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TOOLEYBUC BRIDGE
TOOLEYBUC ROAD PIANGIL, SWAN HILL RURAL CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
Tooleybuc Bridge_Piangil_Feb 2008_mz_West Elevation
Tooleybuc Bridge_Piangil_Feb 2008_mz_West Elevation
Tooleybuc Bridge_Piangil_Feb 2008_mz_West Elevation
Tooleybuc Bridge_Piangil_Feb 2008_mz_Central Lift Span
Tooleybuc Bridge_Piangil_Feb 2008_mz_Victorian Approach Spans
Tooleybuc Bridge_Piangil_Feb 2008_mz_Victorian Approach
Tooleybuc Bridge_Piangil_Feb 2008_mz_Winch Detail
Tooleybuc Bridge_Piangil_March 2008_mz_Plan
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Statement of Significance

What is Significant?
Built in 1925, the Tooleybuc Bridge is a timber truss and steel lift-span bridge over the Murray River at Tooleybuc in New South Wales, near Piangil in Victoria. The bridge comprises of a timber bridge deck supported by two 21.8 metre long Allan truss spans each side of a 17.8m steel lift-span bridge. The piers to the centre lift-span are concrete with oval diaphragms giving an appearance similar to the cast iron piers used under older lift-span bridges such as the Swan Hill and Barham Koondrook Bridges. The piers are set into sheet pile cofferdams filled with concrete

The main section of the bridge is approached from the Victorian bank by three approach spans built of round timber girders supported by round timber trestles. There are five girders to each span supported on timber corbels.

The lift span superstructure is of riveted lattice steel, including the main support girders. The lift span has been converted recently to allow hydraulic operation. The deck is 8.5m above flood level. The lift-span was designed to be hand operated by one man operating a single winch. The winch sets the counterweights of lead filled steel boxes located on each tower in motion to assist the raising and lowering of the bridge deck.

Tooleybuc in New South Wales lies on the extreme western fringe of the saltbush plain, a semi-arid or arid area created by sediments from the Murray-Darling flood waters. The saltbush provided useful fodder and the Murray frontage in this area was largely taken up by 1847.

Tooleybuc was on the Puon Buon run, part of the 1840s pastoral empire of Ben Boyd, the whaling entrepreneur of Twofold Bay in New South Wales. In the 1860s the Trust and Agency Co. ran 32000 sheep on the property and in the late nineteenth century J Lawrence held the property and ran 50000 sheep. The high stocking was encouraged by the almost permanent lakes on Puon Buon. Development of the township of Tooleybuc was assisted by the sub-division of the huge station just before the First World War. The Tooleybuc area subsequently became the focus of intensive agriculture, with fruit-growing the principal crop.

Easy communication across the Murray River for access to Victorian markets was fundamental to the viability of the grazing and agricultural concerns on the southern New South Wales Riverina. A privately-owned punt was in operation by the 1870s, near the riverside hotel, the Tooley Buc, but it was not until 1925 that the present lift-span bridge was erected by the Department of Public Works in response to pressure from fruit-growers on the New South Side of the River. The bridge was located just upstream from the old punt and was the last lift span bridge designed by Percy Allan.

There are only two surviving Murray River bridges with Allan truss spans are Swan Hill and Tooleybuc. Swan Hill Bridge was the first of its type to be constructed anywhere, and the Tooleybuc Bridge was the last. Both Bridges were built with Allan trusses in conjunction with Percy Allan designed steel lift-span bridges.

How is it Significant?
The Tooleybuc Bridge is of historical and technical (scientific) significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it Significant?
The Tooleybuc Bridge is of technical (scientific) significance for its sophisticated design and construction. The Tooleybuc Bridge was the last of a series of bridges over the Murray River that incorporated central lift spans with innovative truss spans.

The Tooleybuc Bridge is of historical significance for its associations with New South Wale Public Works Department engineer, Percy Allan, who influenced bridge design throughout Australia.

The Tooleybuc Bridge is of historical significance for its role in facilitating interstate trade between New South Wales and Victoria.

