What we loved
When the spectacular Suspension Bridge between Cammeray and Northbridge opened in 1892, Sydney was a very different place. Australia was still almost a decade from Federation and women were not allowed to vote. Electric street lights would not be switched on in Sydney until 1904 and it would be another 15 years before the birth of Aussie cricketing legend Don Bradman. It was a time when most of this area was untamed bush and the house-covered ridges of today were just a gleam in a turn-of-the-century developers’ eye.
125 years ago was a time of high hopes for the North Sydney Investment and Tramway company which believed that a bridge across Long Gully, and a tram line, would open the region for residential development.
They stumped up the 42000 pounds (upwards of $6million in today’s money) to build it. The original bridge had a main span of more than 152m supported by steel cables which linked to the wonderfully ornate sandstone towers that still stand today.
It was an engineering marvel of the era and became an instant tourist attraction. People paid threepence return just to cross it (kids one penny).
But things didn’t quite go to plan. Land sales didn’t meet expectations. The tramway wasn’t built. A sharp economic slump saw the tramway company fail and by 1912 the bridge was gifted to the State Government who finished the tramway a couple of years later. There followed decades of under-use and poor maintenance until the Department of Main Roads took ownership in 1935. They discovered serious corrosion of the steel cables and so began a new era for the bridge.
In 1935-36 it was closed for repairs. The suspension structure was replaced with a reinforced concrete arch – the building of which was itself a great feat. The DMR – thank heavens – appreciated the value of those beautiful towers and worked them into the new widened design. These days 23,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, and I’m guessing the drivers seldom pause to contemplate what great change this grand old piece of infrastructure has silently witnessed over the last 125 years.
Over the years it’s been known by a variety of names – The Suspension Bridge, Northbridge; The Suspension Bridge, Cammeray; Cammeray Bridge, The North Sydney Suspension Bridge; Suspension Bridge, North Sydney. But whatever you call it, it’s still got the ability to surprise and delight as you drive across the gorge between Northbridge and Cammeray. It certainly impressed us when we spent a morning exploring Northbridge.
You can read more about the history of the heritage listed bridge here.
What we did
Down Below
To get a sense of the scale of the historic bridge, you really need to see it from below. We took Lower Cliff Road down to the Tunks Park boat ramp where there is a car park. It is here that Flat Rock Creek empties into the harbour. 125 years ago it was a navigable waterway and there was a sandstone quarry and wharf further up – but these days, the course of the creek has been piped into a culvert and is now buried under Tunks Park Sports Fields. Practical of course, but a little bit sad too. Energetic types were playing touch footy and the littlies were playing rugby as we walked westward along Flat Rock Gully Walking Track toward the bridge. It takes no time at all before the huge concrete arch (yes – the one built by the DMR in the 1930s) comes into view. It’s an impressive sight – 50m up at it’s highest point. The beautiful towers at either end rise above the tree line on the steep sides of the gorge. The pretty walk continues along the creek bank through a reserve and comes out near Sailors Bay Road – the main street of Northbridge.
Up above
Having gazed upon its graceful lines from way down on the sports fields, we headed back the way we had come before meandering along residential streets bound for Miller Street on the Cammeray side of the bridge. Plenty of interesting architecture – from many eras- along the way. At the top we turned left toward the bus shelter where you get a full sense of the imposing structure and can watch the endless traffic going back and forth. Those towers might be 125 years old, but they still dwarf those cars buzzing past beneath its arches. Then we took a stroll across after taking a closer look at the sandstone work. Half way there we peeped over to where the rugby players were like little ants way down below. Just stop for a moment to imagine the days when the ridges were covered in trees instead of houses, and this bridge stood magnificently in the wilderness. We walked back down by Lower Cliff Road again to get the car and made a point of driving across.
Memorial Clock
As you leave the bridge you come to another Northbridge landmark – Northbridge memorial clock tower. It’s on the Nothbridge side of the bridge. It’s a tall square fluted sandstone column with a four-sided clock on top. It was paid for the the Northbride Comforts Fund and unveiled in 1948 as a memorial to those who made the “supreme sacrifice” in WWII.
The Australian Comforts Fund (of which the Northbridge branch was part) was first formed in August 1916 from a number of individual state based organisations that had been created at the beginning of World War I to send comfort to the troops.
Many local women’s groups formed early in the war to provide various ‘luxury items’ to supplement the Australian soldier’s army rations and personal kit. These groups were amalgamated in 1916 to form a national association which sought to provide additional ‘comfort’ items to all Australian’s who were abroad.
This federated organisation was titled the Australian Comforts Fund and quickly grew into a fundraising, collecting, sorting and distributing machine which rivalled the scope of the Red Cross. At the conclusion of World War I, the ACF officially dissolved as of the 16th of April 1920, however it was revived in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II to provide comforts to a new generation of soldiers.
Baths time
We had a little bit of time before lunch so we headed down to another local landmark – Northbridge Baths. There are many historic buildings in Northbridge – but the baths took our fancy. No doubt it must be a hive of activity in summer, but on this winters day it was just us and seagulls, lovely views and the lapping of the waves. It’s not as old as the bridge by a long shot but nonetheless a local institution. It opened in 1924 and an amateur swimming club started a year later. It’s been going ever since.
Where we ate in Northbridge
When we first arrived in Northbridge, it was coffee time so we called in at Bonds Corner Cafe. The heritage listed building was built around 1925. Great coffee too. Later we called into hole-in-the-wall cafe Ritual Coffee Traders in Sailors Bay Road for a light lunch. It’s only small, but there are places to sit by the open window to watch the world go by while you enjoy your lunch.
