MRWA Bridge 0057, over Balgarup River, Albany Hwy, Kojonup

Values

The place is a modest example of a timber road bridge constructed using sustenance labour.
The place has some historic value for its association with Albany Highway, a major inter-regional link facilitating agricultural expansion, imports and exports.

Physical Description

MRWA Bridge 0057, over Balgarup River, Albany Hwy, Kojonup is located on Albany Highway, and crosses Balgarup River, a tributary of Blackwood River. The 2 span bridge, constructed from timber in 1935, has a length of 11m, width of 9.8m and maximum headroom of 2.6m. The superstructure is round timber. The deck has a bitumen seal, concrete overlay on the road deck, and concrete over the abutments.

History

MRWA Bridge 0057, over Balgarup River, Albany Hwy, Kojonup was constructed in 1935 as part of a larger Main Roads project improving the condition of the Perth-Albany Road (Albany Highway) and all bridges on the route, as well as other roads in the area. The Perth-Albany Road was realigned at the Balgarup River crossing, with MRWA Bridge 0057, over Balgarup River, Albany Hwy, Kojonup replacing the existing bridge on the previous alignment. The road deviation is likely to have been due to concerns about the safety of the existing alignment, as the Kojonup Road Board raised concerns about the ‘bad and dangerous approach to the bridge’ in 1934. Since its construction MRWA Bridge 0057, over Balgarup River, Albany Hwy, Kojonup has continued to function as a road bridge. Notable upgrades to the bridge were the 12-foot (3.7 metre) widening on the western side of the bridge prior to 1968 and application of a concrete overlay on the road deck in 2005. Further research would be required to establish whether any extant elements or archaeological evidence of previous bridges, which could potentially include a convict-built bridge, remain at the previous crossing site.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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