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Mount Misery Creek Bridge
Berringa - Dereel Road BERRINGA, GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE

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Golden Plains Shire
Mt Misery Creek Trestle Bridge, Berringa
Mt Misery Creek Trestle Bridge, Berringa
Mt Misery Creek Trestle Bridge, Berringa
Extent of registration map
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?

The Mount Misery Creek Bridge is located on the Berringa - Dereel Road in the Enfield State Park. It was constructed in 1906 to provide permanent access to the township of Berringa and to facilitate the transportation of gold extracted from the Berringa Goldfields.

The Mount Misery Creek Bridge is situated on a crown land road reserve and defines the south-western boundary of the Enfield State Park. It is 2.5 kms south of the township of Berringa. The Mount Misery Creek Bridge is an early but conventional example of a timber trestle road bridge, designed by Grenville Shire Council engineer Mr. Martin. The bridge was officially opened on 30th August 1906 by Miss Montgomery, daughter of the first Grenville Shire Engineer. This type of bridge became very common when it was adopted as a standard design by the Country Roads Board from the early 1920s.

How is it significant?

The Mount Misery Creek Bridge is of historical, architectural (engineering) and aesthetic significance to the Golden Plains Shire.

Why is it significant?

The Mount Misery Creek Bridge is of local historical significance as a surviving example of an early timber trestle bridge constructed to link the local mining industry to the broader trade routes of Victoria.

The bridge is of local architectural (engineering) significance as a surviving example of a timber trestle bridge from the turn of the century, designed by Grenville Shire engineer Mr. Martin, adopting a form which later became standard.

The Mount Misery Creek Bridge is of local aesthetic significance for its ruinous but picturesque condition and setting over the Mount Misery Creek and its association with the surrounding bush land of the Enfield State Park.

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    • Physical Conditions

      Mount Misery Creek Bridge - Physical Conditions

      The Mount Misery Creek Bridge is a conventional timber trestle road bridge located adjacent to the present Berringa - Dereel Road over the Mount Misery Creek. The bridge is situated on a crown land road reserve, within the Enfield State Park.

      The timber bridge comprises 3 spans between timber reinforced abutments and across 2 cross-braced, four-pile piers. The abutments are angled in plan and the outer piles of the piers are angled inwards. The total length of the three spans is approximately 70 feet and the width of the deck is approximately 17 feet. The walers and braces are adzed but well dressed, while the stringer beams are only roughly squared with the use of an adze. The four stringers are supported on round corbels. The various junctions are pinned with square headed iron bolts. The structure of the bridge is now in very poor and partly collapsed condition. The stringers are becoming hollow from rot and are out of alignment. The lower structure retains a good degree of integrity. The decking, almost certainly transverse, is all missing as is any balustrading. The abutments are built from timber-in-the-round piers supporting squared planks, backfilled with rubble and now partially collapsed. The approaches at both ends are extensive.

      The ruinous condition of the bridge creates a Romantic appearance in the bush land setting of the surrounding Enfield State Park.

      Historical Australian Themes

      Mount Misery Creek Bridge - Historical Australian Themes

      The Australian Heritage Commission devised the Australian Historic Themes in 2001. The following themes have influenced the historical development of the Mount Misery Creek Bridge.

      3 Developing Local, Regional And National Economies

      3.8 Moving goods and people

      3.8.7 Building and maintaining roads

      Physical Description 2

      Mount Misery Creek Bridge - Physical Description 2

      Extent of Registration: to the extent of all of the timber bridge located on Berringa - Dereel Road Berringa (road reserve). See map of extent for details.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Golden Plains - Golden Plains Shire Heritage Study Phase 2

      Author: Heritage Matters P/L
      Year: 2009
      Grading: Local

  • Notes See all notes

    Substantially destroyed by flooding

    • 21/06/18

    This bridge was substantially destroyed by flooding around June/July 2016.

Public contributions

Notes See all notes

Substantially destroyed by flooding

• 21/06/18

This bridge was substantially destroyed by flooding around June/July 2016.

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