List of crossings of the Murray River

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The Murray River in south-eastern Australia has been a significant barrier to land-based travel and trade. This article lists and briefly describes all of the recognised crossing points. Many of these had also developed as river ports for transport of goods along the Murray. Now almost every significant town along the river has a bridge or vehicle-carrying cable ferry nearby.

The crossings are listed in order starting from the Murray Mouth and proceeding upstream.

South Australia[edit]

Image Crossing Coordinates Location Built Description Notes
Hindmarsh Island Bridge 35°30′17″S 138°47′21″E / 35.50472°S 138.78917°E / -35.50472; 138.78917 (Hindmarsh Island Bridge) Hindmarsh Island-Goolwa 2001 The controversial bridge replaced a ferry in March 2001
Narrung Ferry 35°30′46″S 139°11′17″E / 35.51278°S 139.18806°E / -35.51278; 139.18806 (Narrung Ferry) Narrung crosses The Narrows between Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert
Wellington Ferry 35°19′51″S 139°23′8″E / 35.33083°S 139.38556°E / -35.33083; 139.38556 (Wellington Ferry) Wellington
Tailem Bend Ferry 35°15′26″S 139°27′8″E / 35.25722°S 139.45222°E / -35.25722; 139.45222 (Tailem Bend Ferry) Tailem Bend-Jervois
Swanport Bridge 35°08′51″S 139°18′33″E / 35.14750°S 139.30917°E / -35.14750; 139.30917 (Swanport Bridge) Murray Bridge 1979 At the end of the South Eastern Freeway
Murray Bridge 35°06′55″S 139°16′48″E / 35.11528°S 139.28000°E / -35.11528; 139.28000 (Murray Bridge) 1927 Railway bridge Adelaide-Wolseley railway line
Murray River road bridge, Murray Bridge 35°06′55″S 139°16′48″E / 35.11528°S 139.28000°E / -35.11528; 139.28000 (Murray Bridge) 1879 Shared road and rail bridge from 1886 until separate rail bridge built
Mannum Ferry 34°54′37″S 139°19′7″E / 34.91028°S 139.31861°E / -34.91028; 139.31861 (Mannum Ferry) Mannum Two parallel ferries
Purnong Ferry 34°51′17″S 139°37′0″E / 34.85472°S 139.61667°E / -34.85472; 139.61667 (Purnong Ferry) Purnong This is the narrowest crossing in South Australia
Walker Flat Ferry 34°45′13″S 139°34′8″E / 34.75361°S 139.56889°E / -34.75361; 139.56889 (Walker Flat Ferry) Walker Flat
Swan Reach Ferry 34°33′51″S 139°35′50″E / 34.56417°S 139.59722°E / -34.56417; 139.59722 (Swan Reach Ferry) Swan Reach
Old Blanchetown Bridge 34°20′43″S 139°37′2″E / 34.34528°S 139.61722°E / -34.34528; 139.61722 (Blanchetown Bridge) Blanchetown 1963 The first major prestressed concrete highway bridge in South Australia. Replaced a ferry crossing established in 1869. In the 1990s it was found to not be structurally sound enough to safely carry B-double trucks. Until a new bridge could be built, these were diverted from near Monash via Morgan on the Goyder and Thiele Highways to rejoin the Sturt Highway at Gawler, thus travelling further but avoiding the Kingston and Blanchetown bridges.
Blanchetown Bridge 34°20′43″S 139°37′2″E / 34.34528°S 139.61722°E / -34.34528; 139.61722 (Blanchetown Bridge) 1998 Incrementally launched post tensioned concrete box-girder bridge, built by York Civil.[1] Replacement bridge on the Sturt Highway immediately north of the 1963 bridge.
Morgan Ferry 34°02′19″S 139°40′24″E / 34.03861°S 139.67333°E / -34.03861; 139.67333 (Morgan Ferry) Morgan
Cadell Ferry 34°01′32″S 139°45′45″E / 34.02556°S 139.76250°E / -34.02556; 139.76250 (Cadell Ferry) Cadell
Waikerie Ferry 34°10′30″S 139°59′13″E / 34.17500°S 139.98694°E / -34.17500; 139.98694 (Waikerie Ferry) Waikerie
Kingston on Murray bridge 34°13′37″S 140°21′59″E / 34.22694°S 140.36639°E / -34.22694; 140.36639 (Kingston on Murray bridge) Kingston on Murray 1969 Sturt Highway A bridge replaced a ferry
Berri Bridge 34°17′22″S 140°35′59″E / 34.28944°S 140.59972°E / -34.28944; 140.59972 (Berri Bridge) Berri 1997 A bridge replaced two ferries
Lyrup Ferry 34°15′8″S 140°38′54″E / 34.25222°S 140.64833°E / -34.25222; 140.64833 (Lyrup Ferry) Lyrup
Paringa Bridge 34°10′51″S 140°46′33″E / 34.18083°S 140.77583°E / -34.18083; 140.77583 (Paringa Bridge) Paringa-Renmark 1926 Sturt Highway, liftspan bridge - one lane of traffic each way with pedestrian/bike path in the middle on the former railway alignment.
Ferry nameboard

