De Burghs Bridge

De Burghs Bridge is a road bridge that carries the Lane Cove Road, part of the A3, across the Lane Cove River in Macquarie Park, Sydney, Australia. The bridge stretches from Macquarie Park in the south to West Pymble in the north.

De Burghs Bridge
Coordinates	33°46′32″S 151°08′07″E
Carries	Lane Cove Road (A3) Motor vehicles Pedestrians
Crosses	Lane Cove River
Locale	Macquarie Park, Sydney, Australia
Named for	Ernest de Burgh
Owner	Transport for NSW
Followed by	Fullers Bridge
Characteristics
Material	Concrete
Total length	185 metres (607 ft)
Width	29.3 metres (96 ft)
No. of lanes	3 (north); 3 (south)
History
Constructed by	Hornibrook
Opened	15 December 1967
Replaces	De Burghs Bridge (first bridge)
Location

History

The current De Burghs Bridge is the second bridge with this name to cross the Lane Cove River in this area.

First bridge

Old De Burghs Bridge
Opening of old De Burghs Bridge in 1901
Coordinates	33°46′33″S 151°08′10″E
Carried	Lane Cove Road
Crossed	Lane Cove River
Other name(s)	Lane Cove Bridge
Named for	Ernest de Burgh
Followed by	Fullers Bridge
Characteristics
Design	Truss bridge
Material	Timber
Total length	90.8 metres (298 ft)
Width	5.5 metres (18 ft)
Longest span	50 metres (165 ft)
Clearance below	30 metres (100 ft)
History
Designer	Ernest de Burgh
Opened	22 December 1900
Inaugurated	23 February 1901
Collapsed	1994 (bushfire)
Closed	14 December 1967
Replaced	Older east/west bridge
Replaced by	2nd De Burghs Bridge
Location
References
[1][lower-alpha 1]

The first bridge with this name was designed in 1899 by Ernest de Burgh, after whom the bridge is named, and was opened on 23 February 1901.^[2] It was situated downstream from the current bridge, within metres at the southern end, and about 20 metres (66 ft) away from the current bridge at the northern end. The single De Burgh timber truss bridge was 91 metres (300 ft) in length, the largest truss was 50 metres (165 ft), the longest timber truss span ever built in Australia.^[3][4]

The old bridge was destroyed by bushfire in January 1994. The northern abutment on the ground is still visible, as are parts of the supporting piers. The new bridge offers a vantage point to view the remnants of the original structure.

Second bridge

The bridge was replaced by two large high-level multi-lane separate concrete bridges, built alongside each other, that opened on 15 December 1967.^[2] The current bridge is a six-lane bridge that, unlike the original timber truss, is perpendicular to the river. This demonstrates how far road and bridge building had progressed by the 1960s, as previously it was dictated by the form of the land. One can see how the newer road and bridge is built right over any land formations, in contrast to the winding old road.

De Burghs Bridge is similar in form and function to Roseville Bridge, being a high-level multi-lane bridge replacing a low level, narrow bridge as well as windy approach roads.

De Burghs Bridge is an important part of the A3, a significant north–south artery across metropolitan Sydney which is the next road that connects the northern suburbs and the lower northern suburbs after (to the east of) Pennant Hills Road. The bridge carries three lanes of traffic each way and a pedestrian walkway on either side of the bridge. A plaque placed on the bridge pays tribute to the old bridge. It was placed there in 1988 before the destruction of the old bridge.^[5]

See also

• Transport portal
• Engineering portal
• New South Wales portal

• List of bridges in Sydney

Notes

1. Map shows Pittwater Road continuing past the cemetery and turning west across a bridge over the Lane Cove River.

References

1. Old parish map (Map). 1907.
2. "The New De Burghs Bridge". Main Roads: 51–54. December 1967.
3. "Ministerial Visit to Ryde". Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 25 February 1901. p. 3 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "The Lane Cove Bridge and the Field of Mars Tram". Australian Town and Country Journal. Vol. LXII, no. 1621. New South Wales. 2 March 1901. p. 23. Retrieved 20 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
5. De Burghs Bridge. Bicentennial Plaque affixed to bridge. De Burghs Bridge. 1988.

External links

• "de Burgh, Ernest Macartney (1863–1929)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 1981. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
• "At De Burgh's bridge". The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate. Parramatta, New South Wales. 17 February 1923. p. 8 – via Trove, National Library of Australia.
• "Flashback - 75 years ago: FIRST DE BURGHS BRIDGE OPENED" (PDF). Main Roads. 41. New South Wales: Commissionerfor Main Roads: 125–127. June 1976.