Flossy's first Traditional Cache
bwpbwin: Someone has stolen the cache will be a while before I can restore
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Easy flat terrain and can drive to cache in the dry, if wet may require a 250 metre walk,
Cache is a small Tabacco tin with room for small swaps and bring your own pen.
Some details of Abbotsford Bridge
Designer H. Leahy
Construction year 1928
Physical description Abbotsford bridge is a steel truss, lift-span, bridge generally two lanes wide, across the Murray River at Curlwaa. The main axis of the bridge is NE-SW.
There are four main spans including one lift span, supported on concrete piers. On the northern approach there are six approach spans, and on the southern side there are three. The approach spans have steel beams on concrete piers. The approach spans have a timber deck. The main spans have a buckle plate and concrete deck.
The three main truss spans are of riveted steel (approximately 37m span). The trusses have diagonal transverse braces that reduce the available clearance . The trusses support cross girders and longitudinal stringers on which are the buckle plates
The approach spans on both ends are approximately 7.3m spans, and have six steel I-beams in each span supporting the deck. These beams sit on reinforced concrete piers of the trestle type.
The lift span superstructure is also of riveted steel (approximately 20m span). The deck narrows across the lift span and is reduced to one lane. The lift span beams are riveted girders. The lift span appeared to be still functional.
The main piers are concrete with oval diaphragms giving a similar appearance to the cast iron piers under older bridges.
There is no footway. A guardrail has been installed, except in the lift span.
The bridge has a clearance over normal water level of 7.1m with the lift span closed, and 16m with the lift span open.
Physical Condition
and/or
Archaeological Potential The bridge has no structural deficiencies according to the Border Bridge Maintenance Strategy, and appears to be in generally good condition.
Historical notes The district on both sides of the Murray between Mildura and Wentworth is heavily irrigated and intensive fruit-growing has a century-long history. To connect the Victorian Sturt Highway without going as far east as Mildura, a route through Merbein north to Abbotsford and the outskirts of Curlwaa, just east of Wentworth, has been convenient since the nineteenth century. Wentworth, formally laid out in 1858, had a vitally strategic position at the junction o the Darling and the Murray as the clearing port for the wool trade: all manner of overland teams, with camels or bullocks, brought wool-bales to Wentworth for shipment to coastal markets. With the irrigation fever of Sunraysia in the 1890s, population and local traffic strongly increased. The Murray crossing at Abbotsford became more and more important and a punt was installed. in 1924 it was decided, however, that the traffic warranted the expense of a substantial bridge. In 1928 the Abbotsford bridge was completed by the Department of Public Works.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Orjner bs gebyyf:)