Four bridges and a ford: cutting a path to the new bridge

By the late 1960s it was deemed that the amount of traffic - especially heavy traffic - using the Hamilton Highway was too great for the once revolutionary Monier bridge at Fyansford. Despite its controversial beginnings, the bridge had rewarded those councillors who fought to have it built at the close of the 19th century, with over 60 years of service. It was estimated at the time of construction, that it would take 40 years to recoup the cost to the Shires of Bannockburn and Corio who had largely financed the project. Anything beyond that was a bonus and in an era when many bridges were still built from timber, had an expected lifespan of a few decades and within a few years of construction would require extensive, ongoing maintenance, it is easy to see why concrete was such an appealing building material. Stone and iron bridges were also extremely durable - the historic bridge at Shelford designed by CAC Wilson is a good example - however they were expensive to build and beyond the means of many cash-strapped shires to build. Concrete on the other hand, was cheap, durable and the way of the future.
By the 1960s, concrete bridges were the norm, however by then, technology and design had changed substantially. The bridge built to replace the now heritage-listed Monier bridge, was a modern, five span, pre-stressed, reinforced concrete structure, typical of many built across the country at that time.
Surprisingly, the current bridge has been the most difficult to research with very little detail to be found.
The earliest information I could find online, related not to the bridge itself, but to the completion of "the Geelong approach to the proposed new bridge over the Moorabool River at Fyansford". This statement appeared in the 1968-1969 Fifty-fifth Annual Report of the Country Roads Board. The work which was completed by the close of the 1967/68 financial year refers I imagine, to the realignment of the Hamilton Highway immediately to the west of the Moorabool River, through the cutting which is still in use today.

Looking west through the modern cutting at Fyansford

Prior to this, the road ran through a much older cutting, slightly to the south. This old road I suspect, originally served the ford and was cut out and perhaps somewhat realigned in the 1850s when the first timber bridge was built. Today, the remains of the old road can still be followed from the corner of Lower Paper Mill Rd and along the boundary fence of the Fyansford Waste Disposal & Recycling Centre to a point about 180m to the west where the old road rejoins the new.

Old road west of the Moorabool River at Fyansford

Soon after the bridge opened however, the road was probably the site of an accident which saw a dray tip over the edge of it, falling down a "precipice some twenty feet deep" (The Argus, 27th April, 1855). The following year, in March, 1856 tenders were called for the erection of 450 lineal yards of fencing along an embankment at Fyansford - possibly the fence which can be seen in the photo below and which may have saved the dray had it been installed sooner.

Portion of an 1859 image of Fyansford, showing the first bridge and road
leading up the west bank of the Moorabool River. Original image held by
the State Library of Victoria

In the Geelong Advertiser, 13th January, 1899, the road up the west bank of the Moorabool was still receiving criticism, described  as a "dangerous, locked in, circuitous road ...with a huge stone cliff on one side and a long stone wall on the other, where many terrible accidents...have happened".

Remains of the stone wall beside the old road

Regardless of this criticism, this remained the approach to the Moorabool River from the west until 1968 when the new cutting was made a short distance to the north.
After the new section of road was completed, construction of the bridge itself was considered. An article from The Age, 31st December, 1968 indicated that tenders were about to be called "for the completion of a bridge over the Moorabool River at Fyansford, three miles north of Geelong on the Hamilton Highway." It was expected that the bridge would be "317 feet long [with] 28 feet between kerbs [and] a six-foot-wide footway. It would cost about $300,000 and take about 2 years to build."
Finally, the Country Roads Board's Fifty-seventh Annual Report for the year ending 30th June, 1970 indicated that amongst the significant works completed for the 1969/70 financial year was the "Construction of a reinforced concrete bridge 270 feet long [with] 28 feet between kerbs to replace a concrete arch bridge over the Moorabool River at Fyansford." The item was accompanied by a photo showing both the Monier and the new bridge.

View of the Monier and current bridge, looking east, Howard Bruce, 1972,
Image held by the National Library of Australia

Strangely, the same annual report also included the following detail under the heading of "Large bridges completed in rural areas":
"Moorabool River Bridge-Hamilton Highway, Shire of Corio: a five span prestressed concrete beam and reinforced concrete bridge 320 feet long by 28 feet between kerbs plus a footway 6 feet wide."
A quick look at Google Earth suggests that the latter was probably the more accurate description.

