New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River (under consideration for amendment)

Item details


Name of item:	New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River (under consideration for amendment)
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Transport - Land
Category:	Road Bridge
Location:	Lat: -36.9587585487 Long: 149.5617130930
Primary address:	New Buildings Road, Wyndham, NSW 2550
Local govt. area:	Bega Valley
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Eden

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
New Buildings Road	Wyndham	Bega Valley			Primary Address

Owner/s

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

Statement of significance:


	New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River has historical and technical significance as a Dare timber truss bridge designed and built as part of the Public Works Department (PWD) program to deliver technologically advanced and cost-effective standardised timber road bridges across NSW. The location of this bridge supported growth of local dairy and agriculture businesses, contributing to the NSW economy. The technical feature of interchangeable timber trusses was a key design feature of the Dare type truss, and combined with the low-level bridge design upgrade allowed for the reuse of timbers, ironwork and a concrete pier from previous bridges in the area. The bridge was completed with substantial cost savings, conforming to the NSW Parliamentary decree to reduce costs for public works in NSW. The Dare truss type bridge has associative significance as it is associated with, and named after the engineer who designed it, Henry Harvey Dare. Dare was an accomplished engineer who had a substantial impact on public infrastructure across NSW and is internationally recognised for his work. The New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River is an excellent representative example of this Dare type design, as while no original timber is present, the design has not changed since it was built in 1921. It has the most truss spans of any Dare truss bridge in NSW.
	Date significance updated: 06 Mar 26
	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:	Henry Harvey Dare
Construction years:	1921-1921
Physical description:	New Buildings Bridge is a standard Dare type timber truss road bridge. It has three Dare timber truss spans (each 28.3 metres long), and two timber girder approach spans at the western end (8.5 and 7.5 metres long). The overall length is 101 metres and has a minimum road width of 4.6 metres between kerbs, accommodating a single lane of traffic. The two bridge abutments are a standard design and comprise vertical timber piles sheeted with horizontal timbers and timber headstocks. The abutments both support the truss spans and retain the fill material of the embankments. Four standard design timber piers support the truss spans and comprise timber cross bracing, timber headstocks and lower waler. Piers 2, 3 and 4 have typical driven timber piles, while Pier 1 is supported on a concrete sil founded on rock in the river which was part of the original Bennett type bridge previously in that location. The three trusses have steel channel bottom chords (horizontal member which forms the top and bottom edges of the truss (Britannica, n.d.)), and timber top chords typical of the Dare design. A series of diagonal double timber members run from top chord to bottom chord. The centre panel contains an additional single timber diagonal passing through the double timber diagonal forming an X. The top of the diagonals connect to the top chord in cast iron shoes while the bottom ends are braced against steel connection brackets bolted to the bottom chord. Vertical steel rods (hangers) which provide vertical tension to the timber truss are supported on the top chord by a steel washer plate, before passing through the double timber diagonals and spaced steel channels of the bottom chord. These are bolted to a steel washer plate riveted to the underside of the bottom chord. The internal timber cross girder which allowed slide-out-slide-in replacement are supported directly on the bottom chord. The decking is bolted to square section longitudinal timber girders (stringers) that are supported on the cross girders. The deck consists of transverse (across the bridge) decking 125mm deep, which is slightly thicker than the original 100mm timbers. The layout of the transverse deck differs from the original, with the sheets being placed several centimeters apart instead of tight against each other. The transverse decking supports 50mm longitudinal sheeting with a thin layer of bitumen which is a later addition to increase load capacity. The railing on the bridge consists of traditional timber ordinance style in the approaches and across the bridge.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Truss and approach spans in excellent condition. One pier in poor condition on the western end being held up by temporary steel beams.
	Date condition updated:06 Mar 26


Current use:	Road bridge
Former use:	Aboriginal land and water

History

Historical notes:

Statement of Country

New Building Bridge over Towamba River is located on the border of Bidwell, Yuin and Ngarigo country. The Towamba River likely to have been a significant source of food and fresh water for Aboriginal people.

Bidwell country extends on the coast between Green Cape (NSW) and Point Hicks (Victoria); inland to Delegate (NSW) and on headwaters of Cann and Bern rivers, chiefly in rain forest and wet sclerophyll country inhospitable to others. Yuin country is coastal and extends for much of the NSW south coast from Eden to up past Ulladulla. The Yuin people have a unique relationship with the ocean, traditionally relying on fishing and the seasonal migration of whales. Ngarigo country is centered on the Monaro table land and extends from Queanbeyan in the north, Delegate in the south, Nimmitabel in the east and to the Great Dividing Range in the West. The Ngarigo people spoke the Ngarigu language and in winter sometimes came down to the surrounding territories for shelter.

