Victoria Bridge is of historical significance as an important link in Melbourne's transport routes, its construction making Victoria Street/Barkers Road one of the principal east west routes in Melbourne. The bridge is of historical significance as a rare example of a joint facility initiated by four councils (Collingwood, Hawthorn, Kew and Richmond ) and reflects the importance of the bridge in facilitating travel and commerce between the industrial inner suburbs and the more affluent eastern suburbs. The utilitarian design and use of materials reflects budgetary constraints and the involvement of diverse councils.
The bridge was widened in 1890 by the addition of a third line of truss on new piers on the up stream side to carry horse trams. Work commenced in 1914 to convert the horse tramway to an electric tramway. In 1915 the bridge was further strengthened to accommodate the extra weight of electric trams and widened by the addition of two six feet cantilever footpaths. The ornamental tramway overhead gantries are of aesthetic significance for their sophisticated early 20th century ornamental design, now relatively rare. As street furniture they demonstrate the high standard of infrastructure adopted by the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust.
Victoria Bridge is of scientific (technical) significance as one of a small group of riveted truss bridges in Victoria and the first to overtly apply engineering theory to truss design. Its design has associations with the contemporary debate on the relative values of theoretical and practical engineering and reflects developments in the engineering discipline.
This is a small log only cache, please bring your own pen.