The current bridge at Fyansford. Looking north east

 Without a tape measure and some rather risky traffic dodging maneuvers, I can't be sure of the proportions, however I can say that this most recent bridge, whilst perhaps not the most aesthetically pleasing structure, has now served those travelling along the Hamilton Highway for forty-six years and looks set to continue for many years to come.

The modern bridge from the west bank of the Moorabool River

Four bridges and a ford: Monier mischief

The best-known bridge at Fyansford is without doubt, the Monier bridge. Built in 1899 and opened to traffic on 16th February the following year, the saga of the bridge's construction is described in detail in many places including this webpage so I will settle for a general description here.
The story of the bridge began in 1897 when it was finally decided to replace the original timber bridge built at Fyansford in 1854. The old structure was rotten and in imminent danger of collapse. The first problem was funding. Who would pay for the new bridge? A meeting in September, 1897 discussed the topic and it was pointed out that the bridge at Fyansford not only crossed the Moorabool River, but also crossed the shire boundary between Bannockburn and Corio Shires. Should the shires pay for the new bridge?
Corio Shire were quick to point out that Bannockburn Shire residents derived significantly more benefit from the bridge than its own constituents did as the former often travelled to Geelong. Both shires however were of the same opinion that in fact the majority of traffic across the bridge was not from either shire, but rather from shires further afield who brought produce to Geelong or travelled there to do business. On the that basis, they felt Geelong also derived a significant benefit from the bridge. This was a national road which should receive government funding - oh, and while they were pressing for national road status, they should also request that the steep road out of the valley be cut down too.
Having considered these issues the shires estimated that it would cost around £5,000 to replace the existing bridge and approached the government to contribute half this sum. The government made £1,500 available.
And so a committee composed of councillors and the engineers from both shires was assembled to look into the issue. In March, 1898, Councilor Stewart of the Bannockburn Shire tabled the idea that a revolutionary new system of bridge-making patented by the Engineering company of Monash and Anderson could be employed to replace the Fyansford Bridge. It would be cheaper than a standard stone and iron bridge and once completed, the bridge would require virtually no maintenance and, being new technology, the committee felt the government may be more inclined to increase its financial contribution.
Eventually, by November, 1898 tenders were called for either a steel bridge or a concrete bridge and it was voted that the committee should approach the government to rethink its decision on funding the project. If this was unsuccessful, Corio Shire felt they should instead opt for building a cheap timber bridge or revert to using the ford. The rate payers of that shire after all, would not be significantly inconvenienced by such an arrangement.
It was estimated by the shire engineers prior to tender, that a steel bridge would cost £6,430, however, the quotes received ranged from around £8,500 to almost £11,000. By contrast they estimated that a concrete bridge built using the Monier system would cost in the order of £4,500. The engineering firm of Monash and Anderson who held the patent for this technology in Victoria submitted a tender of just over £5,000 or, including a temporary bridge to be used for the duration of the works, just over £5,300.
In the meantime, the government didn't budge on the issue of funding and instead, recommended that they take their request to the Geelong Town Council. And so discussions continued. In January, 1899 it became clear that the majority of Bannockburn councillors favoured the Monier bridge, however many of the councillors from Corio Shire unsurprisingly, supported the construction of a cheap timber bridge. Whilst various shires and the Geelong Town Council may have been prepared to provide monetary support for the bridge, it soon became clear that it was beyond their legal capacity to contribute financially to projects beyond the borders of their own municipalities. Bannockburn and Corio would have to bear the cost alone.
Finally, after months of wrangling, several changes to the bridge specifications and a number of different proposals - even including a composite steel, timber and concrete bridge - put forward by Monash and Anderson, it was agreed by both councils to accept the original concrete design and at the end of March, 1899 a contract  for £4,506 was agreed upon.

A young John Monash in 1896, not long prior to building
the Fyansford Monier bridge. Image held by Monash
University

In order for construction of the Monier bridge to be completed however, it was necessary to demolish the old timber bridge, so in preparation for this, tenders were called in December, 1898 for the construction of a temporary bridge for around £200.
By early May, 1899 work on the temporary structure was complete and the bridge - located downstream of the site on which the Monier bridge was being built - was ready for public use. Despite its rather flimsy appearance, it was claimed to be of a more sturdy construction than the old bridge which in any case, had been demolished by the end of that month. Despite this, a notice posted by the Corio Shire engineer AL Campbell in the Geelong Advertiser warned that those crossing the bridge with loads greater than two tons did so at their own risk.