Timber truss road bridges in NSW and the Dare truss

Timber truss road bridges have played a significant role in the expansion of the NSW road network. Between 1856 and 1936, over 400 timber truss road bridges were built in NSW. The Dare timber is one of five types of timber truss bridges, designed by Henry Harvey Dare and introduced in 1905. Forty were constructed in NSW.

Earlier timber truss bridges, designed between the 1850s and 1880s, made use of the vast resource of large, strong and durable NSW hardwoods. In 1861, a parliamentary decree was passed that local materials were to be used where possible. The goal was to keep costs low for the Public Works Department (PWD), and using local timber accomplished this, as iron and steel would have had to be imported from England until the construction of the steel works at Newcastle in the early 20th century. However, in the late 19th century much of the local timber was exported, to the point where earlier types of timber truss bridges which used substantial amounts of this timber could no longer be built.

The Dare truss was designed to combine the best aspects from the De Burgh and Allan trusses while avoiding the primary problems with each (Timber Truss Bridges, n.d.). The Dare truss has the simplest geometry and allows the easiest replacement of individual timbers of any of the five truss types. Notable design upgrades from the Allan truss type include replacing the bottom timber chord with a steel one to increase the structural consistency of the bridge. Combined with the change in the geometry of the square panels, forty-five degree angles and shortened top chord, the design resulted in these bridges using less timber than their predecessors and demonstrates the technical response to the changes in the availability of local timber resources.

Construction of New Building Bridge over Towamba River

The first Europeans to visit the region were guided by Aboriginal people in 1842, with road construction partially following Aboriginal pathways commencing in October 1843 to open the region to settlers. Alluvial gold was found in Yambulla (south west of Towamba), and while the gold quickly petered out, a township had been established. Once cleared by the early settlers, the region had generally rich and fertile soil, and the river flats and undulating hills attracted dairy farmers. Many families share-farmed for properties that had large dairy herds, and the need for a bridge to transport these goods to the wider region arose.

The first bridge to be constructed at New Buildings was a Bennett truss bridge in 1884. As the population and use of the region for dairy farming and agriculture grew, an additional bridge was constructed in 1911; a Dare truss type approximately 20 km downstream at Towamba. However, these high-level bridges were both washed away in the 1919 flood. These high-level bridges were built to be above the level of the highest flood known at the time, but when flood waters were greater than expected they both washed away.

In response to the flood levels, the current bridge at New Buildings was designed to be a low-level bridge. It could withstand a fairly heavy push on the side without budging and be submerged during flooding without much damage (The Bombala Times, 1921). It was still constructed in the Dare design, as that was the most cost effective and advanced timber truss bridge design at the time.

The change in design to a low-level Dare truss bridge permitted certain truss timbers and considerable quantities of ironwork to be reused from the 1911 Dare truss bridge, and special appliances were provided by the PWD to treat and straighten the reused material (Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, 1920, 58). The current bridge at New Buildings is in the same location as the 1884 Bennett truss bridge, and further reuse was demonstrated as the concrete from the Bennett truss bridge was utilized for the base of Pier 1. This method of construction resulted in a considerable saving on the cost of an entirely new structure, and the bridge was opened in January 1921.

Since 1921 numerous maintenance works have been undertaken on the bridge. A caretaker for the bridge was appointed in 1932 to prevent damage to the bridge, and regular reports to the district office were required. Repairs were undertaken like-for-like, including those of the timber and metalwork replacement, and although none of the original timber remains, the layout of the bridge has not changed from its original construction.

The Timber Truss Bridge Conservation Strategy (TTBCS) (TfNSW 2012) lists bridges to be retained and conserved and was endorsed by the Heritage Council in 2012 with subsequent revisions. The New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River is one of six Dare type timber bridges proposed to be retained as part of the TTBCS, and one of three listed on the SHR.

Henry Harvey Dare

Henry Harvey Dare was born at Goulburn in 1867. He graduated from the University of Sydney in 1888 and obtained a Master's of Engineering in 1894, becoming the first student to obtain the double degree each with gold medals (The Sydney Morning Herald, 1935, 5). He first started his public service in the Roads and Bridges Branch of the PWD in 1888, worked under Chief Engineers Allan and de Burgh. When the drawing offices for all three PWD engineering branches were amalgamated in 1898 Dare was put in charge of the draftsmen producing the Darling Harbor and Blackwattle Bay bridges. In 1903 Dare took charge of road bridge design for NSW and began designing the Dare truss based on Allen's design.