As the ferries are registered as boats, each one has a name, usually named after a waterbird. As of December 2017, the ferry names are:[2]

In Victoria and New South Wales[edit]

The south bank of the river forms the border between these two states and former colonies, so in many cases there is a town on each side of the river. If two towns are named in this list, the Victorian one is first for clarity and consistency.

Most of the bridges downstream of Echuca are liftspan bridges to enable paddlesteamer traffic to pass underneath even in times of high water flow.

The Hume, Newell and Sturt Highway bridges are owned and managed by the Federal Government. The others are the responsibility of New South Wales and Victoria.

Image Crossing Coordinates Location Built Description Notes
Abbotsford Bridge 34°06′50″S 141°59′17″E / 34.11389°S 141.98806°E / -34.11389; 141.98806 (Abbotsford Bridge) Yelta to Curlwaa 1928 235 metres (771 ft) long, single lane lift bridge
George Chaffey Bridge 34°10′59″S 142°10′24″E / 34.18306°S 142.17333°E / -34.18306; 142.17333 (George Chaffey Bridge) Mildura to Buronga 1985 331 metres (1,086 ft) long, 9.8 metres (32.2 ft) wide bridge carrying the Sturt Highway
Robinvale-Euston Bridge 34°34′40″S 142°46′3″E / 34.57778°S 142.76750°E / -34.57778; 142.76750 (Robinvale/Euston Bridge) Robinvale to Euston 2006 Replaced a single-lane lift-span road/rail bridge that was opened in 1927 as part of the abandoned Lette railway line.[1][permanent dead link].
Tooleybuc Bridge 35°01′49″S 143°20′7″E / 35.03028°S 143.33528°E / -35.03028; 143.33528 (Tooleybuc Bridge) Piangil to Tooleybuc 1925 timber and steel truss, single-lane restriction on lift span
Nyah Bridge 35°10′22″S 143°23′30″E / 35.17278°S 143.39167°E / -35.17278; 143.39167 (Nyah Bridge) Nyah to Koraleigh 1941 104 metres (341.2 ft), central lift span
Speewa Ferry 35°12′49″S 143°30′31″E / 35.21361°S 143.50861°E / -35.21361; 143.50861 (Speewa Ferry) Speewa Two-car capacity, 8 tonne (8.8 t) load limit. Upstream is a private ferry to Beveridge Island (part of Victoria); it crosses a Little Murray anabranch, but that is now the main navigable channel.
Swan Hill Bridge 35°20′16″S 143°33′46″E / 35.33778°S 143.56278°E / -35.33778; 143.56278 (Swan Hill Bridge) Swan Hill 1896 Two lanes except central lift span; 116 metres (380.6 ft)
Gonn Crossing Bridge 35°30′13″S 143°57′24″E / 35.50361°S 143.95667°E / -35.50361; 143.95667 (Gonn Crossing Bridge) Murrabit to Ballbank 1926 103 metres (338 ft) Lift-span road/rail bridge, opened as part of the Stony Crossing railway line; road only since the railway closed in 1964.
Barham Bridge 35°37′50″S 144°07′29″E / 35.63056°S 144.12472°E / -35.63056; 144.12472 (Barham Bridge) Koondrook to Barham 1904 liftspan bridge, 99 metres (325 ft)
Dhungala Bridge 36°06′44″S 144°44′38″E / 36.11222°S 144.74389°E / -36.11222; 144.74389 (Dhungala Bridge) Echuca to Moama 2022 622 metres (2,041 ft)[3] Cobb Highway crossing
Echuca-Moama Bridge (road) 36°07′19″S 144°45′13″E / 36.12194°S 144.75361°E / -36.12194; 144.75361 (Echuca/Moama Bridge) 1879 built as joint road/rail bridge, bypassed in 2022, local traffic only
