July 19, 1932
A bascule (moveable) truss bridge in the city of Grafton in Australia’s state of New South Wales (NSW) was formally opened. Sir Isaac Isaacs (1855-1948), who served as governor-general of Australia from 1931 to 1936, officiated at this dedication ceremony.
The Grafton Bridge carries Bent Street (formerly known as Summerland Way) over the Clarence River. This bridge serves as a link between the city’s central business district and the suburb of South Grafton for motor vehicles; pedestrians; and the North Coast railway line.
While plans for the Grafton Bridge had been underway as far back as 1921, construction on it did not actually begin until 1927. The bridge was both designed and built by NSW’s Public Works Department.
In 1999, the Grafton Bridge was added to the NSW State Heritage Register. A parallel bridge — called the New Grafton Bridge — was opened to traffic in the same vicinity in 2019. This new bridge is specifically located 230 feet (70 meters) east of the older structure.
(The above photo of the original Grafton Bridge was taken around the time of its debut in 1932.)
Photo Credit: Public Domain
For more information on the Grafton Bridge, please check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafton_Bridge_(New_South_Wales)
Transportation History 