Dare's career involved not only road bridges, but also included water and harbour works. Dare transferred to water supply in 1910 and was Chief Engineer for the State's new Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission in 1913, and then Commissioner from 1916 until his retirement in 1935. He worked on numerous dam and irrigation infrastructure works and his role in establishing the Coomealla irrigation area was honoured in 1922 when its town was named 'Dareton'.

He was awarded Telford premiums in 1904 and in 1922 by the Institution of Civil Engineers, London and the Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal in 1930 from The Institution of Engineers, Australia in 1930 for "a notable contribution to the Science and Practice of Engineering (Sydney Morning Herald, 1922, 8).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Commerce-Activities relating to buying, selling and exchanging goods and services	Transport-
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	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	Servicing the pastoral industry-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Technology-Activities and processes associated with the knowledge or use of mechanical arts and applied sciences	Technologies of bridge building-
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-
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	Bridge - road-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Utilities-Activities associated with the provision of services, especially on a communal basis	Building Bridges-
5. Working-Working	Labour-Activities associated with work practises and organised and unorganised labour	Working on public infrastructure projects-
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.	Public works-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River is historically significant as part of NSW Public Works Department program to deliver technologically advanced standardised timber road bridges using local hardwoods to reduce costs in a time of economic hardship. The Dare truss bridge design was the final phase of timber truss standardisation, and this bridge illustrates the governmental and engineering approaches used to strengthen and extend the rural road network at this time. This bridge is the third to be constructed over Towamba River at New Buildings, demonstrating the importance of a bridge in this location to allow goods produced by the local agricultural and dairying industry to be transported to the wider region, making a significant contribution to the NSW economy.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River is associated with Henry Harvey Dare, one of the foremost engineers in public infrastructure in NSW and the designer of the Dare truss bridge. Dare’s career had a substantial impact on public infrastructure across NSW, not only through bridges, but also through water irrigation, storage and harbour works. New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River is an excellent example of Dare’s engineering approach and signature design of timber truss bridges.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River demonstrates a high level of technical achievement through its Dare truss design, which was an evolution of the Allan truss and final stage of the timber truss bridge design in NSW. This particular Dare truss bridge exhibits further technical achievement in the evolution from a high-level bridge to a low-level bridge as a response to higher than expected floods in the area. The development of timber truss designs based on the use of Australian hardwoods was unique to NSW, and a key design feature was that individual timbers would be easily replaceable, which has been demonstrated through repair of the bridge since 1921.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	The New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River is an excellent representative example of the class of 91’ Dare timber truss bridges and showcases three typical truss spans. The modifications to the bridge retain the original design characteristics of the 91’ Dare Truss bridge as they have been undertaken with like for like replacement in the original layout.
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.

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	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		01477	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
Written	Austral Archaeology Pty Ltd	2002	New Buildings Bridge over Towamba River, Wyndham Conservation Management Plan
Written	Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies		Bidawal (S49)	View detail
Written	Australian National University	2008	Welcome to the Koori Coast	View detail
Written	Biosis Pty Ltd	2017	New Building Bridge, Wyndham NSW Statement of Heritage Impact
Written	Britannica		Truss Bridge	View detail
Written	Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation		Dare, Henry Harvey (1867-1949)	View detail
Written	Legislative Assembly of New South Wales	1920	Report of the Department of Public Works for the year ended 30 June 1920 together with plans, registration number 1920-486	View detail
Written	Lenore Coltheart, Amie Nicholas	2019	The timber truss bridge book	View detail
Written	MBK	1998	Study of Relative Heritage Significance of all Timber Truss Road Bridges in NSW. Wolume 1: Main report	View detail
Written	The Bombala Times	1921	A New Bridge	View detail
Written	The Daily Telegraph	1931	A life service in engineering	View detail
Written	The Murrumbidgee Irrigator	1994	Irrigation Personalities in Australia	View detail
Written	The Sydney Morning Herald	1935	Mr H. H. Dare's Retirement	View detail
Written	The Sydney Morning Herald	1922	Personal	View detail
Written	Tindale		Tribal Boundaries in Aboriginal Australia
Written	Tindale and Mathews	1908	Vocabulary of the Ngarrugu tribe, N.S.W.
Written	Transport for NSW	2021	Review of briges to be retained under the Timber Truss Bridge Conservation Strategy	View detail
Written	Transport for NSW		The Dare Truss	View detail
Written	Transport for NSW		New Buildings Bridge	View detail
Written	Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages	2026	Bidawal	View detail

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:	5051381
File number:	EF14/4394

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