Australia's Bridges: Tarban Creek Bridge in New South Wales (1)

March 2011 (-33.837 deg., 151.145 deg.) Tarban Creek Bridge

The Tarban Creek Bridge is a reinforced concrete multi-span bridge with what I would call a deck-stiffened arch over the creek.  It was built about the same time as the Gladesville Bridge (to the south) and the Fig Tree Bridge (to the north) for an expressway project that never came to fruition.


I think it's a little disingenuous that they advertise a 'Seven Bridges Walk' when tall fences surround one of the bridges (I took this photo through one of the fence links).

Australia's Bridges: Tarban Creek Bridge in New South Wales (1) by Mark Yashinsky is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Australia's Bridges: Gladesville Bridge in New South Wales (2)

March 2011 (-33.840 deg., 151.147 deg.) Gladesville Bridge over the Parramatta River

Before I took the 'Seven Bridges Walk,' I took a ferry to photograph the bridges that cross the Parramatta River. Australia's weather is funny, with quick vicious storms that last about two minutes. I got hit by several of them standing on the deck of the ferry and photographing bridges.


The Gladesville Bridge was the longest single span arch when it was built in 1964. Its still an amazing looking bridge. With an arch length of about 1000 ft, a vertical clearance of 135 ft, and a height to depth of only 0.14, it's still a lot taller than it needs to be for the size of the ships that travel the Parramatta.


The longest concrete arch bridges are now several hundred feet longer than the Gladesville Bridge but they are much taller and less graceful. This bridge was extremely innovative, with precast arch segments supported by timber falsework while it was put together.

Australia's Bridges: Gladesville Bridge in New South Wales (2) by Mark Yashinsky is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.Publish Post

Australia's Bridges: Gladesville Bridge in New South Wales (1)

March 2011 (-33.840 deg., 151.147 deg.) Gladesville Bridge over the Parramatta River

Dear Reader. I'm sorry I was unable to provide a bridge photo for the last few of days, but I was unable to find an internet connection. I am now at a Starbucks in Brisbane and able once again to write my blog.

While I was in Sydney, I went on the 'Seven Bridges Walk.'  After crossing the ANZAC Cable-Stayed Bridge, I passed a couple of ordinary looking bridges until I came to the Parramatta River and the beautiful Gladesville Bridge. 

The Gladesville Bridge is 1000 ft long and 135 ft high at the top of the arch. We'll take another look at this handsome concrete deck arch tomorrow.

Australia's Bridges: Gladesville Bridge in New South Wales (1) by Mark Yashinsky is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.