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WANNON RIVER ROAD BRIDGE (FORMER)

Location Victoria Valley Road DUNKELD, Southern Grampians Shire File Number 720 Level Stage 2 study complete

[1/1] 23628 Copy of 4471 Former

Statement of Significance

What is significant?
The former Wannon River Road Bridge is located on the Victoria Valley Road over the Wannon River, immediately beside the present bridge, about 2.2kms north-west of the centre of Dunkeld.
The bridge dates from the Interwar period, although from early on, this place was used as a crossing. A crossing over the Wannon River was of critical importance for road access to and from the squatting runs in the Victoria Valley and the Wimmera and central goldfields via Hall's Gap. This position offered a single crossing before the two roads separated and was also strategically located to take advantage of the gap between Mount Sturgeon and The Piccanniny. There has been no architect or engineer associated with the design. The bridge remains in good condition with a very high degree of integrity. It should be viewed in comparison to other concrete structures built in the Interwar period, such as the Monier bridge at the Wannon.

How is it significant?
The former Wannon Road Bridge is of historical significance to the township of Dunkeld and the Southern Grampians Shire.

Why is it significant?
The former road bridge is historically significant as it represents an early an important crossing point of the Wannon River, which continued to be used and eventually had permanent structures built to span the Wannon. This allowed easy access between squatting runs in the Victoria Valley and the Wimmera and central goldfields via Hall's Gap.