Lennox Bridge, Glenbrook

Lennox Bridge
File:Lennox Bridge, Glenbrook.jpg
Coordinates
Carries	Light Motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles
Locale	Blaxland, New South Wales, Australia
Characteristics
Design	Arch Bridge
Material	Stone
Width	9 metres (30 ft)
Height	9 metres (30 ft) at highest point
Longest span	6 metres (20 ft)
Number of spans	1
Load limit	2 tonne limit
History
Designer	David Lennox
Construction begin	1832
Construction end	1833
Opened	1833
Closed	1967-1982

The Lennox Bridge (also known as The Horseshoe Bridge) is a stone arch bridge designed by David Lennox situated in Blaxland, New South Wales, Australia. It is a single arch of 6 metres (20 ft) span and 9 metres (30 ft) above water level, with a road width of 9 metres (30 ft).

History and description

Lennox Bridge, opened in 1833, is the oldest surviving stone arch bridge on the Australian mainland. It crosses Brookside Creek (also known as Lapstone Creek) on the road known as Mitchells Pass. It replaced an earlier crossing of the creek 600 metres (2,000 ft) further south, which today survives as a walking track. A nearby quarry is thought to have been created for the purpose of providing stone for the bridge.

The bridge served the main route to the Blue Mountains for 93 years until 1926, when the Great Western Highway was re-routed via the Knapsack Viaduct. It was closed in 1967 but later strengthened and repaired with an internal concrete structure and it re-opened in 1982.

Gallery

• Lennox horseshoe2.JPG
• Lennox Bridge surface.JPG

See also

Historic bridges of New South Wales