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Mccoy's Bridge over Goulbourn River

Location

Murray Valley Highway,, KOTUPNA VIC 3638 - Property No B7206

File Number

B7206

Level

Local

Statement of Significance

What is significant? McCoys Bridge, built over the Goulburn River by the Country Roads Board in 1941, is a large composite steel and concrete road bridge of 23 spans crossing a wide floodplain. It is a unified structure comprising rolled steel joists on reinforced concrete piers with an integral reinforced concrete deck. The bridge has a sweeping curve at the northern end and a concrete barrier fence in sections of six panels between pilasters over each pier, which creates a distinctive rhythm.
How is it significant? McCoys Bridge is significant for aesthetic/architectural, historic and technical reasons at the local level.
Why is it significant? McCoys Bridge is of technical significance as a good representative example of the mature form of CRB designed, composite steel and reinforced concrete road bridge. It is a particularly long example at 23 spans and 362.6 metres. It is the 7th longest road bridge in Victoria. It has the equal 8th number of spans (with Kings Street Bridge). The span lengths of 50' and 56' river spans (15.2 & 17.1 metres) are, however, typical of this type of bridge. The curved and super elevated northern section is a refinement which reflects the specific design requirements developed for fast highway traffic in the mid 20th century.
The crossing point of the Goulburn River is of historical significance as an important local route for farming settlement in the district related to the initial squatting period in the 1850s to 80s, followed by closer settlement and soldier settlement based on irrigation settlements in the first half of the twentieth century. The bridge site is of local significance for its association with the development of Kotupna, and the local farmer and hotel owner William McCoy.
The present McCoys Bridge is of local historical significance for its major role in providing better transport for the district during the Second World War period as part of the development of irrigation farms. Following the war, the bridge became an important link for soldier settlement farms in the district.
McCoys bridge is of aesthetic significance as an unusually long concrete bridge which through the repetition of elements such as the rectangular guard rail panels and pilasters, built on a sweeping curve, creates a distinctive visual rhythm.
Classified: 04/08/2003

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