Zig Zag Bridge, Kew
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Zig Zag Bridge, Kew | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 37.79591°0′0″S 145.0179°0′0″E / 37.79591°S 145.01790°E |
| Carried | Tramway, Pipeline and Pedestrians |
| Crossed | Yarra River |
| Locale | Melbourne, Australia |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Howe Truss |
| Material | Main span - Oregon (North American softwood) supported by piers of Mount Macedon hardwood. |
| Total length | 238 metres (781 ft). A 40 metre main span connected to a 180m long viaduct on the Fairfield side. |
| Width | 3.6 metres (12 ft)} |
| History | |
| Opened | 1864 (Tramway Bridge) |
| Rebuilt | 1891 (Pedestrian Bridge) |
| Demolished | 1929 |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Zig Zag Bridge, Kew | |
The Zig Zag Bridge was one of two successive bridges spanning the Yarra River between Kew and Fairfield, five kilometres (3.1 mi) east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Over a 65-year period, the two bridges served different purposes, largely connected to the nearby Kew Asylum —later known as Willsmere.
To assist with the building of Kew Asylum, a tramway was established to connect the bluestone quarries of Yarra Bend to the enormous building project in Kew.
The tramway was conceived by John Young (building contractor) and ran for approximately 2.5 km.[1]
At the Yarra River, a Howe truss bridge crossed the water in a single span. The tramway was carried on a timber deck 17 metres above the normal river level. An American design partly of American timber, it is considered unusual for 1860s Melbourne.[2]
Pedestrian bridge and pipeline (1870-1891)
After the completion of Kew Asylum, the bridge served as a pedestrian link between the new institution and the one it intended to replace, Yarra Bend Asylum.
During the 1870s, the bridge also carried the first town water to Kew Asylum[3] via Yarra Bend, however, this became redundant after the construction of the Fairfield Pipeline Bridge (1878).
The 'Great Flood' of 1891 brought significant damage to the already deteriorating bridge. It was removed and then replaced by a new design in early 1892.[4]
Zig Zag Bridge (1892-1929)
The Public Works Department designed a new bridge in the same location to a significantly different form.
The sole function was now pedestrians moving between the two institutions - Yarra Bend Asylum and Kew Asylum although it may have also been used by residents of Collingwood.[5]
The deck height was about six metres lower than its predecessor and this necessitated a flight of stairs on the Kew side to reach the top of the bank. The lower Fairfield bank required three flights of stairs located inside a rectangular pier. This connected to a low level gangway.
The multiple flights of stairs and changes of direction resulted in the epithet "Zig Zag Bridge". Alterations occurred in 1910.[6]