Victoria Bridge, Devonport

The original Victoria Bridge on the Mersey River Devonport, Tasmania, Australia was opened in 1901[1] thus reducing the reliance on boat and ferry traffic.

Victoria Bridge
Victoria Bridge view from the Southern Aspect
Coordinates41°11′34″S 146°22′2″E / 41.19278°S 146.36722°E / -41.19278; 146.36722
CarriesBass Highway
CrossesMersey River
LocaleDevonport, Tasmania, Australia
Official nameVictoria Bridge
Maintained byDepartment of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources
Characteristics
DesignPrestressed concrete Girder
History
Opened1901
1973 (reopened)
Location
Map

The Victoria Bridge partly collapsed as a result of the continuous boring by teredo worms in 1924.[2]

In 1973 a new concrete bridge replaced the old, battered Victoria Bridge, with the Bass Highway, a national highway (Highway 1), being the main arterial road dividing the suburb of Devonport from the suburbs of Miandetta and Stony Rise on the western side of the city and East Devonport and Ambelside on the eastern side of the city.

A permanent speed camera at East Devonport near Victoria Bridge was installed 18 November 2015.[3]

On a crossing of the Victoria Bridge there is a good view of the port and its facilities. Most travellers look out to see if the Spirit of Tasmania I or Spirit of Tasmania II are in port or the trader vessels Searoad Mersey or Searoad Tamar. Enhancing the view of the boats in port is the Julie Burgess a wooden tall ship.[4]

The Victoria Bridge is used by the Port of Devonport Authority as its boundary for the port.[5]

Inland Fisheries (Recreational Fishing) Regulations 1999 lists waters of the Mersey River, below the Victoria Bridge at Devonport that it is allowable for a person may to take indigenous fish without an angling licence.[6]

Local Businesses have taken on the name of the bridge incorporating it into their business name.[7]

Incidents

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Deputy Commissioner Lewis was the only passenger in a motor vehicle which left the road at the eastern end of the Victoria Bridge at Devonport and plunged into the Mersey River on 3 August 1959.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Our History". Devonport City Council. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  2. ^ "The Broken Bridge". National Library of Australia - Advocate Newspaper. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  3. ^ "North-West permanent speed cameras to go live". Tasmania Police. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Julie Burgess a Success". Australian Broadcasting Commission. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Port of Devonport". Shipping Guides Ltd (UK). Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  6. ^ "Inland Fisheries (Recreational Fishing) Regulations 1999". Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Victoria Bridge Self Serve". Dlook. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Honour Roll". National Police Memorial. Retrieved 21 April 2017.