The Old Burdekin River Rail Bridge - A North Coast Railway Nightmare

The old Burdekin River Rail Bridge can accurately be referred to as a magnet for disaster and was once a sore spot for Queensland Rail employees due to constant flood instances and deterioration.

Constructed during the period extending from 1896 to 1899, the Burdekin River Rail Bridge, also known as the Macrossan Bridge, connected North Queensland to the rest of the state.

Often described as a “north coast railway nightmare”, the dangerous section of line extending across the Burdekin River was a grievance among train drivers, particularly when the Burdekin River began to rise with trains at risk of being swept off the tracks and into depths below.

When the rail line would disappear into the floodwaters each wet season, communities were completely isolated, and deliveries bound for North Queensland consisting of food, clothing, and newspapers were made to sit on the bank until water levels subsided.

A devastating natural disaster, the Burdekin River flood in 1875 measured just under 22 metres over the old Burdekin River Rail Bridge, however the 1946 /1947 flood stood as a catalyst for change as the tragic event saw a cattle train washed off the tracks of the old bridge and into the floodwaters, resulting in 2 casualties. Plans began to circulate, and construction officially began to build the new Burdekin River Bridge in 1947.

In 1957, the new Burdekin River Bridge as it now stands, officially opened after 10 years of construction and planning. Supported by waterproof concrete caissons sunk 30 meters below the riverbed, the bridge measures just over 1100 meters and continues to serve as a flood-free “Silver Link”, connecting Queensland’s coastal highway.

Due to the uneconomic repercussions removing the structure would impose, the decision was made to leave the bridge where it continues to naturally deteriorate, eroding into the riverbed. A historical and nostalgic structure, what remains of the old Burdekin River Rail Bridge holds a listing on the Queensland Heritage Register, and a place in Burdekin history.

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A Queensland Rail Sunshine Express train traversed in floodwaters over the old Burdekin River Rail Bridge in 1946
The Western line of the old Burdekin River Rail Bridge between Sellheim and Macrossan
Flood damage on the Burdekin River Rail Bridge in 1917
The old Burdekin River Rail Bridge was a destructive and dangerous hazard
An accurate title – the old Burdekin River Bridge was deemed a railway nightmare
The Burdekin River Rail Bridge in flood in 1875 – suspected to be the Western line at Sellheim
Steam trains often crossed the bridge during flood waters
Changing tides. The old and new Burdekin River Bridge side by side

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