The Long Gully Bridge is on Strathallen Avenue, on the border between Northbridge and Cammeray.
The bridge, opened in 1892, was built as a private initiative by the North Sydney Investment and Tramway Company, to attract buyers for new residential allotments on the north side of Long Bay. The intention was to run a tramline across the bridge, conveniently linking the new suburb and beautiful Middle Harbour peninsulas to the more developed parts of North Sydney.
Unfortunately, the great financial depression of the 1890s soon followed and despite the introduction of a bridge toll the company went bankrupt. It was not until 1914 that the first tram crossed the bridge.
What is particularly fascinating about the bridge is that it was originally built as a suspension bridge – like the famous Golden Gate – and at the time was the largest of its type in Australia and fourth largest in the world.
But in the mid-1930s faults were discovered in the steel cables and anchorages in the rock below. For safety reasons public transport was interrupted with passengers having to walk across the bridge to trams waiting on either side.
It was decided that the bridge would be repaired by replacing the suspended steel girders with a concrete arch structure that was built between 1937 and 1939. It was claimed to be the largest concrete arch in the Southern Hemisphere.
The beautifully ornate Gothic-style towers, parapets and archways of the original bridge were retained. You can still see the points where the old suspension cables ran through the towers.
The bridge has been known as the North Sydney, Long Bay, Northbridge, Cammeray, Long Gully Bridge and simply the Suspension Bridge. The residential areas surrounding the bridge were also known as Suspension Bridge until they were officially named Cammeray, after the powerful Aboriginal clan, and Northbridge, after the bridge itself.
When the bridge was replaced the public voted for possible new names. Curiously, Kent Bridge was the most popular choice, but it was never officially adopted.
Cache is located on the bridge, you won't need to reach over the ledge to get it, so please don't try. While the bridge is quite flat, the road leading up to it is hilly and there can be quite a few cars about so not ideal for little ones.