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    • History

      TOOLEYBUC BRIDGE - History

      Tooleybuc in New South Wales lies on the extreme west fringe of the saltbush plain, a semi-arid or arid area created by sediments from the Murray-Darling flood waters. The saltbush provided useful fodder and the Murray frontage in this area was largely taken up by 1847.

      Tooleybuc was on the Puon Buon run, part of the 1840s pastoral empire of Ben Boyd, the whaling entrepreneur of Twofold Bay in New South Wales. In the 1850s Puon Buon run was owned by William Degraves and then Christopher Bagot: in the 1860s the Trust and Agency Co. ran 32000 sheep there and in the late nineteenth century J Lawrence held the property and ran 50000 sheep. The high stocking was encouraged by the almost permanent lakes on Puon Buon. Development of the township of Tooleybuc was assisted by the sub-division of the huge station just before the First World War. The Tooleybuc area subsequently became the focus of intensive agriculture, with fruit-growing the principal crop.

      The river steamers were fundamental to the wool-trade in the nineteenth century; so was easy communication across the river. A punt was in operation by the 1870s, with a riverside hotel (the Tooley Buc) on the New South Wales side. Finally in 1925, in response to pressure from fruit-growers, the present lift-span bridge was erected by the Department of Public Works, just upstream from the old privately-owned punt. The bridge was designed by Percy Allan, and was his final lift span bridge.

      There are only two surviving Murray River bridges with Allan truss spans are Swan Hill and Tooleybuc. Swan Hill was the first of its type to be constructed anywhere, and Tooleybuc the last. Both Bridges were built with Allan trusses in conjunction with Percy Allan designed steel lift-span bridges.

      Plaque Citation

      TOOLEYBUC BRIDGE - Plaque Citation

      Built in 1925 and designed by engineer Percy Allen, this is a timber truss and steel lift-span bridge. The lift-span is counterweighted and was designed to be hand operated by one man.

      Permit Exemptions

      TOOLEYBUC BRIDGE - Permit Exemptions

      General Exemptions:

      General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

      Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

      Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

      Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

      Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

      Specific Exemptions:

      General Conditions: 1.
      All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.       General Conditions: 2.
      Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component.       General Conditions: 3.
      If there is a conservation policy and plan endorsed by the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria , all works shall be in accordance with it. Note: The existence of a Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan endorsed by the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan.       General Conditions: 4.
      Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.       General Conditions: 5.
      Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable.

      Standard Exemptions:
      As per 'Standard Exemptions for Works Requiring Heritage Council Approval' , Heritage Branch, New South Wales Department of Planning as approved the New South Wales Minister of Planning, 25 March 2006.

      Permit Exemption Policy

      TOOLEYBUC BRIDGE - Permit Exemption Policy

      It should be noted that the place is also registered under the provisions of the New South Wales Heritage Act and as a consequence permits and approvals must be issued by the appropriate authority in each jurisdiction. It should also be noted that permit exemptions only apply for the whole of the bridge if they are issued by relevant authorities in each jurisdiction.

      The purpose of the Permit Policy is as a guide to the consideration of and the making of decisions regarding works to the place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with officers of the Heritage Branch, New South Wales Department of Planning and Heritage Victoria (or their successor organisations) prior to them being undertaken or permits being sought.

      It is important that any proposed changes to the place are considered and assessed on the basis of clearly defined plans and proposals and must be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the significant fabric of the registered place. It is recommended that before any proposed changes are undertaken a Conservation Management Plan be developed for the place to guide future works.

      All works, unless permit exempt, must be approved by the appropriate authorities in each jurisdiction.

      The relevant authorities in each jurisdiction will ensure that the other relevant authority is advised of proposals for works to the bridge and co-ordinate the issuing of permits and approvals.

      If works are proposed for the entire bridge, the Heritage Council of Victoria may at its discretion provide permit exemptions for the portion of works which impact on the Victorian registered portion of the bridge subject to Section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995.

Public contributions

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