Macquarie River railway bridge, Bathurst

The Macquarie River railway bridge in Bathurst features three lattice truss sections of about 49 meters each, supported by cast iron cylinder piers across the water. The design uses a strong framework system that was the common solution for railway river crossings at that time.

The structure was built in 1876 under the direction of John Whitton as part of a series of twelve similar bridges in New South Wales. These building projects between 1871 and 1887 show how railways opened up the colony and connected regions together.

The bridge shows what colonial engineers could build and uses ironwork pieces brought specially from England for this project. Visitors can see how people had to cross rivers with the knowledge and tools available at that time.

The bridge sits on the main western rail line and is reachable from town if you want to explore the regional railway structures. Since it is a working railway structure, visitor access may be limited, so check ahead before visiting.

The structure is one of the oldest remaining metal lattice bridges from this era in Australia and shows ironwork from the Handyside factory in England. This mix of English manufacture and Australian installation tells the story of early colonial industry.

Location: New South Wales

GPS coordinates: -33.42300,149.59000

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:02