Mason and Bird Heritage Trail and timber bridge

Author

Heritage Council

Place Number

02662

Location

Hardinge Rd Canning Mills

Location Details

map 2, 87.C10, UG4 LGA informed that the bridge can only be acessed via a 4x4 track or by foot along the Mason and Bird Heritage Trail.

Other Name(s)

Hardinge Road Timber Tramway Bridge
Munday Brook Bridge

Local Government

Kalamunda

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1894 to 1989

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
RHP - To be assessed Current 15 Dec 2005

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Classified by the National Trust Permanent 12 Jun 1989
Classified by the National Trust Classified 12 Jun 1989
Statewide Lge Timber Str Survey Completed 11 Dec 1998
Municipal Inventory Adopted 01 Aug 2013

Values

· The place is rare as a small scale timber bridge in Western Australia. · The place is valued by the community as it forms part of a recognised heritage trail.

Physical Description

Ÿ Timber foot bridge over the Munday Brook. Ÿ The bridge was restored in 1989. Ÿ The bridge is a full timber pile driven bridge, The jarrah and wandoo timber piles underneath the decking are original. The Original timber decking has been replaced. Ÿ It is not longer used by the tramway or road traffic. It is used as a footbridge for the Mason Bird Heritage trail. Ÿ One of the timber piles is believed to exhibit a convict workers mark.

History

Ÿ Built by the Mason Bird Company timber millars in 1871/1872. It was built to continue the road used to haul timber as part of a tramway system to transport timber to the timber mills. The tramway was the second railway built in Western Australia (the first being at Vasse in 1860). It was located from the Company timber mill at Carmel through the Bickley Valley to a company landing at the Canning River. The track was made of jarrah rails set in jarrah sleepers. Teams of horses pulled the wagons. Ÿ The Mason Bird Company was a major employer of timber workers from 1864 to 1882. Its exports were significant to the early development of Western Australia. Ÿ It is believed to be one of the oldest all timber pile driven bridges in Australia. Ÿ The bridge is an important feature along the Mason Bird Heritage Trail.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good - was restored in 1989.

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
6605 Register of historic sites. Report 1988
7592 Mason & Bird Heritage Trail : retracing one of Western Australia's oldest timber routes. Brochure 1988
2322 The Mason and Bird Timber Company 1862 to 1882. Book 1978

Place Type

Historic site

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Original Use Transport\Communications Road: Bridge
Present Use Transport\Communications Road: Other

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Other TIMBER Other Timber

Historic Themes

General Specific
TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS Road transport

Creation Date

30 May 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

16 Mar 2022

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.