Sale Swing Bridge
Sale Swing Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Sale swing bridge, in closed position | |
| Coordinates | 38°08′47″S 147°05′13″E / 38.146345°S 147.086860°E |
| History | |
| Designer | John Grainger |
| Constructed by | Victorian government |
| Opened | 1883 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Sale Swing Bridge is located on the South Gippsland Highway Longford, 5 km south of the city of Sale, Victoria, Australia and spans the Latrobe River at its junction with the Thomson River.
Designed by John Grainger[1]: pp.2–3 and built in 1883 by the Victorian government,[2][3] it was the first movable bridge built in Victoria. Its wrought-iron structure, 45 metres long, pivots on cylindrical steel columns. At its peak, the bridge was opened up to 20 times a day, allowing the movement of steamers between Sale and Melbourne.
The bridge underwent major restoration works towards the end of 2003, which were completed by the start of 2006.[2]. Since the restoration about 2,500 tourists have visited the bridge each year.[4]
The Sale Swing Bridge was used as a set in 2007 for the filming of the 2008 film The Tender Hook, starring Hugo Weaving and Rose Byrne.[5]
In April 2017 vandals lodged lodged a block of wood in the gear mechanism, causing an axle to bend and the bottom roller beam to crack. The bridge was re-opened in July 2017 after a $160,000 repair. [4]
References
- ^ Tibbits, G. R. and Beauchamp, D. John Harry Grainger: Engineer and Architect at 3rd Australasian Engineering Heritage Conference 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2013
- ^ a b City of Sale, Gippsland, Victoria ~ Community Information Website ~ Sale, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia
- ^ Harper, Brian (July 2002). "Sale Swing Bridge". The Newsletter of Engineering Heritage Australia (13). Engineers Australia: 7. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ a b "Bridge Back in the Swing". gippslandtimes.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ "Underworld film brings stars to Gippsland". ABC Arts Online. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
External links
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