Looking north towards the nearly complete Monier bridge with the smaller
temporary bridge in the foreground. Image held by the University of Melbourne

By early May, with the temporary bridge open to traffic and the piers for the new bridge already completed, difficulties between the shires and Monash and Anderson began to arise as payments were delayed or smaller than expected. Supervising engineer Campbell was also deemed slow to approve the ongoing construction. Work did however continue, with the abutments almost complete by the end of June, this despite flooding on the Leigh and Upper Barwon which it was feared would damage both the temporary bridge and the partially-constructed Monier bridge. Only a couple of weeks later, on  August the temporary bridge was out of order when flood waters over topped it.

The Monier bridge under construction. Image held by the University of Melbourne

During the middle of August, the southern side of the bridge was cast with the northern side complete by October at which point shire engineer Campbell took over responsibility for the works. By December, the bridge was essentially complete, with only finishing touches remaining to be completed along with the testing required before payment to Monash and Anderson could be finalised.
Testing was conducted on 16th February, 1900. The completed, three-span bridge was 260 ft in length with the central span measuring 107 ft 6 in, standing 35 ft above water level. The east and west spans measured 67 ft 6 in each. At that time, the central span was the longest Monier span in the country. The bridge was first tested with 14 laden drays - the equivalent of 44 tons. No deflection was detected in the central arch. Next, a 16 ton steamroller was driven across the bridge with a deflection of one tenth of an inch recorded.

The Monier bridge soon after completion. Image held by the State Library of Victoria

The following day, the bridge was officially opened to traffic. There does not seem to have been a formal opening ceremony - as there was for the first bridge - a circumstance which may have arisen due to what became a protracted legal battle over costs for the bridge. The whole affair, which dragged out over many months, began with Monash and Anderson - after consultation with engineer Campbell - claiming a cost for the bridge of £6,142 and expressed a willingness to waive a claim for extra costs. The shires ordered Campbell to reassess the expenditure and then offered £4,500 plus an additional  £750 to cover extras. Monash and Anderson replied by taking the shires to court.
When the case opened in June, the shires through their lawyers disputed the terms of the original contract, claiming a "bulk sum" contract rather than one based on a "schedule of rates". If correct, then the amount of the contract was a fixed sum (in contrast to a schedule of rates), with any extra expense to be borne by the contractors. Extra costs could only be claimed if approved in writing by the shire president. Throughout the course of construction, verbal agreements for extra expenses had been made by Campbell with the assumed knowledge of the committee, however there was no written authorisation from the either shire president. The shires also made a raft of claims denying any wrong-doing on their own part and claiming Campbell's measurements were wrong and that Monash and Anderson had not made any of the additions claimed.

Looking east across the Fyansford Monier bridge, June, 2016

Eventually, the judge decided in favour of the contractors to the tune of £1902,10,0 plus costs, claiming they had acted in good faith and that the shire's actions throughout the course of construction constituted an implicit acceptance of the expenses accruing. Justice Williams also noted that the shires had probably not considered avoiding payment of the extra money until it was suggested by their legal representatives. He also reluctantly indicated that the shires would have grounds for appeal.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Corio Shire
Engineer AL Campbell oversaw the work of Monash
and Anderson on behalf of the shires and was required
to give evidence regarding both in court.
Image held by the State Library of Victoria

This of course was precisely what they did. Before the High Court, presided over by Justices Holroyd, a'Beckett and Hodges, the shires returned to court in February, 1902 with the judgement handed down in September that year. Inevitably perhaps and with reluctance, the judges found in favour of the shires. Justice a'Beckett...

...regretted that he had to concur in a judgement which enabled the defendant shires to escape from payment for work, of which they obtained the benefit, and done with the approval of persons believed by the plaintiffs [Monash and Anderson] to effectually represent them. The unfortunate confusion in the documents by which the rights of the contractors were to be regulated was mainly due to the defendants' [shires'] agents. As the result of the confusion, the plaintiffs had failed to secure themselves against the defence set up by the defendants in refusing to pay for anything to which a claim could not be made out under the documents.

In other words, they had no choice but to abide by the terms of the original contract.

