Pearces Creek Bridge, Galston Gorge

Item details


Name of item:	Pearces Creek Bridge, Galston Gorge
Other name/s:	RTA Bridge No. 390; Tunks Creek Bridge
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Transport - Land
Category:	Road Bridge
Location:	Lat: 151.07931853 Long: -33.66569839
Primary address:	Galston Road (MR 161), Hornsby, NSW 2077
Local govt. area:	Hornsby

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Galston Road (MR 161)	Hornsby	Hornsby			Primary Address
Pearces (or Tunks) Creek	Hornsby	Hornsby			Alternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Transport for NSW	State Government

Statement of significance:


	This bridge is a McDonald timber truss road bridge. Timber truss road bridges were extensively used in New South Wales because of the high quality of local hardwoods and the shortage of steel during the early decades of settlement of the state. The timber truss was highly developed for bridges in New South Wales, perhaps more so than anywhere else in the world at that time. The McDonald truss is a significant evolutionary link in the development of timber road bridges in New South Wales and has three standard span lengths, 65'/19.96m, 75'/22.86m and 90'27.43m . At March 1998 there were seven McDonald truss road bridges remaining in New South Wales, Pearces Creek Bridge is a rare example of a 65' 19.96m truss span. It has been assessed as having State significance.
	Date significance updated: 15 Jul 02
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	John McDonald
Builder/Maker:	NSW Public Works
Construction years:	1893-1894
Physical description:	The bridge consists of one 65' (19.96m) truss span supported at each end on timber abutments which also retain the road earthworks. The bridge width is 4.57m (15ft) between kerbs and at both ends the approach road turns sharply at right angles.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Original condition assessment: 'Currently good condition following major repairs between November 2001 and February 2002' (Last updated: 15/07/2002.) 2007-08 condition update: 'Good.' (Last updated: 17/4/09.)
	Date condition updated:17 Apr 09
Modifications and dates:	1958 - Centre pile replaced 1961-63 - Some cross girders and truss members replaced. Two timber piles and short timber headstock erected against Hornsby side abutment. 1978 - replacement of some girders, decking and steel plating c1980 - some struts and deck planks replaced


Current use:	Road bridge
Former use:	Road bridge

History

Historical notes:

RTA and PW records indicate it was built in 1895 for a cost of 265 pounds.

Timber truss road bridges have played a significant role in the expansion and improvement of the NSW road network. Prior to the bridges being built, river crossings were often dangerous in times of rain, which caused bulk freight movement to be prohibitively expensive for most agricultural and mining produce. Only the high priced wool clip of the time was able to carry the costs and inconvenience imposed by the generally inadequate river crossings that often existed prior to the trusses construction.

Timber truss bridges were preferred by the Public Works Department from the mid 19th to the early 20th century because they were relatively cheap to construct, and used mostly local materials. The financially troubled governments of the day applied pressure to the Public Works Department to produce as much road and bridge work for as little cost as possible, using local materials. This condition effectively prohibited the use of iron and steel, as these, prior to the construction of the steel works at Newcastle in the early 20th century, had to be imported from England. A series of five timber truss bridges were used. These included 1865 Old PWD, 1884 McDonald, 1894 Allan, 1899 de Burgh and 1905 Dare. Each was a technical improvement on its predecessor.

Timber truss bridges, and timber bridges generally were so common that NSW was known to travellers as the "timber bridge state".

The bridge at Pearce's Creek was built in response to agitation for a new road to shorten the distance to market for fruit growers in the Galston area. This road would not be completed until 1895. It was also used as part of a depression relief scheme to provide work for the poor during the depression of the early 1890s. Not all believed a road up the steep grades of the gorge would be successful and believed the construction of bridges for it to be a waste of time and money. Nevertheless, bridge construction went ahead and tenders for Pearces Creek Bridge together with the nearby Berowra Creek Bridge on the Hornsby-Galston Road were called for on 5 August 1892. Thirteen tenders were received. The contract was won by Francis Boland whose tender of just over 2651 pounds was the lowest of the thirteen received. Work commenced in February 1893 and was completed by early 1894.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture	(none)-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Technology-Activities and processes associated with the knowledge or use of mechanical arts and applied sciences	(none)-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	McDonald truss bridges have historical significance because timber truss bridges were developed and refined in Australia to achieve the highest level of timber bridge construction for the time of their design and the McDonald truss is an important recognisable design in the evolution of timber truss bridges in NSW. The bridge is a relic of the NSW government's policies of the late nineteenth century which focussed on the provision of access to land areas to facilitate increased production and trade throughout the state. It is also important as part of a road that was an important link between the Great North Road and the Pacific Highway which expedited the movement of goods and provided flexibility in road movements that ultimately helped to service Sydney. Significant for its association with John A McDonald, designer of the McDonald Truss bridge style and a significant figure in the area of bridge design and construction in NSW. Is an example of depression relief schemes of the 1890s.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	McDonald truss bridges have aesthetic significance because they are evocative of Australian methods of bridge construction, in their materials, scale and configuration they reflect and express nineteenth century technologies and experiences and for the time of their design and construction they demonstrate the best quality design available. It is an excellent, original example of an important and seminal design that was considered a technical achievement in its day.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	McDonald truss bridges have social significance because their size and location contribute directly to the local area and they are a strong element in the local address. The bridge is a landmark on the Great North Road Walk. Its unobtrusive scale, natural timbers and other materials allow it to meld with the surrounding landscape Is an important feature of the historic Galston Road which linked local residents with the railway line as a track from the 1860s and a road from the 1880s.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	McDonald truss bridges have technical/research significance because they exhibit advanced technical use of Australian hardwoods and economical bridge construction of the period. Is an example of a design which led to a rapid expansion of bridge construction in NSW. .
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	Believed to be the only timber truss road bridge in NSW to survive with its original style deck still in use.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	As a McDonald truss it is representative of the first truss design which can be considered uniquely Australian due to its local design and utilisation of native timbers.
Integrity/Intactness:	The bridge retains its original style diagonal timber deck planking without the addition of an extra layer of longitudinal planking.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register

Study details

Title	Year	Author	Guidelines used
New Bridge over Bombala River at Bibbenluke - Heritage Significance Study	1996	NSW RTA and HTL Reinhold	Yes
New Bridge over Bombala River at Bibbenluke - Heritage Significance Study	1996	NSW RTA and HTL Reinhold	Yes
New Bridge over Bombala River at Bibbenluke - Heritage Significance Study	1996	NSW RTA and HTL Reinhold	Yes
McDonald Truss Road Bridges in NSW	1998	NSW RTA and Hughes Trueman Reinhold	Yes
McDonald Truss Road Bridges in NSW	1998	NSW RTA and Hughes Trueman Reinhold	Yes
McDonald Truss Road Bridges in NSW	1998	NSW RTA and Hughes Trueman Reinhold	Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written	Allan,Percy	1924	Highway Bridge Construction -The Practice in NSW
Written	Colin O'Connor	1985	Spanning Two Centuries
Written	Gutteridge Haskins & Davey (GHD) and Austral Archaeology P/L	2002	Pearce's Creek Bridge, Galston Gorge. Conservation Management Plan April
Written	NSW Dept of Main Roads (DMR)	1987	Timber Truss Bridge Maintainance Road Bridge
Written	Trueman E.G	1982	Timber Bridge Conservation in NSW
Written	unknown	1951	Main Roads Vol XVII, No.1
Written	unknown	1939	A Survey of Bridge Building in Australia

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	State Government
Database number:	4300009

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