Goodradigbee River Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Goodradigbee River Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 35°06′39″S 148°40′54″E / 35.1107°S 148.6817°E |
| Carries | Main Road |
| Crosses | Goodradigbee River |
| Locale | Wee Jasper, Yass Valley Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Owner | Roads and Maritime Services |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Allan truss |
| Material | Timber |
| Total length | 66.5 metres (218 ft) |
| Width | 4.7 metres (15 ft) |
| Longest span | 27.4 metres (90 ft) |
| Number of spans | 3 |
| History | |
| Engineering design by | Percy Allan |
| Construction end | 1896 |
| Official name: Wee Jasper Bridge over Goodradigbee River; Goodradigbee River bridge, Wee Jasper | |
| Type: | State heritage (built) |
| Designated: | 20 June 2000 |
| Reference #: | 1485 |
| Type: | Road Bridge |
| Category: | Transport - Land |
| Builders: | W. J. Lansdown |
The Goodradigbee River bridge is a special road bridge in Wee Jasper, Australia. It carries a main road over the Goodradigbee River. This bridge is also known as the Wee Jasper Bridge over Goodradigbee River.
It was designed by an engineer named Percy Allan. The bridge was built in 1896 by W. J. Lansdown. Today, it is owned by Roads and Maritime Services, a government group in New South Wales. Because of its importance, the bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on June 20, 2000. This means it is protected as a historical site.
Contents
History of the Goodradigbee Bridge
Why Timber Bridges Were Popular
For a long time, timber bridges were very important for roads in New South Wales (NSW). Before these bridges, crossing rivers was often dangerous. It was also very expensive to move goods like farm produce or mining materials. Only valuable items like wool could be moved easily.
The government in NSW preferred timber bridges from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. This was because they were cheap to build. They also used mostly local materials, which saved money. At that time, iron and steel had to be brought in from England. This made them very expensive.
The Allan Truss Design
The Allan truss design was a big step forward for timber bridges. It was the first time that American ideas were used in bridge building in NSW. This showed that people were starting to see that American designs could be just as good as European ones.
Allan truss bridges were very strong and affordable. They helped timber bridges stay popular in NSW for about 30 more years.
Who Was Percy Allan?
Percy Allan was the talented engineer who designed the Allan truss. He worked for the Public Works Department. He was a very important person in NSW in the late 1800s.
NSW was even known as the "timber bridge state" because there were so many timber bridges.
What Does the Bridge Look Like?
The Wee Jasper bridge is an Allan-type timber bridge. It has a special design called a "truss" that makes it strong. The main part of the bridge is 27.4 meters (90 feet) long.
There are also two shorter timber sections at each end. These are called "approach spans." They make the total length of the bridge 66.5 meters (218 feet). The bridge is supported by strong timber posts. It has one lane for cars and is 4.7 meters (15 feet) wide. The wooden fence along the sides goes the whole length of the bridge. It is still in great shape today.
Why is This Bridge Special?
The Wee Jasper bridge was finished in 1896. It is an early example of an Allan-type timber truss bridge. In 1998, it was still in very good condition. This bridge connects us to important historical events and people. It shows how the road network grew in NSW. It also reminds us of Percy Allan, who designed this type of bridge.
Allan truss bridges were a big improvement over older designs. They were 20% cheaper to build. They could also carry 50% more weight and were easier to look after. In 1998, 38 Allan truss bridges were still standing out of 105 that were built. The Wee Jasper bridge is a great example of these special bridges. It is important because of its history and how it was built.
The Wee Jasper Bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on June 20, 2000. This means it meets certain important standards.
A Look into History
This bridge shows how the road network in NSW grew over time. It also shows how people in NSW started to accept American design ideas. Plus, it is linked to Percy Allan, a key figure in bridge building. All these reasons make it historically important.
Beautiful Design
The bridge's design is very clever. You can clearly see how all the parts work together to make it strong. It also looks natural in the beautiful countryside around it. This makes the bridge very pleasing to look at.
Important to the Community
Timber truss bridges are easy to spot for people traveling by road. NSW was once known as the "timber truss bridge state." This means these bridges are special to many travelers in NSW. The Wee Jasper bridge also fits in well with the quiet, isolated feel of Wee Jasper.
A Rare Find
In 1998, only 38 Allan truss bridges were left out of 105 that were built. Also, only 82 timber truss road bridges remained from over 400 that were constructed. This makes the Wee Jasper bridge quite rare.
A Great Example
The Wee Jasper bridge is a good example of an Allan truss bridge. It shows all the main features of this type of design.
