It is interesting to note that though Gayndah, ‘Queensland’s Oldest Town’, was settled as early as 1848, a bridge suspending the Burnett River was not achieved until 1909. Gayndah was purported to be the central business centre for the entire area at the time, yet the Burnett River crossing was to remain a challenge to residents and visitors for over 60 years !!!
” . . . After spending a few hours in Gayndah we cross the Burnett River to the north side, and proceed for about four miles to the homestead of Ideraway. In crossing the Burnett River we unfortunately got a little beyond our depth, the water coming into the buggy, wetting our luggage and spoiling some of our photographic plates, notwithstanding my companion’s protestations to the contrary before we crossed the ford . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘The Queenslander’ – Article ‘Sketcher – Round about Gayndah’ – published 26th March 1904
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Tale of a River Crossing c 1848 . . .
” . . . In a land without roads or bridges and often not even a blazed line to guide them, the hardship of overland travel came to be accepted as in the order of things and were rarely mentioned in the records of the pioneers.
HOWEVER, here is one sample of what doubtless was a common experience with the early settlers. It is an account of the Archers‘ crossing the Burnett with sheep and stores to establish Eidsvold and Coonambula:
“We brought the dray to the verge of the bank and after locking the wheels launched it into the bed of the river, where our troubles commenced, for we found the sand, although pretty firm for a horse, would not support the dray weighing something more than two tons, and before we had proceeded 50 yards the wheels were bedded up to the naves. The oxen also sank nearly up to their knees, and notwithstanding a liberal application of the whip refused to lay their necks to the yokes.
In this state of affairs we had nothing for it but to throw over our top load thereby lightening the dray of 6 or 8 cwt., when we got the bullocks to start again; but just as we reached the edge of the running water we were brought up a second time all standing and after urging the oxen in vain for nearly half an hour we took off two bags of flour and some boxes, leaving less than a ton on the dray.
SIT DOWN STRIKE
Once more they started forward then came suddenly to a check in the middle of the stream. The scene at this moment would have astonished and disheartened any man but a squatter. Four of us were standing round the team up to our ankles in mud and sand, and to our knees in water, armed with either whips or big sticks roaring at the oxen like madmen and belabouring them till the poor brutes, half stupid with the noise and sulky with the beating, quietly lay down in the water, this intimating their decided determination not to exert themselves any further.
This is the foreground. Behind, the river bed is strewn with bags of flour and sugar, boxes, pots and pans, pannikins and pintpots and other articles too numerous (as the advertisements say) to mention.
At this juncture five or six blackfellows presented themselves on the bank above us. I left the bullock drivers, and by dint of talking and signs I got the blacks to understand that I required their help to carry the load out of the river. With their assistance we managed this and three hours after we first entered the river we got the dray on the other bank. I dismissed the blacks with pipes and tobacco and after seeing the dray loaded again went on to mark the line of road . . . “
Source: ‘The Morning Bulletin’ – Article “The Fitzroy Valley: Centenary of Archers’ Discovery’ – published 7th May 1953
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The first bridge to cross the Burnett River at Gayndah opened in 1909. Built on concrete pylons, it served the community for 33 years until it was washed away in the floods of February 1942 . . .
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The replacement bridge was completed later that year as being part of an inland defence road during WWII, it was considered vital, to have this link repaired.
The current bridge, which is much more elevated, was opened on the 8th September 1990.
Part of the roadway leading to the former bridge, and some of the old pylons, are still visible today . . .
Helpful Hints:
– Within the Town Centre – obtain Directions here
– Car Parking available along Meson Street
– Things to Do about Town
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- Sealed Road