Originally published October 22, 1927
A FIXED structure replaced punt transport between Mildura and Buronga in October 1927.
The Mildura Bridge was designed to carry both rail and road transport and consisted of four steel truss spans, a lift-span and 11 approach spans.
The opening was hailed as “another interstate barrier swept aside”.
Construction of the bridge began in January 1925 and about 3000 people turned out to witness the opening, including a number of the town’s pioneers who had arrived in Mildura in 1887.
The bridge was built under a Border Railways Agreement which included five bridges over the Murray River with the Mildura opening the first of the five.
Until the opening of the bridge, which had been used by traffic since early October, the only means to cross the river at Mildura was by punt.
The new bridge lift-span was able to be activated by one man because of its “perfect balances” by using a winch and gearings.
Great variations in river levels had necessarily made the construction of the bridge more costly and difficult.
The Mildura Bridge was identical in the main features of design as the then close to completion Abbotsford Bridge.
Sunraysia Daily reported at the time that the opening of the bridge had “brought the people of New South Wales nearer to this district, as there is now no toll for anyone to cross the river and much time is saved as against the old method”.
“Unless a person was an experienced driver, it was no easy matter to take a car across the river in the punt.
“Such experiences are now at an end.”
The newspaper said “the magnificent bridge, grey in colour, adds beauty to the river and to the town, but the man that benefits most from it is the pastoralist in New South Wales and an instance of this has already been afforded when Mr E. P. Richardson transferred 2500 sheep from Burtundy Station to pastures in Victoria”.
While the bridge was designed to carry trains, the lines were not in position at the time of its opening and it was never used for that purpose.
“Should the bridge be ever concerted to railway traffic, the rails will be laid flush with the existing deck, and would appear similar to tram rails in a public street,” Sunraysia Daily reported at the time.
“The control of the bridge with the railway traffic would be done by gates — that is to say, the bridge would be closed to road traffic during the passage of a train, much in the same way as level crossings are controlled in busy centres.
“Refuges have been placed at close intervals, whereon pedestrian traffic may take shelter should a train or any other traffic deem it necessary for them to be used.
“The safety of the vehicle traffic, when the lift span is raised, is provided for by gates at both ends of the lift span.
“A caretaker will be permanently employed on the bridge, and a cottage has been constructed in Cureton Avenue for his residence.”
Following the opening of the bridge by Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs Mr L. C. M. Amery, a banquet was hosted by the Victorian and New South Wales Governments at the Mildura Grand Hotel.
The Mildura Bridge was replaced by the current George Chaffey Bridge in March 1985 before about 2000 people.
The crowd waited patiently in sweltering heat and humidity as VIPs arrived 30 minutes late, the conditions taking its toll on at least one person who required medical assistance after fainting.
The opening, conducted by State and Federal Ministers of Transport, as well as Mildura and Wentworth Mayors, Roy Burr and Mick Storer respectively, was followed by a fanfare of whistles and hoots from a large flotilla of rivercraft.
The cost of the Federal Government project was estimated at $12 million.
The original bridge was removed and its main section now placed as a feature of the Mildura Marina.
