Victoria Bridge, Picton facts for kids

The Victoria Bridge is a special timber bridge in Picton, New South Wales, Australia. It crosses Stonequarry Creek and is a key part of the local road system. Opened in 1897, this bridge is famous for its unique design, called the Allan truss, created by engineer Percy Allan. It's one of the oldest timber truss bridges still standing in New South Wales.

Named after Queen Victoria, the bridge is recognized for its historical importance. It allows one lane of traffic and has a footpath for people walking. The Victoria Bridge is 83.4 meters (about 274 feet) long and has a height limit of 2.4 meters (about 8 feet). It's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register, showing how important it is to the state's history.

History of the Victoria Bridge

Picton Town's Name

The town of Picton was named in 1841 by Major Antill. It was named after Sir Thomas Picton, a brave general who fought alongside the Duke of Wellington. Before this, the area was known as "Stonequarry."

Building the Victoria Bridge

Timber truss road bridges were very important for building roads in New South Wales. Before these bridges, crossing rivers was often dangerous. This made it hard and expensive to move goods like farm produce.

The NSW Public Works Department chose timber truss bridges because they were cheap to build. They also used materials found locally. This was important because the government at the time didn't have a lot of money. They wanted to build as many roads and bridges as possible without spending too much. Using local timber meant they didn't have to import expensive iron and steel from England.

The Allan Truss Design

The Allan truss design was a big step forward for timber bridges. It was the first time American engineering ideas were truly used in bridge building in NSW. This showed that people were starting to see American ideas as good as or even better than European ones.

The Allan truss design was high quality and affordable. This made timber truss bridges the main type of bridge used on NSW roads for the next 30 years. Percy Allan, who designed the Allan truss, was a very important engineer for the NSW Public Works Department. Because of how common timber bridges were, New South Wales was even known as the "timber bridge state" by travelers.

What the Victoria Bridge Looks Like

The Victoria Bridge is an Allan-type timber truss road bridge. It has three main sections, called spans, each 27.4 meters (about 90 feet) long. There are no extra sections leading up to the bridge. The total length of the bridge is 83.4 meters (about 274 feet).

The bridge is supported by tall timber structures called trestles. It has one lane for cars, which is 3.7 meters (about 12 feet) wide. There is also a footpath for people to walk on. A timber fence runs along the bridge, and a metal barrier helps keep pedestrians safe from traffic.

Bridge Condition

As of June 2005, the Victoria Bridge was in good condition and still complete.

Why the Victoria Bridge is Important

The Victoria Bridge was finished in 1897. It's an early example of an Allan-type timber truss road bridge. It was in good condition in 1998. This bridge connects to many important historical events and people. These include the growth of the road network in NSW and Percy Allan, who designed this type of bridge.

Allan trusses were the third type of timber truss bridge design in NSW. They were a big improvement over older designs. Allan trusses were 20% cheaper to build and could carry 50% more weight. They were also easier to keep in good repair.

The Victoria Bridge has the tallest timber trestle supports of any timber truss bridge. This makes it look very impressive. It's important both for its engineering and its beauty.

In 1998, there were 38 Allan trusses still standing in NSW out of 105 that were built. Also, 82 timber truss road bridges survived out of more than 400 built.

The Victoria Bridge is a great example of an Allan timber truss road bridge. It's considered important to the state of New South Wales. This is mainly because of its technical design and its historical value.

The Victoria Bridge over Stonequarry Creek was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on June 20, 2000. It met the following important reasons:

• It shows how New South Wales' history unfolded.

The bridge shows how the road network grew in NSW. It also shows how people in NSW slowly started to accept American design ideas. Its connection to Percy Allan also makes it historically important.

• It shows great technical skill and beauty.

The bridge's design shows excellent engineering. All its structural parts are clearly visible. It also looks very nice in its natural setting. Because it has the tallest timber trestle supports, it looks grand and is important for both its technical design and its beauty.

• It has a special connection with the community.

Timber truss bridges are easy for travelers to see on the roads. In the past, NSW was even called the "timber truss bridge state." This means these bridges are valued by many travelers in NSW. The people of Picton also value the Victoria Bridge.

• It is a rare example of its kind.

In 1998, only 38 Allan trusses were left in NSW out of 105 built. Only 82 timber truss road bridges survived out of over 400 built. This makes the Victoria Bridge quite rare.

• It shows the main features of its type of place.

The Victoria Bridge is a good example of an Allan truss bridge.