Maldon Railway Bridges, Maldon, Vic

The six timber bridges on the Castlemaine to Maldon Railway line are among the oldest surviving timber bridges built by the Victorian Railways, and collectively demonstrate more about the structural diversity and evolution of small to medium sized timber railway bridges in Victoria from 1884 to 1976 than any other group of bridges. All bridges date from 1884 when the 10-mile (16km) long, heritage rich Maldon branch line opened, except the bridge over Muckleford Creek that was constructed new in 1889 to replace a smaller, indadequate bridge.



Built in 1884 to service the gold mining town of Maldon, the branch line terminated at Maldon. Even when the railway was extended a further 10 miles (16km) to Shelbourne, Maldon station retained the characteristics of a small terminal station. The early insignificance of the railway resulted in virtually no modernization of the line or its infrastructure. None of the bridges have been replaced by culverts or rebuilt into a different type of bridge. When the line closed in 1976 its major items of outstanding heritage significance combined with its short length resulted in the Maldon line being selected for restoration and preservation as a working museum by a group of railway enthusiasts.

The six timber bridges and the one iron bridge are examples of how railway bridges were constructed in the late 19th century. The bridges range in length from 55 feet to 540 feet (16.8 to 164.6m), and in maximum height from 5 to 22 feet (1.52 to 6.71m). The two longitudinal decked timber bridges are rare surviving exmaples of this once most common type of bridge that accounted for 74% of all timber bridges constructed by the Victorian Railways. Today almost all longitudinal decked bridges have been filled in, replaced by culverts, converted to another type of bridge, or lie decaying without a future on a disused railway line.



As major items of infrastructure, the bridges contributed significantly to the social, economic and political impact the Maldon line had on the inhabitants of Castlemaine and the Maldon district. The bridges were an essential element in making the railway the first reliable and efficient all weather transport system that linked Maldon to Castlemaine and beyond. Even the disastrous floods in January 1889 disrupted train services on the Maldon line for only three days while the Muckleford Creek bridge was repaired. Six months later the opening of a new larger bridge over the Muckleford Creek made the Maldon line virtually flood proof.

Today the Castlemaine and Maldon Railway Preservation Society have restored half of the Castlemaine to Maldon railway. Every week tourists experience the historic railway items and heritage classified structures at the Maldon end of the line in the context of an operating 'steam-era' railway museum. The restored section includes Muckleford Creek (No. 8) bridge, which is the longest all timber bridge built by the Victorian Railways still in railway service today. When the second half of the Maldon line is restored, the remaining bridges will have a future as they demonstrate their original function as operational infrastructure on a 'steam-era' railway, and will allow modern generations to experience the lights and sounds of steam trains crossing a variety of timber bridges and steam railway technologies once played in the transportation needs of Victoria.