Mulwala Bridge

{{Short description|Road bridge over the Murray River, Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox bridge | name = Mulwala Bridge | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = MulwalaBridge.JPG | image_upright = 1.5 | alt = | caption = The Mulwala Bridge over an empty [[Lake Mulwala]], in 2009. {{VICcity|Yarrawonga}} can be seen on the far side of the empty lake and the original path of the [[Murray River]] is clearly visible. | coordinates = {{coord|-36.0043|146.0041|type:landmark_region:AU|display=title,inline|format=dms}} | os_grid_reference = | carries = Motor vehicles, pedestrians | crosses = [[Lake Mulwala]], [[Murray River]] | locale = [[Mulwala]], [[New South Wales]], Australia | official_name = | other_name = Melbourne Street Bridge | named_for = [[Mulwala]] | owner = {{ubl|[[Transport for New South Wales]]|[[VicRoads]]}} | maint = [[Transport for New South Wales]] | heritage = | id = | id_type = | website = | preceded = John Foord Bridge | followed = Yarrawonga Rail Bridge | design = [[Pratt truss]] | material = Steel | material1 = Concrete | material2 = Concrete | length = {{cvt|488|m}} | width = | height = | depth = | traversable = | towpath = | mainspan = | number_spans = 3 | piers_in_water = | load = | clearance_above = | clearance_below = | lanes = 2 | life = | num_track = | track_gauge = | structure_gauge = | electrification = | architect = | designer = [[Percy Allan]] | contracted_designer = | winner = | engineering = | builder = | fabricator = | begin = 1917 | complete = 1924 | cost = | open =  | inaugurated = | rebuilt = | collapsed = | closed = | replaces = Wooden bridge (1891) | replaced_by = | traffic = {{circa}}8,500 vehicles | toll = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 14 | mapframe-width = | mapframe-height = | mapframe-marker = | mapframe-marker-color = | mapframe-lat = | mapframe-long = | extra =  }} The '''Mulwala Bridge''' is a [[road bridge]] that crosses the [[Murray River]] and connects [[Yarrawonga]] in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] and [[Mulwala]] in [[New South Wales]], Australia. Completed in 1924, the [[Pratt truss]] bridge was designed by [[Percy Allan]]. The bridge spans Lake Mulwala, a [[reservoir]] formed by the [[Yarrawonga Weir]], and forms part of the border between New South Wales and Victoria.<ref name="RTA">{{cite web |title=Mulwala Bridge over Murray River |url=http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=heritage.show&id=4301017 |work=[[Transport for New South Wales|Roads and Transport Authority (NSW)]] |date= |access-date=19 July 2010}}</ref>

== History == The first formal crossing of the river between Mulwala village and the growing town of Yarrawonga was via a [[Cable ferry|punt]]. A wooden bridge was built between 1889 and 1891,<ref>{{cite book |author=March, Peter |author2=Roads and Traffic Authority |author2-link=Roads and Traffic Authority |url=https://www.vgls.vic.gov.au/client/en_AU/vgls/search/detailnonmodal?qu=Murray+River.&d=ent%3A%2F%2FSD_ILS%2F0%2FSD_ILS%3A535960%7E%7E0&ic=true&ps=300&h=8 |title=Murray River crossings heritage assessment: Mulwala bridge |publisher=Hughes Trueman Reinhold |location=Sydney |date=May 1998 |access-date=2026-05-18 |via=Victorian Government Library Service }}</ref> and was the first road bridge built across the river. The [[lift bridge]] had four McDonald truss spans, the longest of which was {{convert|14.1|m}}.<ref>{{cite web |author=GHD Group |author1-link=GHD Group |url=https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/system/files/media/documents/2023/moveable-span-bridge-study-appendices.pdf |title=Appendices - Movable Span Bridge Study - Project, 22/16519 |work=[[Transport for New South Wales]] |location=Sydney |date=2014-02-13 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref> [[Tariff|Customs]] were collected for trade and passage across the bridge between the two [[Colonial Australia|colonies]].<ref name="local history"/> However, by 1915, the timber bridge started to become unsafe.<ref>{{cite web |title=Unusual bridge explained |work=S. E. Australia Memories, 1948-1951 |url=https://seaustraliamemories1948-51.weebly.com/unusual-bridge-explained.html |date=n.d. |access-date=2026-05-18 |via=weebly.com }}</ref> Remnants of the wooden pylons from the original bridge can be seen when water levels in the lake are low.

Commenced in 1917 and completed in 1924, the two-laned road bridge bridge was started from both ends, by the [[Victorian Government|Victorian]] and [[New South Wales Government|NSW]] state governments. However, they did not coordinate their efforts, As a result the bridge has a dip and a bend in the middle to make the two ends meet.<ref name="local history">{{cite web |title=Our History: Early Transport & Bridges of Yarrawonga Mulwala |work=Yarrawonga Mulwala Tourism Inc. |url=https://www.yarrawongamulwala.com.au/yarrawonga-mulwala/local-history |access-date=2026-05-18 |date=n.d. }}</ref> Jointly owned by the respective state governments, the bridge is maintained by [[Transport for New South Wales]], with costs shared equally.

