Queens Bridge (Melbourne)

For other uses, see Queen's Bridge (disambiguation).

Queen's Bridge
Coordinates	37°49′14″S144°57′41″E / 37.820461°S 144.961384°E / -37.820461; 144.961384
Carries	Road, trams, pedestrians
Crosses	Yarra River
Locale	Melbourne, Australia
Heritage status	[1]
Characteristics
Total length	314 ft (96 m)
Width	99 ft (30 m)
History
Constructed by	David Munro
Opened	18 April 1890
Replaces	Falls Bridge [2] [3]
Location

The Queen's Bridge is a historic road bridge over the Yarra River in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The bridge was opened in 1889, and consists of five wrought iron plate girder spans. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. ^{[1] [4] [5]} The bridge was constructed by contractor David Munro and replaced a timber bridge built in 1860. ^{[6] [7]}

The bridge is a very flat arch, and has five spans constructed of wrought iron plate girders. The bridge rests on iron cylinders in groups of eight, filled with concrete, with arched bracing between. ^[8] It connects Market Street and William Street on the north bank to Queensbridge Street to the south. Trams on route 58 also cross the bridge.

In 1910, Houdini leapt from the bridge while shackled, and escaped in less than a minute. ^[9]

Yarra Falls

Further information: Yarra Falls

Queens Bridge is situated at the location of the Yarra Falls, a waterfall that had existed on the Yarra River. The Aboriginal clans of Woiwurrung and Boon wurrung called the falls "Yarro Yarro," which means "it flows" or "ever-flowing" ^[10] and used it as a crossing point between their lands. ^[11]

In June 1835, John Batman arrived at Yarra Falls and recognised the surrounding land as a good site to build a village. ^[12] The site became the landing spot for ships in Melbourne, because the falls had prevented ships from travelling further upstream, which influenced the overall design of Melbourne.

In 1839, a dam was built on the falls, using convict labour, in order to secure the fresh water supply for the growing city. However, it did not last long, nor did its replacement. In 1845, a bridge was built at the site by a private company, but that was replaced by a government-funded Prince's Bridge in 1850, which stood until the removal of the Falls. ^[3]

References

1. "Queens Bridge, Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H1448, Heritage Overlay HO791". Victorian Heritage Database. Heritage Victoria. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
2. "[untitled]". The Age . No. 29632. Victoria, Australia. 18 April 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 16 August 2017– via National Library of Australia.
3. "The Falls-Bridge: the Old and the New". The Age . No. 10963. Victoria, Australia. 15 April 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 16 August 2017– via National Library of Australia.
4. City of Melbourne. "Bridges of Melbourne: Bridge Management Plan" (PDF). www.melbourne.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
5. "Opening of the Queens Bridge". Illustrated Australian News and Musical Times . No. 420. Victoria, Australia. 1 May 1890. p. 19 (New Zealand Edition). Retrieved 16 August 2017– via National Library of Australia.
6. "The New Queen's Bridge". The Argus . No. 13, 670. Victoria, Australia. 17 April 1890. p. 9. Retrieved 16 August 2017– via National Library of Australia.
7. "VHD". vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
8. "Queens Bridge (listing VICH1448)". Australia Heritage Places Inventory. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities . Retrieved 8 July 2008.
9. "Houdini's death-defying 1910 escape from the Yarra". pickle.nine.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
10. "The Yarra Waterfall". The Museum of Lost Things. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
11. Maunder, Patricia (11 January 2008). "Melbourne dreamtime a reality". The Age. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
12. "This will be the Place for a Village . . ". POI Australia. POI Australia. 8 June 1835. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2019.

External links

• Media related to Queens Bridge, Melbourne at Wikimedia Commons