Johnston Street Bridge

From Boroondara Wiki

The Johnston Street Bridge, also known as the Studley Park Road Bridge, is one of several river crossings from Boroondara into the City of Yarra to the west. It is located adjacent to the Abbotsford Convent and Yarra Bend Park and carries Studley Park Road over the Yarra River.

History

First bridge

There have been three bridges constructed on the present-day site. The first, built of timber, opened in 1858 after some delay and cost between £40,000 and £50,000.[1][2] It was built and operated by the specially-created Studley Park Bridge Company, which also operated the Victoria Street Bridge further downstream.[3]

The new bridge eplaced a punt that operated further south and was heralded as a significant achievement being one of the first major infrastructure projects of the new Colony of Victoria.

The introduction of a toll resulted in much opposition from local residents both before and after the bridge's completion.[4] It was eventually removed by the state government.

Second bridge

The second road bridge built in this location, constructed of wrought iron, was opened in 1876.[5]

After some years, the timber began to deteriorate and a replacement bridge was sought. The solution was to construct a second bridge in 1876 made of rivetted wrought iron.[6]

Third bridge

The third bridge was built in 1956 by the Country Roads Board. The project not only replaced the iron trestle bridge but also re-routed Studley Park Road to its present-day alignment. This eliminated a dangerous bend in the road that had been present since the first bridge was opened almost 100 years earlier. Building the new bridge also allowed for the road to be widened to four lanes.

Today

Remnants of the old bridges and road alignment remain at the site. The eastern abutment of the original bridge is still visible just north of the present-day bridge. The old Studley Park Road surface, kerb and channel are all able to be visited in the same area.

The balustrade of the historic eastern abuttment is part of the wrought iron trestle bridge opened in 1858.

References

  1. The Argus. Board of Land and Works. 26 October 1858. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7303366, accessed: 15 March 2018
  2. The Argus. Parliamentary Intelligence. 10 November 1858. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7304271, accessed: 15 March 2018
  3. The Argus. Studley Park Bridge Company. 31 August 1859. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5687229, accessed: 15 March 2018
  4. The Age. Johnston Street Toll. 22 February 1859. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154837911, accessed: 15 March 2018
  5. Johnston Street Bridge on the Yarra, Abbotsford, Victoria, ca. 1880. National Library of Australia. 1880. http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-140531424/view, accessed: 15 March 2018
  6. The Argus. The New Johnston Street Bridge. 14 October 1876. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5905898, accessed: 15 March 2018

See also