Princes Bridge, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
Princes Bridge, originally Prince's Bridge, is an important bridge
in central Melbourne
, Australia
that spans the Yarra River
. It is built on the site of one of the oldest river crossings in Australia
. The bridge connects Swanston Street
on the north bank of the Yarra River to St Kilda Road
on the south bank, and carries road, tram
and pedestrian traffic. The present bridge was built in 1888 and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
.
Because of its position, Princes Bridge is often a focal point for celebratory events in Melbourne such as the Moomba
Festival, New Years Eve and many celebrations taking place on the Yarra River
where it flows through the city.
operators set up business to ferry people and other traffic across the river. The colonial government in Sydney
was unreliable in providing funds for the construction of a bridge, resulting in most of Melbourne’s early infrastructure being provided by private enterprise. On 22 April 1840, a private company was formed to construct a bridge across the Yarra. Traders in Elizabeth Street
vied with those in Swanston Street
to have the through traffic that would be generated by a bridge. On the south bank of the river, St Kilda Road was still a dirt track.
Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe
favoured an Elizabeth Street crossing, but despite such official pressure the private company favoured the construction conditions at Swanston Street, which had become regarded as the growing town's main street. It was on that street in 1840 that they opened their wooden toll bridge. In 1844, a wooden trestle bridge was built across the river, and was a toll bridge.
The foundation stone for a new bridge was laid in 1846 and the bridge was opened in 1851. The bridge was a single span sandstone bridge which was built with government funds. The bridge was designed by David Lennox
and was at the time the longest single span bridge in the world. The bridge opened on 15 November without tolls. It was known as Lennox’s Bridge.
However, within a year, gold
was discovered in country Victoria and Melbourne saw a massive increase in population. In addition to the increase in traffic crossing the bridge, there was also a need to handle increased shipping traffic on the Yarra River and the river was widened to cope with this. By that time the Yarra River had been heavily modified both upstream and downstream and the major floods of the early years were becoming less common. The new bridge was designed by John Grainger
(1855–1917), the father of the Australian composer Percy Grainger
, and built by David Munro. Construction on the new bridge began in 1886 and it was opened on 4 October 1888, in time for the second International Exhibition to be held in Melbourne. As with many historic Melburnian buildings and bridges, the bridge is built on solid bluestone
bulwarks, unlike the sandstone popular in Sydney, with plenty of cast iron. The bridge was named Princes Bridge after Edward, Prince of Wales
.
Princes Bridge was also the name of a railway station
located on the northern side of the river, to the east of the bridge, on the current site of Federation Square
. It was linked to Flinders Street Station
by the railway tracks that run underneath the northern approach to the bridge.
The bridge bears a close resemblance to Blackfriars Bridge
in London
, built around the same time, both excellent surviving examples of Arch Bridge
design in the late 19th century.
The bridge underwent a restoration before the 2006 Commonwealth Games
.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
in central Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, 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...
that spans the Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
. It is built on the site of one of the oldest river crossings in 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...
. The bridge connects Swanston Street
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
on the north bank of the Yarra River to St Kilda Road
St Kilda Road, Melbourne
St Kilda Road is a street in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is part of the locality of Melbourne which has the postcode of 3004 and along with Swanston Street forms a major spine of the city....
on the south bank, and carries road, tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
and pedestrian traffic. The present bridge was built in 1888 and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
.
Because of its position, Princes Bridge is often a focal point for celebratory events in Melbourne such as the Moomba
Moomba
Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...
Festival, New Years Eve and many celebrations taking place on the Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
where it flows through the city.
History
When the first European settlers settled in Melbourne in 1835 there was no permanent crossing point of the Yarra River. Over time various punt and ferryCable ferry
A cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....
operators set up business to ferry people and other traffic across the river. The colonial government in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
was unreliable in providing funds for the construction of a bridge, resulting in most of Melbourne’s early infrastructure being provided by private enterprise. On 22 April 1840, a private company was formed to construct a bridge across the Yarra. Traders in Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
Elizabeth Street is one of the main north-south streets in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837.- Geography :...
vied with those in Swanston Street
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
to have the through traffic that would be generated by a bridge. On the south bank of the river, St Kilda Road was still a dirt track.
Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe
Charles La Trobe
Charles Joseph La Trobe was the first lieutenant-governor of the colony of Victoria .-Early life:La Trobe was born in London, the son of Christian Ignatius Latrobe, a family of Huguenot origin...
favoured an Elizabeth Street crossing, but despite such official pressure the private company favoured the construction conditions at Swanston Street, which had become regarded as the growing town's main street. It was on that street in 1840 that they opened their wooden toll bridge. In 1844, a wooden trestle bridge was built across the river, and was a toll bridge.
The foundation stone for a new bridge was laid in 1846 and the bridge was opened in 1851. The bridge was a single span sandstone bridge which was built with government funds. The bridge was designed by David Lennox
David Lennox
David Lennox was a Scottish-Australian bridge-builder and master stonemason born in Ayr, Scotland.-Personal details:...
and was at the time the longest single span bridge in the world. The bridge opened on 15 November without tolls. It was known as Lennox’s Bridge.
However, within a year, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was discovered in country Victoria and Melbourne saw a massive increase in population. In addition to the increase in traffic crossing the bridge, there was also a need to handle increased shipping traffic on the Yarra River and the river was widened to cope with this. By that time the Yarra River had been heavily modified both upstream and downstream and the major floods of the early years were becoming less common. The new bridge was designed by John Grainger
John Harry Grainger
John Harry Grainger , Although most sources give 1855 as the birth year, the Grainger Museum states that 1854 is the correct year. was a British-born architect who emigrated to Australia in 1877, and father of musician Percy Grainger....
(1855–1917), the father of the Australian composer Percy Grainger
Percy Grainger
George Percy Aldridge Grainger , known as Percy Grainger, was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist. In the course of a long and innovative career he played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century. He also made many...
, and built by David Munro. Construction on the new bridge began in 1886 and it was opened on 4 October 1888, in time for the second International Exhibition to be held in Melbourne. As with many historic Melburnian buildings and bridges, the bridge is built on solid bluestone
Bluestone
Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including:*a feldspathic sandstone in the U.S. and Canada;*limestone in the Shenandoah Valley in the U.S...
bulwarks, unlike the sandstone popular in Sydney, with plenty of cast iron. The bridge was named Princes Bridge after Edward, Prince of Wales
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
.
Traffic
Pedestrians account for the majority of traffic volumes, as most people crossing the bridge do so on foot or bicycle, however there are many other forms of transport that utilise the bridge:- Pedestrian
- Tram
- Bicycle
- Road
- Buses
- Cars
Princes Bridge was also the name of a railway station
Princes Bridge railway station, Melbourne
Princes Bridge was a Melbourne railway station built in 1859 and was the terminus for all Epping line and Hurstbridge line trains. The station was named after the adjacent Princes Bridge, which crosses the Yarra River. Originally Princes Bridge station was isolated from Flinders Street Station,...
located on the northern side of the river, to the east of the bridge, on the current site of Federation Square
Federation Square
Federation Square is a civic centre and cultural precinct in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
. It was linked to Flinders Street Station
Flinders Street Station
Flinders Street Station is the central railway station of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets next to the Yarra River in the heart of the city, stretching from Swanston Street to Queen Street and covering two city...
by the railway tracks that run underneath the northern approach to the bridge.
Design
Princes Bridge is 30 metres (99 ft) wide and 120 metres (400 ft) long, with bluestone squat half columns resting on piers supporting the three iron girder arches. The coat of arms on the bridge belong to the municipal councils who contributed towards the cost of construction. Other design features include an elaborate balustrade along the top of the bridge, and lamp standards crowning each pier.The bridge bears a close resemblance to Blackfriars Bridge
Blackfriars Bridge
Blackfriars Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames in London, between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge, carrying the A201 road. The north end is near the Inns of Court and Temple Church, along with Blackfriars station...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, built around the same time, both excellent surviving examples of Arch Bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
design in the late 19th century.
The bridge underwent a restoration before the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
.
External links
- Federation Square web site History of the Federation Square site, including a PDF file documenting some of the history of Princes Bridge.
- Panoramic virtual tour from Princes Bridge