Clifden Suspension Bridge, Suspension bridge in Southland District, NZ

The Clifden Suspension Bridge is a single-lane bridge over the Waiau River, 111.5 m long, designed by Southland County Engineer C H Howarth. Its twenty-seven steel cables are anchored to concrete pillars clad to resemble stone, and the deck and beams are seasoned core totara wood. It is a Category I Historic Place.

The bridge was built in 1899 and replaced a ferry service that early settlers had used to cross. After many decades of service, it was updated and reopened in 2013 for pedestrian use only.

The bridge is cared for by Heritage New Zealand, which commissioned the 2010 safety report that led to its closure. Its design echoes the much larger Clifton Suspension Bridge over the Avon Gorge in Bristol, England, a comparison often made by engineers. The single lane and wooden deck show how a rural crossing was built for stock and supplies.

You can reach it from State Highway 99, about 16 kilometers north of Tuatapere. The bridge is now only for pedestrians, so wear good shoes and expect a short walk to the structure itself.

The decking and beams are made from seasoned core totara, a native New Zealand timber. The twenty-seven steel cables are anchored to concrete pillars clad to resemble stone. The design echoes a much smaller version of Bristol's Clifton Suspension Bridge, and it should not be confused with the smaller Waiau Suspension Bridge upstream on Lake Monowai Road.