Hornibrook Bridge

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Two bridges cross Bramble Bay, the Hornibrook Bridge and the Houghton Highway.

[edit] History

The Hornibrook Bridge opened on 14 October 1935, connecting the cities of Redcliffe City at Clontarf and Brisbane City at Brighton. It is one of the oldest and longest timber and girder bridges in Australia, 2.8km (1.7mi) long, and originally had two traffic lanes and a pedestrian footpath. It was named after Sir Emmanuel Hornibrook, the chief engineer of the project.

Timber for the construction of the bridge was brought down the North Pine and Pine Rivers on barges. The hardwood used in piles and girders mostly came from timber mills around Maleny.

Handsome art-deco concrete abutment arches frame the entry and exit approaches. Construction of the bridge was important for the growth of the Redcliffe City peninsula and made the commute to Brisbane shorter and quicker, increasing population growth and the number of visitors to the seaside location.

The bridge was operated and maintained by a private company and a toll applied for much of its life as a traffic bridge, with toll booths set up on the Clontarf side. The bridge closed to traffic in 1979 with the opening of the Houghton Highway.

[edit] Current use

Since its closure to traffic in 1979, the bridge has become a popular site for recreation and fishing. The bridge also provides the only pedestrian and cycling link between the Northern Suburbs of Brisbane and the Redcliffe Peninsula. It remains a component of the South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program.

The structure has received a heritage listing from the Queensland State Government, however concern over State and Council co-operation regarding ongoing maintenance has led to the creation of an E-Petition for the Legislative Assembly of Queensland to legislate to protect and preserve the bridge.

[edit] Future

The Hornibrook Bridge is set to have all but 300 metres (984ft) of it torn down due to spiraling maintenance costs.