Middle Falbrook Bridge over Glennies Creek

Item details


Name of item:	Middle Falbrook Bridge over Glennies Creek
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Transport - Land
Category:	Road Bridge
Location:	Lat: -32.450128 Long: 151.149429
Primary address:	Rixs Creek-Falbrook Road, Middle Falbrook, NSW 2330
Local govt. area:	Singleton
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Wanaruah

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	2		DP	600327
LOT	65		DP	752499

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Rixs Creek-Falbrook Road	Middle Falbrook	Singleton			Primary Address

Owner/s

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

Statement of significance:


	Completed in 1904, the Middle Falbrook bridge is a DeBurgh timber truss road bridge, and in 1998 was in good condition. As a timber truss road bridge, it has many associational links with important historical events, trends, and people, including the expansion of the road network and economic activity throughout NSW, and Ernest DeBurgh, the designer of this type of truss. DeBurgh trusses were fourth in the five stage design evolution of NSW timber truss road bridges. Designed by Public Works engineer Ernest M. DeBurgh, the DeBurgh truss is an adaptation of the American Pratt truss design. The DeBurgh truss is the first to use significant amounts of steel and iron, and did so in spite of its high cost and the government's historical preference for timber. DeBurgh trusses were significant technical improvements over their predecessors. The Middle Falbrook bridge has piers made from Monier pipes filled with concrete, which is representative of the emerging concrete technology in bridge construction. Middle Falbrook Bridge is located in the Hunter region, which has 15 historic bridges each constructed before 1905, and it gains heritage significance from its proximity to the high concentration of other historic bridges in the area. In 1998 there were 10 surviving DeBurgh trusses in NSW of the 20 built, and 82 timber truss road bridges survive from the over 400 built. The Middle Falbrook bridge is a representative example of DeBurgh timber truss road bridges, and is assessed as being State significant, primarily on the basis of its technical and historical significance.
	Date significance updated: 28 Jun 05
	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:	E M DeBurgh
Builder/Maker:	Murphy & Taylor, Morpeth
Construction years:	1904-1904
Physical description:	The bridge over Glennies Creek is a De Burgh type timber truss road bridge. It has two timber truss spans, each of 28.1m (92ft). There are single timber approach spans at each end giving the bridge an overall length of 75.4m (247ft). The bridge super structure is supported by twin Monier concrete cylinders with metal bracing. The bridge provides a single lane carriage way with a minimum width of 4.6m. A timber post and rail guard rail extends the full length of the bridge.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Good
	Date condition updated:23 Oct 98


Current use:	Bridge
Former use:	Bridge

History

Historical notes:

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.

Ernest DeBurgh, the designer of DeBurgh truss and other bridges, was a leading engineer with the Public Works Department, and a prominent figure in early 20th century NSW.

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

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
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]	Through the bridge's association with the expansion of the NSW road network, its ability to demonstrate historically important concepts such as the gradual acceptance of NSW people of American design ideas, and its association with Ernest DeBurgh, it has historical significance.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The bridge exhibits the technical excellence of its design, as all of the structural detail is clearly visible. In the context of its landscape it is visually attractive. As such, the bridge has a small amount of aesthetic significance.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	Timber truss bridges are prominent to road travellers, and NSW has in the past been referred to as the "timber truss bridge state". Through this, the complete set of bridges gain some social significance, as they could be said to be held in reasonable esteem by many travellers in NSW.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	Rare - only DeBurgh truss bridge with Monier concrete pipe piers.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	Representative of DeBurgh truss bridges
Integrity/Intactness:	Intact
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.

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

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		01474	20 Jun 00	-	-
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register	Roads & Traffic s.170

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Tourism		2007	Middle Falbrook Bridge over Glennies Creek	View detail
Tourism	Attraction Homepage	2007	Middle Falbrook Bridge over Glennies Creek	View detail
Written	D J Fraser	1985	Timber Bridges of New South Wales
Written	Department of Main Roads, NSW	1987	Timber Truss Bridge Maintenance Handbook
Written	Roads and Traffic Authority		S. 170 Register	View detail

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

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5051378

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