Maldon, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Maldon is a locality in the Macarthur Region
of New South Wales
, Australia
, in the Wollondilly Shire. At the 2001 census it had a population of 152.
was established at Maldon, as part of the Great Southern Railway, in 1879. It was originally named Wilton. The station closed in 1976. Maldon is still an active rail location, having turnouts
for freight trains bringing limestone
to the cement works, and grain
to the flour mill
.
In 1983, the NSW government commenced construction of a electrified rail link between Maldon and Dombarton (near Wollongong
), improving access for coal trains to Port Kembla
. The contract for construction of the Avon Tunnel was cancelled in mid-1988: the line was not thought economically viable. An incomplete rail bridge across the Nepean Gorge
can be seen just north of the Picton Road bridge.
in 1903, designed by Ernest Macartney de Burgh
. By the 1970s, the bridge had become a severe bottleneck, especially with the increasing coal traffic. A deviation of the main road and a concrete beam bridge
were constructed further north along the Gorge, and opened in 1980. The Suspension Bridge is now a Heritage item. It is closed to all traffic, including pedestrian.
"The Nepean River, which runs parallel to the Great Southern Railway from Menangle to Picton, is crossed by road at two places only in the whole of the distance - one near Maldon, and the other near Douglas Park Railway Station. Before finally determining upon the position at which the bridge was to be built, due consideration was given to the claims of both these sites: but it was decided that that near Maldon presented advantages both from a traffic point of view and also in regard to economy construction. The bridge has accordingly been erected at Harvey's Crossing on the road connecting Wilton with the Great Southern Railway at Maldon Station, and was opened by Mr. E. W. O'Sullivan, Minister for Public Works on March 12 [1903]. Prior to the erection of the bridge the road used to cross the Nepean River at a stone causeway some 80ft [feet] below the level of the deck of the new structure, but the approaches were steep and difficult, and the crossing was constantly being damaged by floods, causing delays to traffic and heavy expenditure in maintenance.
The main bridge is a stiffened suspension structure of an uncommon type, inasmuch as the main cables, after leaving the towers, are carried upwards to an anchorage in the sandstone cliffs above the bridge, instead of downwards, as is usually the case. The main span is of 226ft [feet] centres, carried by suspension rods from the cables, of which there are fourteen on either side of the bridge. The cables have socketed end connections secured to steel girders
in anchorages cut out of the solid rock and accessible for inspection. The stiffening trusses
are of steel, hinged at the towers and also at the centre, to allow for the rise and fall of the cables due to temperature changes. The roadway is of timber planking, 15 ft [feet] wide between kerbs, carried on timber stringers and cross girders. In addition to the main span there are seven timber approach spans, built on a curve to meet the roadway on either side of the river. The approaches include a considerable retaining wall
on the Maldon side. The materials required have been supplied under various contracts. The cables were imported, the steel and ironwork in stiffening trusses etc. manufactured by Clyde Engineering
Company, and the timber supplied by various firms. The erection of the structure has been carried out by day labour
, under Inspector James McCall, of the Public Works Department. The total cost, including contracts mentioned above and road work in approaches, was £8000."
(34°12′12.27"S 150°37′47.01"E) lies about two kilometres upstream from the Suspension Bridge. It formerly supplied water to the nearby Stonequarry Lodge Hostel. Maldon Weir is currently (August 2010) the only weir on the Upper Nepean River not targeted for modification, despite having been identified as a major barrier to fish migration.Most other Upper Nepean weirs will be given increased capacity, to improve environmental flows
, and improved fishways
will be installed, as part of Sydney Catchment Authority's
Weirs Project.
factory owned and operated by Boral Cement.
A flour mill
owned by Allied Mills, commenced operations in 2009. It was the first slipform constructed mill in New South Wales, replacing the company's mill at Summer Hill
.
Inghams Enterprises operates a Poultry Hatchery at Maldon.
during the 1990s, and in 2000, an attempt was made by a private company to establish the sport of 'bridge jumping' there (a modified form of bungee jumping).