Echuca-Moama Bridge (rail) 36°07′19″S 144°45′13″E / 36.12194°S 144.75361°E / -36.12194; 144.75361 (Echuca Rail Bridge) 1989 rail
Barmah Bridge 36°01′8″S 144°57′19″E / 36.01889°S 144.95528°E / -36.01889; 144.95528 (Barmah Bridge) Barmah 1966 168 metres (551.2 ft) replaced ferry[4]
Tocumwal Bridge 35°48′50″S 145°33′24″E / 35.81389°S 145.55667°E / -35.81389; 145.55667 (Tocumwal Rail Bridge) Tocumwal 1895 originally a road/rail bridge
Edward Hillson Bridge 35°48′47″S 145°33′32″E / 35.81306°S 145.55889°E / -35.81306; 145.55889 (Newell Highway Bridge) 1987 Newell Highway 212 metres (695.5 ft) long, 12 metres (39.4 ft) wide
Old Cobram-Barooga Bridge 35°54′57″S 145°40′9″E / 35.91583°S 145.66917°E / -35.91583; 145.66917 (Cobram-Barooga Bridge (old)) Cobram to Barooga 1902 Old liftspan timber truss bridge (now pedestrian only)
Cobram-Barooga Bridge 35°54′58″S 145°40′9″E / 35.91611°S 145.66917°E / -35.91611; 145.66917 (Cobram-Barooga Bridge (new)) 2006 New concrete bridge built immediately upstream of the old bridge
Yarrawonga Weir 36°00′31″S 145°59′57″E / 36.00861°S 145.99917°E / -36.00861; 145.99917 (Yarrawonga Weir) Yarrawonga to Mulwala 1939 Weir Road, one lane along the weir wall - originally designated as a stock route
Yarrawonga Rail Bridge 36°00′29″S 145°59′59″E / 36.00806°S 145.99972°E / -36.00806; 145.99972 (Yarrawonga Rail Bridge) 1989 railway bridge, replaced earlier wooden bridge and earthen embankment
Mulwala Bridge 36°00′20″S 146°00′18″E / 36.00556°S 146.00500°E / -36.00556; 146.00500 (Mulwala Bridge) 1924 Crosses Lake Mulwala, 488 metres (1,601 ft)
John Foord Bridge 36°00′25″S 146°23′43″E / 36.00694°S 146.39528°E / -36.00694; 146.39528 (John Foord Bridge) Wahgunyah to Corowa 1892 retained for local traffic
Federation Bridge 35°59′8″S 146°24′40″E / 35.98556°S 146.41111°E / -35.98556; 146.41111 (Federation Bridge) 2005 Two lanes wide and 195 metres (639.8 ft) long, with a 95 metres (311.7 ft) approach bridge on the NSW side. [2]
John Conway Bourke Bridge 35°59′37″S 146°37′15″E / 35.99361°S 146.62083°E / -35.99361; 146.62083 (John Conway Bourke Bridge) Howlong 2001 Commemorates the first carrier of mail from Sydney in 1838 to what would later be called Melbourne[5]
Lincoln Causeway/Union Bridge 36°05′29″S 146°54′23″E / 36.091318°S 146.906524°E / -36.091318; 146.906524 (Old Hume Highway Bridge) Wodonga to Albury 1961 (though first bridge opened 1861[6]) 4 lanes, 92 metres (301.8 ft) long, widened 1990
Albury-Wodonga Railway Bridge 36°05′59″S 146°54′34″E / 36.099738°S 146.909314°E / -36.099738; 146.909314 (Albury/Wodonga Rail Bridge) 1888 Originally double track - one Broad gauge plus one Standard gauge. Broad gauge track disconnected following conversion of the North East Victorian broad gauge line to standard gauge in 2010.
Spirit of Progress Bridge 36°06′02″S 146°54′34″E / 36.100518°S 146.909486°E / -36.100518; 146.909486 (Hume Freeway Bridge) 2006 New Hume Highway bridge, named fafter the Spirit of Progress train.[7]
Island Road Bridge 36°04′42″S 146°57′20″E / 36.078262°S 146.955684°E / -36.078262; 146.955684 (Waterworks Bridge) Thurgoona to the Island
Heywood Bridge 36°05′57″S 147°01′19″E / 36.09917°S 147.02194°E / -36.09917; 147.02194 (Heywoods Bridge) Hume Dam to Bonegilla 1984 124 metres (406.8 ft) long. Between Albury and here there is a bridge near the airport, to Bonegilla Island.