The bridge was added to the [[New South Wales Heritage Database|New South Wales Heritage Inventory]] in 1999 as an item of local significance.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hms.heritage.nsw.gov.au/App/Item/ViewItem?itemId=4301017 |title=Mulwala Bridge over Murray River |work=[[New South Wales Heritage Database]] |date=1999-02-02 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref>

== Proposed new crossing == Since the late 1990s, there have been calls to replace the bridge.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-01/petition-gathers-green-route-support-for/5423342 |title=Petition gathers green route support for Yarrawonga-Mulwala bridge |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=2014-05-01 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://insidelocalgovernment.com.au/federation-council-raises-bridge-concerns-with-roads-minister/ |title=Federation Council raises bridge concerns with roads minister |work=Inside Local Government |date=2022-07-05 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref> In 2013, following Phase II of the Yarrawonga-Mulwala Bridge Planning Study, three routes were proposed for a new bridge: * 'green'{{spaced endash}}aligned with the railway bridge, located approximately {{convert|200|m}} to the west of the existing bridge;<ref>{{cite web |author=Prior, Emma |title=Bridge action in federal government |work=Dairy News Australia |url=https://www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au/news/bridge-action-in-federal-government/ |date=2023-02-27 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref> * 'yellow'{{spaced endash}}located approximately {{convert|150|m}} west of the existing bridge; and * 'grey'{{spaced endash}}located approximately {{convert|75|m}} west of the existing bridge.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isl5CiDyLvs |title=Yarrawonga-Mulwala Bridge planning study animation |work=[[Transport Victoria]] |date=5 May 2013 |access-date= |via=[[YouTube]] |format=streaming animated video }}</ref> In 2015, both the NSW and Victorian government endorsed the 'grey' route as the preferred option.<ref>{{cite press release |author=Andrews, Daniel |author-link=Daniel Andrews |title=Certainty For Yarrawonga And Mulwala Communities |url=https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/certainty-yarrawonga-and-mulwala-communities |publisher=[[Victorian Government]] |date=18 November 2015 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref> Following local plebiscites endorsing the 'green' route, further community consultation took place during 2021,<ref>{{cite report |author= |title=Planning for a future Murray River crossing at Mulwala: Community update |work=[[Transport for New South Wales]] |format=Report includes a map showing the proposed 'green' and 'grey' routes |url=https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/documents/rww/projects/01documents/mulwala-bridge-maintenance/mulwala-bridge-project-notification-2021-06.pdf |date=June 2021 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref><ref>{{cite report |author= |title=Mulwala Bridge: Community consultation summary |work=[[Transport for New South Wales]] |url=https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/documents/rww/projects/01documents/mulwala-bridge-maintenance/mulwala-bridge-community-consultation-report-12-2021.pdf |date=December 2021 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref> and in July 2022, the NSW Government changed its decision to endorse the 'green' route.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/mulwala-bridge |title=Mulwala Bridge: Project information: NSW Government confirms 'Green' route as preferred option |work=[[Transport for New South Wales]] |date=2023-10-27 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref> A further study of options was considered by the Victorian Government in 2025,<ref>{{cite news |author=Bunn, Anthony |url=https://www.bordermail.com.au/story/8939194/yarrawonga-mulwala-bridge-study-defended-by-vic-government/ |title='This crucial work....': Victorian government defends another crossing study |work=[[The Border Mail]] |date=2025-04-10 |access-date=2026-05-18 |url-access=subscription |format=Article includes aerial image of existing weir, railway bridge and road bridge }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=McKee, Christine |url=https://www.yarrawongachronicle.com.au/news/a-bridge-too-far/ |title=Editorial: A bridge too far |work=Yarrawonga Chronicle |date=2025-11-12 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref> and they also changed their decision and endorsed the 'green' route in February 2026.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.moira.vic.gov.au/Our-Council/News-and-information/Media-releases/Green-light-for-‘Green’-route |title=Green light for ‘Green’ route |publisher=[[Moira Shire]] |date=2026-02-23 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Bunn, Anthony |url=https://www.bordermail.com.au/story/9181748/victoria-backs-green-route-for-building-of-yarrawonga-bridge/ |title=Crucial decision made in the saga surrounding new Yarrawonga-Mulwala bridge |work=[[The Border Mail]] |date=2026-02-24 |access-date=2026-05-18 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> {{as of|2026|05}}, the project was unfunded.

== Adjacent crossings == A small bridge along the weir that served as a road crossing of the Murray was in operation from 1939 until its closure to motor vehicles in 2021, in order to protect the structural integrity of the weir.<ref>{{cite news |author=Smyrk, Katherine |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-14/fewer-murray-river-crossings-amid-bridge-closure/100539316 |title=Yarrawonga-Mulwala residents frustrated with fewer Murray River crossings amid bridge closure |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=2021-10-14 |access-date=2026-05-18 }}</ref>

== Gallery == <gallery> New South Wales entry sign Mulwala.jpg|A sign mid-way across the bridge, entering the [[Pratt truss]] section, from the south-west Yarrawanga-Mulwara Lake - panoramio.jpg|Viewed from Yarrawonga, looking north-east across the lake towards Mulwala </gallery>

== See also == {{stack|{{Portal|New South Wales|Transport|Engineering|Australian roads}}}} * [[List of crossings of the Murray River]] * [[List of bridges in Australia]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category-inline}} * {{cite image |author=Chapman, W. D. |author-link=Wilfrid Chapman |year=1929 |title=Construction of bridge over River Murray at Yarrawonga - superstructure |work= |url=https://find.slv.vic.gov.au/discovery/fulldisplay/alma9939654104907636/61SLV_INST:SLV |via=[[State Library of Victoria]] |format=photo |access-date=2026-05-18 }}

{{River item box |River = [[Murray River]] |upstream = Yarrawonga railway bridge |upsub = |downstream = Gonn Crossing Bridge |downsub = |table = |location = }}

[[Category:1924 establishments in Australia]] [[Category:Allan truss bridges]] [[Category:Borders of New South Wales]] [[Category:Borders of Victoria (state)]] [[Category:Bridges completed in 1924]] [[Category:Bridges designed by Percy Allan]] [[Category:Bridges in the Riverina]] [[Category:Crossings of the Murray River]] [[Category:Road bridges in New South Wales]] [[Category:Truss bridges in Australia]]