Plaque on the Monier bridge commemorating those involved in its construction

Whilst Monash and Anderson gave serious consideration to an appeal, there was every chance they would lose and if successful, their costs would consume any payment awarded and so eventually, in April, 1903 a settlement was finally reached. Monash and Anderson agreed to accept a sum of £450. Their total losses on the bridge at Fyansford totalled more than £3,000.
Next, in April, 1906 - perhaps to the consternation of the shires who had opted for technology largely untried in Australia - it was found that the new bridge was in need of repair at an estimated cost of £200. Routine checks had discovered that the spandrel walls were bulging and that horizontal cracks had appeared at the crown of the western arch on the south side of the bridge whilst there was also a crack in the central span on the north side. The problem was rectified by the addition of steel tie rods inserted in mortar to hold outer spans. It was also recommended that the parapet be removed and replaced with iron fencing. This clearly was not done.

The Monier bridge in 1906 with the Balmoral and Fyansford Hotels to either
side and the Fyansford Cement Works at the rear. Image held by the State
Library of Victoria

It was estimated that the shires would recoup the outlay required to build the bridge after 40 years. In the end, despite its difficult beginnings, the Monier bridge at Fyansford served the people of Geelong, Fyansford and the Western District for 70 years, before it was finally replaced. Those councillors of the Bannockburn and Corio Shires who supported what at the time was a revolutionary project, ensured that the shires more than got their money's worth. Today, the bridge is open for pedestrian access, beside the modern bridge which replaced it.

The Monier bridge, 2015 viewed from upriver

Branching out: a Moorabool paddle - rushing around

The final part of Saturday's expedition was less of a paddle and more of a hike - towing the kayaks up and down the rather steep banks of the Moorabool River at this point. After a rocky start to our paddle (described here) from Batesford Bridge followed by a relatively easy 3km section in which we traversed the re-routed section of the river around Batesford Quarry as described in my previous "changing course" post, we exited the formed channel and almost immediately found ourselves confronted by an almost impenetrable wall of reeds.

Into the reeds

There had been a few patches upstream which we'd worked through and around and we did the same here. Once on the other side we found a wide pool and some easy paddling, however as the river narrowed only a short distance away, we were confronted by more reeds. Once again we proceeded to plough our way through, emerging into a small cleared section - much to the surprise of two fishermen standing on the bank.

Pool in the Moorabool below the Ring Road

We gave them a wave and on we went. Another clear section appeared as we approached the remains of the old trestle bridge - part of the Fyansford Cement Works railway which ran between 1924 and 1966 to carry limestone from the Batesford Quarry to the works.

Overlooking the site of the trestle bridge, part of the Fyansford Cement Works
private railway, with the Geelong Ring Road on the rise beyond 

Here however, we could go no further so we hauled the kayaks up the bank and, seeing more trouble ahead, cut across a bend, dropping back to the river once again in another clear section, however, after another short paddle we were out again and then once again.

A pretty little pocket amongst the reeds

This time, we followed the river some 500m past a number of reed-choked sections to the remains of the conveyor belt which carried limestone between quarry and works after the closure of the railway.
From here we were once again able to get on the water and with only a couple of short sections requiring us to haul the kayaks until by early evening we found ourselves paddling under the Lewis Bandt Bridge on the Ring Road.

Lewis Bandt Bridge, Geelong Ring Road

I have looked at this bridge in passing in a previous post and talked briefly about the man himself who was responsible for designing that iconic Australian vehicle - the ute, so I won't elaborate further here.

The places junk can end up!

From this point onwards it was (fortunately) a relatively simple paddle back to Fyansford. Sadly, most of the river through this section is overgrown with exotic plantings and the water quality does not appear as good as further upriver - but this is just my observation. It is also worth noting however, that community activity in the form of weed removal and native revegetation is beginning to occur along the river banks near town.
Then finally, we were faced with one final hurdle - a log jam created I suspect from the dead branches of the woody weeds we had been passing over the last few hundred metres, so for one final time, we dragged the kayaks up the bank, around the logs and dropped back into the water for the paddle to our finishing point - the historic Monier bridge at Fyansford, built in 1900.

Old Monier bridge at Fyansford with the current bridge just visible behind

And so after five hours of rocks, prickles, boxthorn, ants, bees, rushes, reeds, barbed wire and leeches we were finally done. Not exactly a "paddle" I would recommend, however a very interesting part of the Moorabool to have seen at close quarters.

Grabbing a bite!

Works on the new Breakwater bridge

A pleasant - well relatively pleasant - winter's morning, so it was time for another ride around the river with a quick stop off to sniff out a geocache or two. We headed down to Breakwater intending to do the usual loop up to Fyansford and back only to discover that the path was closed for the day on the Belmont side to enable the installation of overhead spans for the new bridge. So, back we went and headed upstream via the other side of the river.

