Moorabool River
Encyclopedia
The Moorabool River is a river in Victoria, Australia that runs past several small towns and areas such as Meredith
, Anakie
, and Staughton Vale (north-west of Geelong). The river joins with the Barwon River
at Fyansford
.
The river features several historic bridges, many built in colonial bluestone.
over the Moorabool River.
The first bridge at Batesford
was built by the Corio and Bannockburn shire councils in 1846. Provided with a tollgate, the wooden bridge was located upstream from the ford, and collapsed in 1847. It was again rebuilt in wood in 1848, and was damaged by flood in 1852 and later repaired. A bluestone bridge was built in 1859, which still exists today as a service road. The current concrete bridge of the Midland Highway was built in 1972 on a new alignment.
was again a ford.
The first wooden bridge was built downriver from the ford by the Shire of Corio
and Shire of Bannockburn
in 1854, and was tolled until 1877. It was in poor condition by 1898, with load restrictions being put into place. A new bridge was built nearby in 1900 by John Monash
and J. T. N. Anderson
, the three arch bridge being the largest Monier
reinforced concrete bridge in world at the time.
In 1970 a new bridge was built on the site of the old wooden bridge to cater for heavier traffic on the Hamilton Highway
, the 1900 bridge retained for pedestrians.
.
.
Meredith, Victoria
Meredith is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Midland Highway between Ballarat and Geelong.Meredith Post Office opened on 1 November 1854 and the railway came to the town with the opening of the Geelong-Ballarat line in 1862, with the local railway station opened soon after. Now only...
, Anakie
Anakie, Victoria
Anakie is a rural township between Geelong, Victoria, and Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Anakie and the surrounding area had a population of 674. The name is believed to be derived from 'Anakie Youang', an expression in one of the local Australian Aboriginal languages,...
, and Staughton Vale (north-west of Geelong). The river joins with the Barwon River
Barwon River (Victoria)
The Barwon River rises in the Otway Ranges of Victoria, Australia, runs through Winchelsea and the city of Geelong, where it is joined by the Moorabool River, and enters the sea at Barwon Heads after passing through Lake Connewarre on the Bellarine Peninsula...
at Fyansford
Fyansford, Victoria
Fyansford is a township on the western edge of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, named after Captain Foster Fyans who came to Geelong as a Police magistrate in October, 1837. It is located at the junction of the Barwon and Moorabool rivers....
.
Bridges
Batesford Bridge
Batesford was originally the site of a fordFord (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
over the Moorabool River.
The first bridge at Batesford
Batesford, Victoria
Batesford, Victoria is a small township located approximately 10 kilometres west of Geelong and 167 kilometres south-west of the state capital, Melbourne.It is located on the banks of the Moorabool River and on the Midland Highway.-History:...
was built by the Corio and Bannockburn shire councils in 1846. Provided with a tollgate, the wooden bridge was located upstream from the ford, and collapsed in 1847. It was again rebuilt in wood in 1848, and was damaged by flood in 1852 and later repaired. A bluestone bridge was built in 1859, which still exists today as a service road. The current concrete bridge of the Midland Highway was built in 1972 on a new alignment.
Fyansford Bridge
The first river crossing at FyansfordFyansford, Victoria
Fyansford is a township on the western edge of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, named after Captain Foster Fyans who came to Geelong as a Police magistrate in October, 1837. It is located at the junction of the Barwon and Moorabool rivers....
was again a ford.
The first wooden bridge was built downriver from the ford by the Shire of Corio
Shire of Corio
The Shire of Corio was a Local Government Area located between Geelong and Werribee about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire, which included all of Geelong's northern suburbs, covered an area of , and existed from 1861 until 1993.-History:Corio was first...
and Shire of Bannockburn
Shire of Bannockburn
The Shire of Bannockburn was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1862 until 1994.-History:...
in 1854, and was tolled until 1877. It was in poor condition by 1898, with load restrictions being put into place. A new bridge was built nearby in 1900 by John Monash
John Monash
General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD was a civil engineer who became the Australian military commander in the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the War and then became commander of the 4th Brigade in Egypt shortly after the outbreak of the War with whom he took part...
and J. T. N. Anderson
Joshua Thomas Noble Anderson
Joshua Thomas Noble Anderson was an engineer practising in Melbourne, Australia, and New Zealand during the difficult times in the Depressions of the 1890s and 1930s, but still practised innovative engineering in these periods.-Early career and migration to Australia:Anderson, known commonly by...
, the three arch bridge being the largest Monier
Joseph Monier
-Overview:Joseph Monier was a French gardener and one of the principal inventors of reinforced concrete....
reinforced concrete bridge in world at the time.
In 1970 a new bridge was built on the site of the old wooden bridge to cater for heavier traffic on the Hamilton Highway
Hamilton Highway
The Hamilton Highway in western Victoria, Australia runs from the Princes Highway in Geelong west to the town of Hamilton through the towns of Inverleigh, Cressy, Lismore, Derrinallum, Darlington, Mortlake, and Penshurst....
, the 1900 bridge retained for pedestrians.
Geelong Ring Road
Work on the Geelong Ring Road bridge commenced in late 2006. Costing $15.5 million, it carries four lanes of traffic and is the largest bridge on the road featuring 70 beams and 12 piers. The final span was installed on March 6, 2008. It has since been named the Lewis Bandt BridgeLewis Bandt Bridge
The Lewis Bandt Bridge is an Australian feature bridge over the Moorabool River, close to the southern end of Stage 2 of the Geelong Ring Road....
.
Moorabool Viaduct
The 1450 feet (442 metres) long bluestone and iron Moorabool Viaduct was opened in 1862 to carry the Geelong-Ballarat railway over the river valley. It remains in use today, having been rebuilt in steel in 1918 to a design of Victorian Railways engineer Frederick EslingFrederick Esling
Frederick Karl Esling was an Australian railway engineer and chess master.-Railway career:...
.