Saltwater River Rail Bridge, Railway bridge in Melbourne, Australia.

The Saltwater River Rail Bridge is a wrought iron box girder truss bridge carrying the Bendigo line over the Maribyrnong River between West Melbourne and Footscray. Completed in 1858, its single 67-metre span rests on bluestone abutments designed by William Bryson. The girders were fabricated by William Fairbairn & Sons of Manchester. In 1911 the spans were replaced with two mild steel through hog-back Pratt trusses by Mephan Ferguson, completed in 1914.

Built in 1858, the bridge emerged as a major infrastructure project when the Victorian Railways took control from private operators. This early crossing represented an important step in establishing state-run rail services across the region.

The bridge's name comes from the Saltwater River, the early colonial name for the Maribyrnong River it crosses. Its wrought iron girders were designed and fabricated by William Fairbairn & Sons of Manchester, while the bluestone abutments were designed by William Bryson. The structure was added to the Victorian Heritage Register on 24 October 1996 for its historic and scientific importance.

The bridge carries daily passenger and freight trains and can be viewed from walkways along both riverbanks, where you can observe the structure from different angles. Best viewing comes from the nearby paths along the river, which offer clear vantage points of the steel construction.

The 1859 load test used two steam engines, each hauling six wagons loaded with iron rail chairs. The wrought iron girders were made by William Fairbairn & Sons of Manchester to a specification of three tubular girders, each 216 feet long and set 15 feet 9 inches apart.