Bunbury Railway Bridge, Railway bridge in East Perth, Australia
Bunbury Railway Bridge was a timber structure that crossed the Swan River near East Perth, connecting the city to southwestern regions of Western Australia. The bridge used deep wooden piles driven into the riverbed to support the weight of passing trains.
The bridge was constructed in 1892 by Atkins and Law to enable rail service between Perth and Bunbury. It remained in operation for many decades until its replacement by the Goongoongup Bridge in 1995.
The bridge served as a vital link that brought Perth closer to southwestern communities, enabling people and goods to move freely across the region. Its presence shaped how settlements developed along the trade routes it supported.
The original structure no longer stands, but you can visit the location along the Swan River to understand its place in the landscape. The area is relatively accessible and gives a sense of where the old rail line once crossed the water.
Builders had to drive wooden piles far deeper into the soft riverbed than first expected because initial calculations underestimated the soil conditions. This unexpected difficulty revealed how tricky river construction could be in this part of Australia.
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