We all know of our Windsor Bridge that spans the River Thames. It has a long history covering various guises of wooden and stone forms over the centuries. But did you know that there is another Windsor that has a famous bridge?

Windsor, New South Wales, Australia

European settlement on the Hawkesbury River began in 1794, leading to the establishment of Green Hills. It is the third-oldest place of British settlement on the Australian mainland. Later renamed Windsor in 1810 by Governor Macquarie. His 1811 town plan created a structured, modern township while still preserving the charm of the original settlement still seen today (21 of the original colonial buildings are still standing). Being only 57 km northwest of the city of Sydney and a gateway to the Blue Mountains, it is popular with commuters and tourists alike.

The Hawkesbury River (the Aboriginal name is Dyarubbin) is approximately 120 km long and was first explored in 1789. The highest recorded flood was in June 1867 when the river rose nineteen (19) metres above the normal level of Windsor. The Windsor Bridge is a key river crossing over the Hawkesbury River and has a long history tied to the town’s development.

The Original Bridge (1874–2020)

The first Windsor Bridge was built by Messrs Turnbull and Dixon and opened in 1874, the oldest extant bridge on the Hawkesbury. Over 7,000 attended the opening ceremony conducted by John Sutherland, Minister of Works.

It was a timber truss design with cast iron piers, 146m long with eleven spans, costing £10,280. It was £2k over budget due to issues with the foundations.

In 1897, it was raised by 2.4m to reduce the effects of flooding, and 1922, it was updated again with concrete replacement to the timber superstructure. By the 1980s, it became too narrow, flood-prone, and unable to meet modern traffic demands requiring weight restrictions.

The Replacement Bridge (Opened 2020)

In 2008, the NSW Government announced plans for a new bridge 50m upstream. It was approved in 2013 with construction starting in 2017. In May 2020, the new renamed Hawkesbury River Bridge was opened.

The $101 million project built a two-lane, concrete bridge designed to be more flood-resilient and safer for modern traffic. It included pedestrian and cycle paths and connected with upgraded intersections. It is now the main crossing, elevated above major flood levels, and serves over 17,000 vehicles daily.

The Controversy

Despite years of warning and public protests, the bridge was built in what locals and campaigners considered the wrong location and at the wrong height. In 2021 and again in 2022, the new “flood-proofed” bridge was completely submerged by the rising waters of the river – it made international news.

Locals and heritage groups also opposed the demolition of the old bridge and roadworks impacting Thompson Square, Australia’s oldest public square, now a conservation area. Many argued the old bridge should have been preserved as a heritage structure, as it was already listed by the Roads & Maritime Services agency.  Despite all the protests, it was demolished in 2020 and only the first span on the south bank now remains as a tourist viewpoint. 

Controversy and debate continue to this day.

Heritage

As part of the new bridge project, archaeological excavations took place during 2016 to 2020. It included the river, the banks, and Thompson Square. Items found included Aboriginal tools for hunting and fishing, maritime objects, as well as everyday, discarded items of colonial life.

Items from the “UNCOVERED Exhibition 2021 – Hawkesbury Regional Museum”; Kylie Chrstian, © Hyperion Design, 2020.

These artefacts recovered reveal more than 27,000 years of human history, with many on display in the local museum. A new website was funded, and it records all of this.

References

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