We'd had a coffee before departing, so didn't immediately feel the need for a stop, however by the time we reached Fyansford, my gloveless fingers were beginning to stiffen. With no great expectation,  I casually commented as we passed that we should stop for lunch at the Fyansford hotel.  I was taken at my word and we immediately re-routed across the common and headed for the pub and a coffee which was more for the benefit of my fingers than my caffeine levels!

In no real hurry, we also sampled a selection of bread and dips and contemplated the river and its environs. As we did so, we were drawn to consider the limited number of options along our route for refreshment. Of course, there are a significant number of opportunities for picnicking and barbecuing, but not so many options for those who either are not equipped or not wanting to self-cater.

In fact, the only venue which directly overlooks the river between Breakwater and Fyansford is the Barwon Edge Boathouse Restaurant. A licensed venue, it is located along the Newtown section of the river. This is a pleasant, modern restaurant with lots of glass to take in the river views and outside seating should the weather be suited. I can personally vouch for their coffee, cakes and several selections from the breakfast menu.

At a slight remove from the river and back towards town is the Boatshed Cafe, located within the surrounds of Mitre 10 who are currently in the process of removing themselves to the building next door. They provide coffee and cafe-style eating, but without the panoramic views of the Edge, they really don't have a "river" feel.

Towards Breakwater, there are no further options for refreshment,  unless of course the coffee van is at Landy Field providing much needed support for long-suffering, thermally-impaired parents and supporters of Geelong's brightest athletic talent.

Fyansford Hotel, built 1854

Nor is there an option along the opposite side of the river, returning back through town and beyond, until one reaches Fyansford, where at a slight remove from the banks of the river - actually the Moorabool River, a short distance above its confluence with the Barwon - we find the hotel as mentioned earlier. Today, the Fyansford offers a fairly sophisticated menu for both lunch and dinner, including the option to partake in the consumption of our national emblem, prepared in a variety of appetizing styles.

The building itself, if not the menu, has a significantly longer association with the river(s) than the other waterside eateries, but in typical 19th century fashion, also lacks river views from within. Not surprisingly, the history of the hotel parallels that of the township, making it one of the earliest watering holes in the district.

In the early days of expansion and settlement in the Western District, the naturally occurring ford at this site made it one of the most important points in the region, allowing traffic to access the ports in both Geelong and Melbourne. The influx of both money and population which accompanied the gold rush in the early 1850s and no doubt the rise of the wool trade following on from this era, made the little town of Fyansford a vital link in the movement of of both goods and people around the developing colony.

The first to recognize this importance was Captain Foster Fyans who established a police camp at the ford in 1837 and not surprisingly, the ford and the town which developed there came to bear his name. Nor was the town merely a way point on the journey to other places. In 1845 a flour mill was built on the banks of the Barwon, followed by a paper mill at Buckley Falls in 1876 (soon to be the topic of a separate blog post). Across the valley, overlooking the river junction, 1890 saw the opening of the cement works which operated until 2001. This soon made the little town a centre for the industry of the region and by 1854, the need was such that a timber bridge was erected downstream from the ford to provide easier access for heavy vehicles.

Three-span, Monier-reinforced concrete bridge over the
Moorabool River, built in 1900.

This bridge was in use until 1900 when a three-arch, concrete Monier-reinforced bridge (at that time, the largest in the world and designed by the engineer Sir John Monash and J.T.N. Anderson) was built nearby. This bridge in turn served until it was replaced in 1970 by a modern structure on the site of the original bridge.

At the same time that the increase in traffic required the building of the bridge, it became apparent that there was a need for a public house both for those passing through and for the local community.

As a result, in 1854 the publican C.B. Dawson called for tenders for the building of an hotel and by 1855, the new structure was erected only a stone's throw away from the site of the new bridge. The building which took shape and still stands today, is a two storey, brick structure which, I am informed, is a transitional Colonial Georgian style with "distinctive symmetrical fenestration and angled corner entrance" which was typical of many public houses built during this era.

On the whole, the building has not changed significantly across the years. The original roof cladding was replaced with corrugated iron, the corner entrance was also somewhat altered and the brickwork painted, but otherwise the facade of the building remains similar to its original form. Some additions were made at the back of the property in later years and the interior also had adjustments, but the Fyansford Pub would still be quite recognizable to the many generations of patrons who have passed through its doors over the course of more than a century and a half.

And so, with lunch complete and a few unwelcome clouds rolling in, we again headed for the bikes, and made our way back downstream.