Taemas Bridge, Truss bridge in New South Wales, Australia

Taemas Bridge is a steel truss structure crossing the Murrumbidgee River with four main spans built from triangular framework elements. The design distributes weight and traffic loads across these angled geometric forms, creating a system that has proven stable for decades.

The original bridge was built in 1888 as a metal truss structure, but flooding destroyed it in 1925. The current steel version was constructed in 1931 to replace it and withstand future water challenges.

Locals once kept fording the Murrumbidgee near the old crossing to save petrol rather than drive the longer road to the new bridge. The loss of the 1888 bridge in the 1925 flood cut a key wool and produce route, and residents voiced dismay at the long delay before the 1931 opening. A carpark at the southern end gives access to the river.

This bridge sits in a rural farming region roughly one to two hours from central Canberra. The site appeals mainly to those interested in engineering or history, as visitor facilities are limited in this remote location.

Steel components were manufactured by the British firm Dorman Long while concrete pipe piers came from Monier, combining materials from different makers. This mixed-material approach was an advanced engineering solution for the 1930s.