Belmont was made in 1904. However, it was turned down because officials thought there wasn't enough trade to make it worthwhile. Local councils kept asking the government to build a bridge, but the government felt other projects were more urgent.
In 1922, the idea came up again, this time as part of a plan for a circular tram line. Residents even appealed directly to the premier in 1924. They argued that a new bridge would reduce traffic on The Causeway and save money in the long run. A survey was done, and estimates for the bridge ranged from £35,000 to £38,000, which was a lot of money back then. Still, no funding was provided.
Interest in the bridge grew again in 1928. Different locations were considered. The government finally decided on the Garratt Road site. However, plans stopped because of the Great Depression, a time of severe economic hardship.
Building the First Bridge
Planning for the bridge started again in 1933, and construction began the next year. Ernest Godfrey, the chief engineer for Main Roads, designed the bridge. He designed all of the state's bridges between 1928 and 1957. The bridge was built cheaply using local wood like Wandoo, Jarrah, and Karri. Workers, many of whom were looking for jobs during the Depression, helped build it. Some homes and businesses had to be moved or taken down for the project.
The Garratt Road Bridge opened on January 1, 1935, the same day as the Perth Cup horse race. The bridge itself cost £35,000, with another £9,000 for the roads leading to it. The bridge, like the road, is named after Mary Anne Traylen (whose maiden name was Garratt). Her husband, William Traylen, named several roads in Bayswater after his family members around 1890.
In 1956, a fire damaged the nearby Belmont railway bridge, which was then taken down. Buses became the main way to get to Ascot Racecourse. By this time, the Garratt Road Bridge was already getting crowded. In 1962, the bridge was widened from 8.38 meters (27.5 feet) to 10 meters (33 feet) to handle more traffic. This work also allowed a large water pipe to be carried on the bridge's side.
Adding a Second Bridge
Traffic continued to increase in the 1960s. By the end of the decade, plans were made for a second bridge next to the first one. This new bridge was meant to be a short-term solution, as a new highway (today's Tonkin Highway) was planned. The design of the second bridge looked very similar to the original. It was built downstream from the first bridge and carries northbound traffic. Work began in 1971, and the bridge opened on July 4, 1972.
A new road, Resolution Drive, was built in 1972 to connect to the new bridge. It carried northbound traffic, while Grandstand Road carried southbound traffic. By 2007, this system changed. All traffic now uses Grandstand Road, which has two lanes in each direction, and Resolution Drive became a local street again.
Keeping the Bridges Strong
Since the 1970s, Main Roads has used new ways to maintain the bridges, making them last much longer than expected. They added concrete layers to the bridge decks to prevent rot and termites. They also replaced some old wooden beams with strong steel ones. This was important because some of the wood was prone to termite damage. In 1987, part of the upstream bridge even collapsed because of this.
In 2000, steel barriers were added to the upstream bridge. These were to stop people from jumping off the bridge into the path of ferries. In 2005, more wooden parts supporting the water pipeline were replaced with steel. The next year, new sections were added to the roads leading to the bridges, and new joints were put in the concrete to handle the stress from heavy traffic.
More bridge work happened from late 2014 to early 2015. In 2017, both roads were resurfaced. New steel safety barriers were installed, and the wooden supports for the bridges were strengthened or replaced with concrete.
Recognizing Heritage Value
The City of Bayswater added the Garratt Road Bridge to its local heritage list in 1998. The National Trust also recognized its importance. In the same year, Main Roads Western Australia confirmed the heritage value of the older bridge. In 2009, the bridge was added to the state heritage list. On March 23, 2010, it received a permanent entry in the Register of Heritage Places, recognizing its historical importance.
