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BRIDGE
OVER MARIBYRNONG RIVER, MELTON-KEILOR ROAD KEILOR AND KEILOR EAST, BRIMBANK CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
BRIDGE SOHE 2008
BRIDGE SOHE 2008
BRIDGE SOHE 2008
BRIDGE SOHE 2008
1 iron bridge maribyrnong river front view sep1984
iron bridge maribyrnong river detail of iron siding
iron bridge maribyrnong river plaque detail
iron bridge maribyrnong river side elevation sep1984
iron bridge maribyrnong river stone support detail
H1427 H1427 plan
On this page:

Statement of Significance

What is significant?

There is some conjecture as to the origins of the idea for a bridge in this particular location; however it is generally accepted that the Iron Bridge over the Maribyrnong River was fabricated in situ in 1868. Mr Enoch Chambers won the contract let by the Keilor Districts Board in that year. The Engineers of the bridge were Browne and Son of Campbellfield. The iron bridge consists of box girders with reinforcing arches in the web and the long span is comprised of box girders stabilized with arched stiffeners constructed in steel sections. The bluestone abutments are highly decorative and are capped by carved piers with crown stones. The bridge's timber deck was re-planked in 1897, however the structure remained virtually untouched until the 1950s when the cross arch was removed, cross beams were strengthened and 1'' thick asphalt was laid on the timber decking. The bridge was damaged in 1963 when a commercial vehicle became jammed under the arch. The arch was consequently removed but it has since been reconstructed as part of recent restoration works to the bridge.

How is it significant?

The Iron Bridge over the Maribyrnong River is of architectural significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?

The Iron Bridge over the Maribyrnong River is architecturally significant as a rare example of a substantial iron bridge. Although reminiscent of bridges overseas, the design was adventurous and experimental for its time and had no direct comparisons in Victoria. The combination of the arch, box girders and the additional transverse arch are particularly unusual. The only other bridge known to be of a similar construction is the Robert Stephenson's High Level Bridge at Newcastle which was constructed 1845-9. The iron bridge over the Maribyrnong is a rare and exemplary illustration of contemporary engineering practices in Victoria in the late 1860s and acts as an important cultural marker of the historic townscape of Keilor and the Maribyrnong River.

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    • Permit Exemptions

      BRIDGE - Permit Exemptions

      General Exemptions:

      General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

      Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

      Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

      Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

      Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

      Specific Exemptions:

      EXEMPTIONS FROM PERMITS:
      (Classes of works or activities which may be undertaken without a permit under
      Part 4 of the Heritage Act 1995)

      General Conditions:
      All alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents
      damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
      Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of
      alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the
      place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or
      object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the
      Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
      If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director,
      all works shall be in accordance with it.
      Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or
      rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
      Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the
      responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the
      responsible authority where applicable.


      No permit required for routine maintenance of the Iron Bridge over Maribyrnong
      River

      No permit required to replace like with like on the Iron Bridge over
      Maribyrnong River

  • Notes See all notes

    The foundations and abutments of this bridge date from 1853

    • 27/07/15

    This was originally the significant timber Howe Truss "Brees Bridge" constructed on these bluestone abutments in 1853-54, and the engineers were George Holmes and Edward Richardson. See more details in the research papers on these engineers at: https://www.ipenz.org.nz/Heritage/Conference2014/Proceedings/McInnes%20and%20Frost%20paper%20%28500%20KB%29.pdf

Public contributions

Notes See all notes

The foundations and abutments of this bridge date from 1853

• 27/07/15

This was originally the significant timber Howe Truss "Brees Bridge" constructed on these bluestone abutments in 1853-54, and the engineers were George Holmes and Edward Richardson. See more details in the research papers on these engineers at: https://www.ipenz.org.nz/Heritage/Conference2014/Proceedings/McInnes%20and%20Frost%20paper%20%28500%20KB%29.pdf

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
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