HISTORIC BARWON BRIDGE

Take a step out on the Barwon Bridge and transport yourself back to another time – before cars, when paddle steamers traversed the Barwon River, transporting supplies and freight from town to town. Step out on the bridge in the pre-dawn or just on dusk and you will have a birds eye view of the spectacular sunrises and sunsets the Outback is known for.

The piers supporting the Bridge are renowned havens for Murray Cod and Yellow Belly (Golden Perch), with locals reporting some of their best catches from under the bridge.

If you are a fan of canoeing, kayaking or any form of boating, you can float gently under the bridge and marvel at the complexities of the structure built more than 135 years ago.

The Barwon Bridge spans the width of the picturesque Barwon River, an impressive 16.8 metres, and was designed by Public Works Engineer, Percy Allen. It was a technically sophisticated structure for its time and is one of only two surviving examples of the first series of lift bridges left in New South Wales.

The Bridge was opened on the 7th December 1888. It is a wrought iron lift bridge with timber beam approaches and the original design of the bridge required 2 operators to operate the mechanisms to “lift” the centre section of the bridge. It was modified in 1896 so that it required only one operator.

The Barwon Bridge contributed to the social and economic development of North Western NSW, capturing the NSW Wool Trade and opening up the “back country” of NSW in the late 1800’s.

In 2000, the bridge was damaged and closed to vehicular traffic. It is now used as a pedestrian bridge, and preserved as a unique piece of the town’s history.