Kempsey rail bridge over Macleay River

Item details


Name of item:	Kempsey rail bridge over Macleay River
Other name/s:	Macleay River Railway bridge
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Transport - Rail
Category:	Railway Bridge/ Viaduct
Location:	Lat: -31.0867056991 Long: 152.8313970150
Primary address:	North Coast railway, Kempsey, NSW 2440
Local govt. area:	Kempsey
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Kempsey

Boundary:

The Boundary of the bridge is an area for 20 metres around the bridge and viaduct approaches, including abutments and embankments at the end of Kemp St and the end Railway St to the south and the bridge itself crossing the river.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
North Coast railway	Kempsey	Kempsey			Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
TAHE - Country Rail Network - formr John Holland Australian Rail Track Corporation	State Government

Statement of significance:


	The Macleay River bridge is one of the major river crossings on the North Coast Railway. When opened in 1917, the crossing of the river was achieved by 3 x 200' steel truss spans, approached by timber trestles. After experience of the 1950s floods, the steel trusses were raised about 1 metre and the approaches replaced by pre-stressed concrete spans.
	Date significance updated: 18 Jan 19
	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


Construction years:	1917-
Physical description:	STRUCTURES Rail bridge crossing Macleay River, steel truss 1917 - 3x200` spans, bridge approaches relocated to this site at the time of construction. In 1966 the bridge spans were raised by 1 metre due to the 1950s floods and pre-cast concrete approaches were constructed, 502.4km
Modifications and dates:	In 1966 the bridge spans were raised by 1 metre due to the 1950s floods and pre-cast concrete approaches constructed, 502.4km


Current use:	rail bridge
Former use:	Aboriginal land, farm

History

Historical notes:

Clement Hodgkinson, a NSW government contract surveyor, explored rivers in north-eastern NSW in the 1840s. In his 1845 book 'Australia, from Port Macquarie to Moreton Bay' he describes the Macleay's lower reaches as being 'flanked on both sides by huge walls of dense brush', consisting of tall trees such as red cedar, mahogany and fig. According to his account this 'brush' extended up to a mile (1.6km) from the river and was 'backed up by extensive swamps of many thousand acres in extent, whose verdant sea, of high waving reeds and sedge, stretches away to the base of distance forest ranges.' Between Kempsey and the mouth (of the river), much of the original landscape has been transformed. Farmland dominates, though some significant wetlands remain (Meredith, 2019, 75).

(Red) cedar cutting was the Macleay's first major industry but it didn't last long. "It took them about 10 years to cut it all out', Phil Lee says (President of the Macleay River Historical Society). Shipbuilding came and went with the cedar cutters. Sugarcane growing, another early industry, survived until the 1870s. As floodplain vegetation was cleared, livestock grazing and maize growing took over. Today cattle grazing, dairying, cropping and horticulture dominate. And tourism is a booming business, with the proximity of the beaches (ibid, 74).

Floodplains flood. Between Kempsey and the river mouth, alluvial flats cover about 40,000ha, of which 60 per cent is made up of swamps less than 1m above sea level and even below. 'The impact of flooding on agriculture in the flats was massive' Phil says. 'The first big flood recorded was in 1864. It led to a population exodus to Bellingen and Nambucca.' Kempsey's flood records go back to 1838. The worst in the town's history was in August 1949, when the gauge registered 7.92m, six people died, 600 buildings were destroyed or damaged and 7000 head of livestock lost. The second worst, at 7.77m, was the next year, in June (ibid, 74).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	River flats-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Changing the environment-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Events-Activities and processes that mark the consequences of natural and cultural occurences	Developing local landmarks-
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	Building the railway network-
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)-
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	Bridging rivers-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Resuming private lands for public purposes-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	Creating landmark structures and places in regional settings-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	State government-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - building and administering rail networks-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - building and operating public infrastructure-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - administration of land-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	This item is assessed as historically rare. This item is assessed as arch. rare. This item is assessed as socially rare.
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.

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Produce a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) OF THE HERITAGE ACT 1977 Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977. I, the Hon James Griffin MP, Minister for Environment and Heritage, pursuant to subsection 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales do by this Order, effective at the time of publication in the New South Wales Government Gazette: 1. revoke the order made on 9 November 2020 and published in the Government Gazette Number 318 of 13 November 2020; and 2. grant the exemptions from subsection 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 that are described in the attached Schedule. The Hon James Griffin MP Minister for Environment and Heritage Signed this 2nd day of June 2022. To view the standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 click on the link below.	Jun 17 2022

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		01041	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Meredith, Peter	2019	'From the Tableland to the Sea'

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:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5012062

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