Anderson's Mill Bridge
Birch Street Crossing,, SMEATON VIC 3364 - Property No B6920
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Statement of Significance
What is significant? Anderson's Mill Bridge is a three span road bridge with blue stone piers and abutments withtimber superstructure and handrails. The transverse timber deck is 25 metres long. It was built c. 1890 to provide access to Anderson's flourmill (VHR H1521).
How is it significant? Anderson's Mill Bridge is significant for historical and aesthetic reasons at the State level.
Why is it significant? Anderson's Mill Bridge is historically significant as the best, and probably the only, fully-intact and authentic medium-sized Victorian bluestone and timber-beam bridge surviving from the late nineteenth century. Its timber superstructure, featuring massive square-hewn beams and corbels is the best-preserved and most authentic example of a timber superstructure for a timber-and-masonry bridge, extant in Victoria. The solid squared-bluestone abutments, wingwalls and piers are among the best surviving examples of their kind.
Anderson's Mill Bridge is aesthetically significant as a very attractive bridge adjacent to the even older bluestone masonry buildings of Anderson's Mill, noted for its water race and waterwheel. The bridge crosses a scenic creek in park-like surrounds and is an integral part of the historic environs of the Anderson's mill complex.
Classified: 03/08/1998
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Anderson's Mill Bridge - Physical Description 1
DESCRIPTION:
Anderson's Mill Bridge is a three span squared-timber-beam bridge based on crafted abutments and piers of bluestone, with a transverse timber deck of twenty-five metres length.
Context
Anderson's Mill Bridge is situated on an attractive little creek immediately adjacent to the substantial stone-masonry buildings of the historic Anderson's Mill complex (VHR 1521) and the larger stone arch main road bridge (VHR 1425), on the edge of Smeaton township.
ASSESSMENT AGAINST CRITERIA:
Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria's cultural history.Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria's cultural historyAnderson's Mill Bridge is the best, and probably the only, fully intact and authentic medium-sized Victorian bluestone and timber-beam bridge surviving from the late nineteenth century. Its timber superstructure, featuring massive square-hewn beams and corbels is the best-preserved and most authentic example of a timber superstructure for a timber-and-masonry bridge, extant in Victoria. The solid squared-bluestone abutments, wingwalls and piers are among the best surviving examples of their kind
Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria's cultural historyImportance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places or objectsImportance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristicsAnderson's Mill Bridge is a very attractive bridge adjacent to the old bluestone masonry buildings of Anderson's Mill, noted for its water race and waterwheel. The bridge crosses a scenic creek in park-like surrounds, and is an integral part of the historic environs of the Anderson's mill complex.
Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular periodAnderson's Mill Bridge - Physical Conditions
deck and outer beams in poor condition and in need of rebuild; masonry in good condition.
Anderson's Mill Bridge - Usage/Former Usage
road bridge - no longer used by vehicles
Anderson's Mill Bridge - Intactness
Anderson's Mill Bridge is substantially unmodified. The deck and outer beams are in poor condition and the handrails are falling off; the masonry is in very good condition. Hepburn Shire is planning a major rebuild of the timber components as soon as funding is available (as of November 2011).
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BRIDGEVictorian Heritage Register H1425
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ANDERSONS MILL COMPLEXVictorian Heritage Register H1521
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ANDERSONS MILLVictorian Heritage Inventory
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