State Library of South Australia

Suspension Bridge, Burra [B 8634] • Photograph

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Summary

The suspension 'Swing' Bridge, in Burra was erected in 1889 to enable school children to cross the Burra Creek. On Tuesday 29 September 1889 State School children and members of the Burra Literary Society put on a fundraising concert with the proceeds devoted to the completion of the new footbridge across the Burra Creek, near the government school [see 'Burra Record', Friday 2 August 1889, page 4, Entertainment]. After flooding in April 1915 a number of footbridges across Burra Creek were washed away and the Burra Council received a grant to rebuild the bridges [see 'The Register' Friday 6 August 1915, page 11, The Country]. The new footbridge across Burra Creek, built opposite the Institute building (now the Town Hall) was completed in August 1916 [see 'Burra Record', Wednesday 9 August 1916, page 3, Burra Town Council]. A researcher has provided the following information: 'The present footbridge opposite the Town Hall dates from 1960 and is the replacement for a nearby swing bridge that entertained generations of children between 1916 and 1956. (seen in the photograph) It, in turn, replaced an earlier small footbridge that was washed away by a flood in 1915. This series of bridges served people accessing the Town Hall, the school and the stock yards which used to be where the school oval is now. The headmaster of the school argued that having school children cross the creek by the footbridge at the Burra Hotel took them through an undesirable environment.' References from "The Burra Record" regarding the building of the swing bridge. 23 Feb. 1916, page 2 Burra Town Council. The Commissioner of Crown Lands has approved the tender for the bridge opposite the Institute for £215 and the Department will pay half. 9 Aug. 1916, page 3 Burra Town Council. The Commissioner of Crown Lands reports that the bridge opposite the Institute has been completed. From the chapter on bridges in "Burra a Photographic Journey" by Satchell & Kuss, 2014.

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Physical description

1 photograph : black and white ; 14.9 x 10.1 cm

Dates / Publication details

1933

Collection

Part of Burra Collection

Subject

Bridges -- South Australia -- Burra

Catalogue record

Return to catalogue

Digitisation information

Date

15/11/2005

Format

image/tiff

Resolution

3,679 x 2,463 pixels (9.1 MP)

Size

9.09 MB

Location

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