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1860s-era bridge discovered beneath busy Brisbane street

By intouch * posted 14-02-2018 15:33

  

Road workers in Brisbane have unearthed a historic bridge, believed to be one of the first built in Queensland.

Screen_Shot_2018-02-14_at_3_24_36_PM.pngAn archaeological investigation into the structure, discovered during roadworks on busy Kingsford Smith Drive, has determined that the collection of large stacked beams belonged to a bridge dating back to the 1860s.

Brisbane City Council infrastructure committee chairwoman Amanda Cooper told Queensland media the Council would be working to conserve the bridge.

“A small section of the structure will be required to be removed to allow for the upgrade project to continue, and it is council’s intention for the piece to be preserved, potentially along the new corridor, while ensuring the remainder of the structure be covered and preserved in its original place,” she said.

“The discovery provides a glimpse into the evolution of the road and its fascinating past, after the Eagle Farm settlement was established in 1829 and when Hamilton Rd — now known as Kingsford Smith Drive — was originally constructed between 1829 and 1830.”

Cooper said the original road was built by convict women in the late 1820s.

Image: The stacked wooden beams unearthed by excavation. Brisbane City Council
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