Foley's Bridge, Hepburn Shire

This little-known heritage listed bridge is remarkable for a number of its unique features: it is one of only two known "humped" bridges in Victoria, and existed in picturesque pastoral area that is largely unchanged since the bridge's 19th century construction until September of 2010, when it was almost entirely destroyed by a significant flood event. The bridge is associated strongly with the colonial mining history of the area, and would have been traversed by bullock drivers hauling large timbers to the mines of the Smeaton district.

The single pier that survived the flood is still draped in debris on its upstream side, demonstrating the height of the floodwater. It has also been significantly deformed in the direction of the flood, and it is expected that without the installation of additional support it was eventually fail under future flood loading. However, the piers are driven deeply enough into the soil and are of significant enough girth and condition to render the pier self-supporting under its own weight and wind load, and so remains upright as of inspection in 2012.

Foleys bridge post floods 9-2010 004.jpg

Showing flood level by debris

Showing flood level by debris

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