Quick nip, tuck for grand old dame of CBD

The historic Victoria Bridge is set for a makeover, with work starting next week to replace sections of the deck on the 132-year-old bridge.

Townsville City Council Infrastructure Services Committee chairperson Kurt Rehbein said Council was committed to ensuring the city’s community assets were kept in good condition.

“Victoria Bridge is the grand old dame of our central business district, however exposure to the harsh elements has taken its toll,” Cr Rehbein said.

“Saltwater exposure, sea air and corrosion are an unfortunate reality of life in North Queensland, which is why we need to constantly maintain these types of assets.

“Council is committed to ensuring Victoria Bridge remains open and in working order for our community while retaining its heritage charm.

“The works will be conducted over the next 3-4 weeks by local tradies from JMac constructions.”

The maintenance works will include replacing a number of sections of flooring and joists as well as painting of the walkway. Council has been undertaking similar maintenance on the Strand Jetty.

Community and Cultural Development Committee chairperson and divisional councillor Ann-Maree Greaney said even though Victoria Bridge was 132 years old, it still played a significant role as part of Townsville’s active transport network.

“Having been built in the late 1800s, Victoria bridge has it’s own special place in our city’s history and was quite the engineering marvel of its time – as the largest swing bridge in Australia during construction and ended up being one of only six swing bridges in the country,” Cr Greaney said.

“The bridge continues to provide a crucial access point into our city centre to this day, so it’s fantastic we’ve been able to work with the contractors to ensure pedestrian access throughout the duration of the project.”