• Home
  • Services
  • News
  • Team
    • Our Team
    • Bowral Office
  • People Share Their Stories
    • Our Place: Erskineville, Alexandria & Beaconsfield Interviews
    • Our Place: Kings Cross & Potts Point Interviews
    • Our Place: Newtown & Darlington Interviews
    • Our Place: Redfern & Waterloo Interviews
    • Our Place: Surry Hills, Darlinghurst & Paddington Interviews
    • Our Place: Woolloomooloo Interviews
    • Wiradjurie Mid Murrumbidgee Connection to Country
  • Scorched Earth
  • Australia's Oldest House
  • Projects
  • What People Say About Us
  • Shop
    • Heritage & History Publications
    • Heritage & History Reports
    • Our Place Interview Transcripts
      • Our Place: Erskinville, Alexandria & Beaconsfield Interview Transcripts
      • Our Place: Kings Cross & Potts Point Interview Transcripts
      • Our Place: Newtown & Darlington Interview Transcripts
      • Our Place: Redfern & Waterloo Interview Transcripts
      • Our Place: Surry Hills, Darlinghurst & Paddington Interview Transcripts
      • Our Place: Woolloomooloo Interview Transcripts
    • Our Place Biographies
      • Our Place: Stories of Newtown & Darlington: Biographies
      • Our Place: Stories of Erskineville, Alexandria & Beaconsfield - Biographies
      • Our Place: Stories of Redfern & Waterloo - Biographies
      • Our Place: Stories of Surry Hills, Darlinghurst & Paddington - Biographies
      • Our Place: Stories of Kings Cross & Potts Point - Biographies
      • Our Place: Stories of Woolloomooloo - Biographies
    • Live Wires Interview Transcripts
    • Losing Ground Interview Transcripts
  • Search
  • Contact

Projects

Categories

Thematic Categories

Aboriginal History & Culture Archaeological Architectural Bibliography Biographical Colonial Commerce Corporate Defence Education Environmental Forests & Forestry Governmental Health Hotels Industrial Institutional Labour Landscape Local Mining Regional Development Roads, Bridges and Transport Social History Theme

LGA Region

Blue Mountains Central Coast Central West Far West Hunter Illawarra Macarthur Mid North Coast Murray Murrumbidgee Namoi New England North Western Northern Northern Rivers Orana Region Queensland Region Richmond Tweed Riverina Eastern Riverina South East Sydney - Coastal Sydney - Eastern Sydney - Inner Sydney - Northern Sydney - Shore Sydney - Southern Sydney Surrounds Sydney - Western

Format

Archival Recording Oral History Community Consultation Conference Papers/Lectures Conservation Management Plans Databases Documentary Research Heritage Advice Heritage Assessment History Interpretation Methodologies Policy Publications (Books) Publications (Journals) Expert Evidence Format - Product - Service
2014

Steele Military Bridge Over Berowra Creek - Heritage Impact Statement

Steele Military Bridge Over Berowra Creek - Heritage Impact Statement
View of Steel Military Bridge over Berowra Creek from South East. [Sid French 2014]
Aboriginal History & CultureArchitecturalDefenceEnvironmentalLocalLandscapeRoads, Bridges and TransportSydney - NorthernHeritage AssessmentHistory

Authors: Dr Sue Rosen & Dr Sid French

Client: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

The object of this Heritage Impact Statement and Statement of Significance was to assess the impact on the heritage qualities of Steele Military Bridge of the addition of hand rails to the structure. The bridge has a span of 70 feet (21.33m) and was installed over Berowra Creek in 1969 by Hornsby Shire Council.

European occupation of the catchment did not commence until 1816 when a timber getting establishment was founded at Pennant Hills. In the 1830's and 1840's, shingle splitters worked along the creek, cutting shingles from She Oaks. By 1885, boats from downstream were travelling up Berowra Creek and in the early 20th century fruit growers used the creek to transport produce to market. 

The Steele Bridge over Berowra was constructed in 1969 by Hornsby Council. This type of bridge was designed by Major General Clive Selwyn Steele, KBE, DSO, MC, VD, Engineer-in-Chief, Australian Military Forces in the early 1940s and used during WWII as an adaption of the Bailey Bridge system. It is a light and efficient system suitable for spanning crossings of up to 59.7 meters. The bridge was designed to extend the range of gaps that could be spanned and to carry the heaviest of military loads likely to be encountered in Australia. It was designed for lightness and ease and simplicity of manufacture, transport and erection. Repair of damaged parts could be achieved with welding.

Two theories have been put forward as to the reasons for the bridge’s construction, one is that Council was commissioned by the NSW Electricity Commission. At that time new power lines were under construction. The other theory is that the bridge was installed to provide access for fire-fighting vehicles It has been claimed that the bridge is one of only four in service in Australia.

 

  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact
Sue Rosen Associates © 2023 All Rights Reserved.