Local opinion largely opposed both these activities, fearing a negative impact on the immediate bushland environment due to increased visitor levels, and deterioration of the bridge itself. The sports were eventually discontinued. The approach roads were closed and barred, and access to the bridge deck was blocked to prevent further damage, particularly from vandalism. The bungee-jumping platform can still be seen on the western side of the bridge. Deteriorating stairs, handrails and other infrastructure installed by the bridge-jumping company remain in the bushland.
The Picton Karting Track is located at Maldon.
Macarthur, New South Wales
Macarthur is a region in south-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The region includes the local government areas of the City of Campbelltown, Camden Council and Wollondilly Shire. It covers an area of 3,067 square kilometres and has a population of close to 240,000 residents...
of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in the Wollondilly Shire. At the 2001 census it had a population of 152.
Railway
A stationMaldon railway station, New South Wales
Maldon was a closed railway station on the Main South railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The station originally opened in 1889 as Wilton, renamed as Maldon a year later. It closed in 1976...
was established at Maldon, as part of the Great Southern Railway, in 1879. It was originally named Wilton. The station closed in 1976. Maldon is still an active rail location, having turnouts
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
for freight trains bringing limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
to the cement works, and grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
to the flour mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
.
In 1983, the NSW government commenced construction of a electrified rail link between Maldon and Dombarton (near Wollongong
Wollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
), improving access for coal trains to Port Kembla
Port Kembla, New South Wales
Port Kembla is a suburb of Wollongong 8 km south of the CBD and part of the Illawarra region of New South Wales. The suburb comprises a seaport, industrial complex , a small harbour foreshore nature reserve, and a small commercial sector. It is situated on the tip of Red Point, first sighted...
. The contract for construction of the Avon Tunnel was cancelled in mid-1988: the line was not thought economically viable. An incomplete rail bridge across the Nepean Gorge
Nepean River
The Nepean River is a river in the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia.The headwaters of the Nepean River rise near Robertson, about 100 kilometres south of Sydney and about 15 kilometres from the coast. The river flows north in an unpopulated water catchment area into Nepean Dam, which...
can be seen just north of the Picton Road bridge.
Maldon Suspension Bridge
Maldon was also the site of 'Harvey's Crossing', one of two stone causeways over the Upper Nepean River on the Picton - Menangle Road. Stonework supporting the steep approach roads on each side can still be seen. The causeway was replaced by a wooden suspension bridgeSuspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
in 1903, designed by Ernest Macartney de Burgh
Ernest Macartney de Burgh
Ernest Macartney de Burgh was an Irish-born Australian civil engineer, chief-engineer for water supply and sewerage in New South Wales.-Early life:...
. By the 1970s, the bridge had become a severe bottleneck, especially with the increasing coal traffic. A deviation of the main road and a concrete beam bridge
Beam bridge
Beam bridges are the most simple of structural forms being supported by an abutment at each end of the deck. No moments are transferred through the support hence their structural type is known as simply supported....
were constructed further north along the Gorge, and opened in 1980. The Suspension Bridge is now a Heritage item. It is closed to all traffic, including pedestrian.
"The Nepean River, which runs parallel to the Great Southern Railway from Menangle to Picton, is crossed by road at two places only in the whole of the distance - one near Maldon, and the other near Douglas Park Railway Station. Before finally determining upon the position at which the bridge was to be built, due consideration was given to the claims of both these sites: but it was decided that that near Maldon presented advantages both from a traffic point of view and also in regard to economy construction. The bridge has accordingly been erected at Harvey's Crossing on the road connecting Wilton with the Great Southern Railway at Maldon Station, and was opened by Mr. E. W. O'Sullivan, Minister for Public Works on March 12 [1903]. Prior to the erection of the bridge the road used to cross the Nepean River at a stone causeway some 80ft [feet] below the level of the deck of the new structure, but the approaches were steep and difficult, and the crossing was constantly being damaged by floods, causing delays to traffic and heavy expenditure in maintenance.
