Yellow Rock Creek Bridge

DESCRIPTION

NameYellow Rock Creek BridgeTypeBridgeGeolocation^[1] Last edited by: Will Chittick

DescriptionThe Yellow Rock Creek Bridge is located on the Illawarra Highway, at Albion Park.

Yellow Rock was so named because of colour of the Hawkesbury sandstone rock in the Escarpment.

In 1890, dairy farmers of Yellow Rock cleared the valley from which Yellow Rock Creek flowed in order to build a butter factory, three miles from Albion Park. By 1903 the butter factory at Yellow Rock Creek, along with many others, had closed down.

Following the demise of the butter industry, emphasis was placed on milk. Cooperation between local farmers became essential to resist pressure and competition from Sydney-based "Fresh Food and Ice" company for the dairy market of the region, and so the Illawarra Co-operative Central Dairy Co. Ltd. was formed in 1898 and their factory built alongside the railway line at Albion Park Rail.

When the Dairy Farmers’ Cooperative Milk Company Limited formed in 1900 it worked in conjunction with the Central Dairy and took over trade in the Albion Park region.

The Illawarra Highway was originally part of the main South Coast Road from Wollongong to Jamberoo.

The first bridge in the area was constructed over the Macquarie Rivulet in 1858 and in the 1860's Council embarked on a series of bridge building and road improvement projects.

In 1872, Shellharbour Municipal Council funded the repair of three crossings on Yellow Rock Creek and its tributaries. Tenders were called for the erection of a bridge across the creek in September 1885. The mass concrete piers extant as part of the current structure were constructed at this time, or within the following decades, supporting a timber deck.

In 1939, plans for a new concrete deck to replace the timber deck of the bridge were approved by Department of Main Roads Engineer, Mr Dennis, who was involved in the design of several important bridges in the State throughout his long career. The deck was constructed in two longitudinal sections to facilitate the movement of traffic during the construction period. The work was completed in 1940. (RTA File: 25/401.1202)

In 1951 the Illawarra Highway was suffering from damage to its surface aggravated by the passage of heavy coal trucks and by 1972 it was completely bitumined.

The bridge was widened in 2003.

External LinkTimber Yellow Rock Bridge 1877Shellharbour Municipal Council TendersTenders 1885Shellharbour Municipal Council Reports 1885Bad Bridges 1918Engineer's Opinion 1935Macquarie Pass Road 1936

The junction of Illawarra Highway and Yellow Rock Road, Tullimbar, c.1895.

Heritage Information

Heritage NSW LinkState Heritage Inventory Sheet

CONNECTIONS

CollectionPlacesLocalityYellow Rock

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Yellow Rock Creek Bridge