Macquarie Culvert, Brick footbridge in Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia.
The Macquarie Culvert is a double-brick footbridge built beneath the former Lady Macquarie's Road in the Royal Botanic Gardens. It connects walking paths through the gardens and allows pedestrians to pass under what was once a carriage route.
Built between 1813 and 1816 during Governor Macquarie's administration, this culvert was part of an early road development. It remains one of Australia's oldest surviving bridge structures.
The culvert stands as a testament to early colonial engineering methods and represents the influence of Governor Macquarie's administration in New South Wales.
The structure is easily accessible from the garden's walking paths and best visited during daylight hours. Access is straightforward as it forms part of the established pathway network.
This is the only surviving section of the original Lady Macquarie's Road, while the rest of the route has disappeared entirely. The culvert offers a rare glimpse into early colonial-era infrastructure.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.