20/09/2025
Head to Taffys on Sunday to celebrate the bridge's big birthday.
*Please note the original story in the Diary has the event on Saturday.
SEPTEMBER 21 BRIDGE CELEBRATION
The Historical Society are throwing a party for the Warrandyte Bridge.
Head to Taffy’s Ruins at wonguim wilam on Sunday September 21 from 2pm ’til 4pm to mark a major milestone for this Warrandyte landmark.
Warrandyte was once a gold mining township, split by the Birrarung (the Yarra) and crossing the river was a challenge for locals.
There had been a punt that enabled miners from the Caledonian mine and residents to cross the river to the north side. The punt operated on the east side of the present bridge from 1856 to 1863; it was washed away in the 1863 floods. A smaller punt operated until the 1875 bridge was built.
There were two attempts at building bridges. A wooden bridge built in 1861 was washed away when the river flooded. The 1863 bridge was also washed away in the disastrous December 1863 floods.
In 1875 a new wooden bridge was constructed to a design by the Government Engineer, Charles Rowand by Cockburn & Co working under supervision of Charles S Wingrove, engineer at Eltham Shire Council. The bridge was built at a cost of 1,413 pounds. This replaced the previous wooden trestle bridge which had been washed away by previous floods.
The 1875 trestle bridge was built above the height of the last flood and survived the 1934 floods even though the river covered the bridge. It was opened on September 20, 1875.
In 1955 the narrow, single lane trestle bridge was replaced with the present concrete bridge. This was upgraded and widened in 2016 to facilitate egress from the north during bushfire.
