| 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

Keilor Basket Bridge

Page history last edited by Lenore Frost 7 years, 1 month ago

Time Travellers in Essendon, Flemington and the Keilor Plains

Articles

 

Looking towards Keilor village, the road swings around to the bridge  from Curly Hill. The pine trees are visible on the Caroline Chisholm Reserve to the right across the bridge, the sloping hill up Bonfield Street is visible on the left with the river flats below.   Photographer: Ruth Hollick, gift of Mrs Lucy Crosbie Morrison,  State Library of Victoria Collection, H93.500/391.

 

The Keilor Iron or Basket Bridge, built by Enoch Chambers in 1868 was built well above the flood level, and remains standing to this day, though replaced by a new and wider bridge in 1963.   

 

The Victorian Heritage Database Report commented that "An overhead stiffening arch was removed in 1963 and replaced with a steel - fabricated rectangular portal, to provide greater clearance for trucks. The original arch, stored for many years at Calder Park raceway, was recently restored and refitted."

 

This photograph, taken by John T Collins in February 1973, shows the rectangular portal which replaced the arch for a time.   Taken looking from the Keilor side of the bridge looking towards Curly Hill.   J.T. Collins Collection, La Trobe

Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria.  H97.250/1206

 

The restored bridged with replaced archway in 2013.  Photo:  Lenore Frost. 

 

Sources: 

Victorian Heritage Database Report:  Basket Bridge/ Keilor Road Bridge.

Laskowski, Christine:  Steele Creek and the Lady of the Lake: the early history of Niddrie, Airport West, Keilor East, Avondale Heights, Keilor Park, West Essendon and Tullamarine.  Edited by Lenore Frost.  Essendon: the author, 2013.

 

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.