The main bridge is a stiffened suspension structure of an uncommon type, inasmuch as the main cables, after leaving the towers, are carried upwards to an anchorage in the sandstone cliffs above the bridge, instead of downwards, as is usually the case. The main span is of 226ft [feet] centres, carried by suspension rods from the cables, of which there are fourteen on either side of the bridge. The cables have socketed end connections secured to steel girders
Girder
A girder is a support beam used in construction. Girders often have an I-beam cross section for strength, but may also have a box shape, Z shape or other forms. Girder is the term used to denote the main horizontal support of a structure which supports smaller beams...
in anchorages cut out of the solid rock and accessible for inspection. The stiffening trusses
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
are of steel, hinged at the towers and also at the centre, to allow for the rise and fall of the cables due to temperature changes. The roadway is of timber planking, 15 ft [feet] wide between kerbs, carried on timber stringers and cross girders. In addition to the main span there are seven timber approach spans, built on a curve to meet the roadway on either side of the river. The approaches include a considerable retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
on the Maldon side. The materials required have been supplied under various contracts. The cables were imported, the steel and ironwork in stiffening trusses etc. manufactured by Clyde Engineering
Clyde Engineering
Clyde Engineering was the name of part of the business now known as Downer EDI Rail. Clyde Engineering were involved in the construction of railway locomotives and rolling stock, as well as larger scale engineering projects on behalf of the governments of Australia...
Company, and the timber supplied by various firms. The erection of the structure has been carried out by day labour
Day labor
Day labor is work done where the worker is hired and paid one day at a time, with no promise that more work will be available in the future. It is a form of contingent work.-Types:Day laborers find work through three common routes....
, under Inspector James McCall, of the Public Works Department. The total cost, including contracts mentioned above and road work in approaches, was £8000."
Maldon Weir
The Maldon WeirWeir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
(34°12′12.27"S 150°37′47.01"E) lies about two kilometres upstream from the Suspension Bridge. It formerly supplied water to the nearby Stonequarry Lodge Hostel. Maldon Weir is currently (August 2010) the only weir on the Upper Nepean River not targeted for modification, despite having been identified as a major barrier to fish migration.Most other Upper Nepean weirs will be given increased capacity, to improve environmental flows
Environmental flow
‘’’Environmental flows’’’ describe the quantity, timing, and quality of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well being that depend on these ecosystems...
, and improved fishways
Fish ladder
A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass or fish steps, is a structure on or around artificial barriers to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration. Most fishways enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps into the waters on...
will be installed, as part of Sydney Catchment Authority's
Sydney Catchment Authority
The Sydney Catchment Authority is a New South Wales, Australia Government agency created in 1999. The SCA manages and protects Sydney's drinking water catchments and catchment infrastructure, and supplies bulk water to its customers, including Sydney Water and a number of local councils.The SCA's...
Weirs Project.
Maldon Today
Industry
Maldon has long been home to a cementPortland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
factory owned and operated by Boral Cement.
A flour mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
owned by Allied Mills, commenced operations in 2009. It was the first slipform constructed mill in New South Wales, replacing the company's mill at Summer Hill
Summer Hill, New South Wales
Summer Hill is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Summer Hill is located 8 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield....
.
Inghams Enterprises operates a Poultry Hatchery at Maldon.
Sport and Recreation
The Maldon Gorge remains a popular picnicking, bushwalking and swimming spot. The Maldon Suspension Bridge was used for bungee jumpingBungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
during the 1990s, and in 2000, an attempt was made by a private company to establish the sport of 'bridge jumping' there (a modified form of bungee jumping).
Local opinion largely opposed both these activities, fearing a negative impact on the immediate bushland environment due to increased visitor levels, and deterioration of the bridge itself. The sports were eventually discontinued. The approach roads were closed and barred, and access to the bridge deck was blocked to prevent further damage, particularly from vandalism. The bungee-jumping platform can still be seen on the western side of the bridge. Deteriorating stairs, handrails and other infrastructure installed by the bridge-jumping company remain in the bushland.
The Picton Karting Track is located at Maldon.