Bonegilla Bridge 36°06′26″S 147°01′56″E / 36.10722°S 147.03222°E / -36.10722; 147.03222 (Bonegilla Bridge) Hume Dam to Bonegilla 1941 The Hume Weir wall, now closed to motorised traffic. single lane, 91 metres (298.6 ft)
Bethanga Bridge 36°05′25″S 147°03′31″E / 36.09028°S 147.05861°E / -36.09028; 147.05861 (Bethanga Bridge) Bellbridge 1930 on the Riverina Highway across Lake Hume
Wymah Ferry 36°02′23″S 147°15′56″E / 36.03972°S 147.26556°E / -36.03972; 147.26556 (Wymah Ferry) Wymah upstream end of Lake Hume, 2-car capacity, 11 tonne (12.1 t) load limit
Jingellic Bridge 35°55′53″S 147°42′5″E / 35.93139°S 147.70139°E / -35.93139; 147.70139 (Jingellic Bridge) Jingellic 1959 156 metres (511.8 ft)
Tintaldra Bridge 36°2′44″S 147°55′56″E / 36.04556°S 147.93222°E / -36.04556; 147.93222 (Tintaldra Bridge) Tintaldra 1959 steel truss bridge 185 metres (607 ft)
Towong Bridge 36°7′26″S 147°59′46″E / 36.12389°S 147.99611°E / -36.12389; 147.99611 (Towong Bridge) Towong 1938 61 metres (200.1 ft) long
Bringenbrong Bridge 36°10′8″S 148°01′31″E / 36.16889°S 148.02528°E / -36.16889; 148.02528 (Bringenbrong Bridge) Bringenbrong 1961 87 metres (285.4 ft) long, near Corryong on the Alpine Way
Indi Bridge 36°14′46″S 148°02′5″E / 36.24611°S 148.03472°E / -36.24611; 148.03472 (Indi Bridge) 1961 Connects the Indi homestead in NSW to the Upper Murray Road. Steel girder, with concrete piles and a concrete deck. Single lane, 3.7 metres (12 ft) wide.[8]
Biggara Bridge 36°17′46″S 148°02′17″E / 36.29611°S 148.03806°E / -36.29611; 148.03806 (Biggara Bridge) Biggara 1951
Tom Groggin Bridge 36°31′20″S 148°08′13″E / 36.522085°S 148.136998°E / -36.522085; 148.136998 (Tom Groggin Bridge) Tom Groggin Private bridges to Tom Groggin Station: low level for vehicles; higher-level suspension bridge for pedestrians when the other is flooded.

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

Media related to Bridges over the Murray River at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to Cable ferries on the Murray River at Wikimedia Commons

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Blanchetown Bridge, Murray River". York Civil. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Ferry technical information". Government of South Australia, Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  3. ^ https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/599501/EMBP-Information-Pack.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ Annual report for year ended 30 June 1966 Country Roads Board page 24
  5. ^ "About People". The Age. Victoria, Australia. 7 August 1902. p. 4. Retrieved 10 February 2020 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "OPENING OF THE UNION BRIDGE, ALBURY". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. Vol. III, no. 123. New South Wales, Australia. 4 September 1861. p. 3. Retrieved 5 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Spirit of Progress bridge sign up today". The Border Mail. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Indi Bridge over Murray River". Roads & Traffic Authority. Retrieved 14 July 2010.