Mittagong's two northern road bridges became danger zones

WHEN the railway came through in 1867, a level crossing was installed on the northern outskirts of Mittagong near Oaklands Boys School, formerly the Fitzroy Inn.

The single-track Southern Railway line from Picton proceeded through Hill Top and Colo Vale, approaching Mittagong from a westerly direction through Braemar.

To reach the station on the eastern side of town, it had to cross the Great Southern Road near Oaklands School.

This configuration changed in 1919 when the Southern Railway's Picton to Mittagong section was replaced with a more direct duplicated line.

The deviation's route closely followed the line of the Great Southern Road from Picton to Bargo and on to Yerrinbool, then passed through two tunnels to emerge at Aylmerton for an easterly approach into Mittagong.

The earlier line was kept in use for local train services and became known as the Loop Line.

The new main line, on its approach, had to cross to the western side of the Southern Road to then merge with the older line. The merged line then had to cross back over the road again to proceed into Mittagong.

So that road traffic would not be impeded, the Railways built two over-bridges in 1917 for the Southern Road. The first, located near Fergusons Nursery (now Ferguson Crescent), was known as Drabbles, being the name of a Mittagong alderman who owned land nearby.

From there, a 500-metre stretch of road proceeded past the Bong Bong Road turn-off and the Oaklands School, to reach the other over-bridge at the former level-crossing site near to which the Maltings barley process centre had opened in 1898.

This second bridge took road traffic back over the rail line to proceed into Mittagong. A track off to the west led to a sports oval, baths and, from the mid 1930s, golf and bowling clubs.

Despite council's objections, the two over-bridges were built at right angles to the rail line (as were all railway bridges at the time) with sharp approach and exit bends.

As expected, this stretch became problematic when traffic usage increased on the Southern Road, it being the main Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne road link and renamed the Hume Highway in 1928.

FROM the 1920s, local residents raised concerns about the increasing number of accidents occurring at the hazardous two bridges.

Appeals for a solution intensified and reports of incidents and deaths appeared on a regular basis in the Southern Mail and the Sydney Morning Herald.

It was not until 1963, however, that a bypass of the dangerous section eventually opened. An overview of this long drawn-out period, with selected newspaper reports, is presented here and continues in following articles.

Southern Mail February 1930: "Another serious accident has been added to the list of nearly a score which have occurred at the Maltings Bridge. Jack Maher, of Randwick, while riding a motorbike at high speed over the bridge on Sunday afternoon, collided with the fence, suffering a fractured left collar bone and head injuries.

He was conveyed to the District Hospital and is now progressing favourably. But for the new wire fence which has been substituted for a stiff fence, he would most probably have been killed."

Sydney Morning Herald January 1931: "A motor car driven by Michael Carren, of Goulburn, crashed through Maltings bridge and fell 30 feet. Carren received head injuries and is suffering badly from shock. Mrs Pass, of Marsden Street, Goulburn was severely injured internally. While Matron Roberts and Nurse Simmons, both of Bayview Mental Hospital in Tempe, are suffering from shock and extensive bodily injuries. Mrs Pass's six weeks' old infant was uninjured. All were passengers in the car. During the past six months more than 30 accidents have occurred at this bridge."

Southern Mail October 1931: "Mittagong Council is still urging the Main Roads Board to cut out the dangerous piece of road at the Maltings bridge." This report continued that a survey undertaken for council proposed a deviation to leave the main road in front of the Maltings and, keeping to the western side of the railway, skirt right around the sports ground and golf links for about half a mile, and rejoin the main road beyond the over-bridge to the north.

Besides cutting out the two bridges, it was suggested this would give a better grade and a more direct route.

The Main Roads Board could not get funding, however, and its suggestion in the late 1930s that a deviation pass directly through golf links and bowling club land aroused local concerns. The matter dragged on.

To be continued

This article compiled by PHILIP MORTON is sourced from the archives of Berrima District Historical & Family History Society, Bowral Rd, Mittagong. Phone 4872 2169.

Email bdhsarchives@gmail.com.

Web: berrimadistricthistoricalsociety.org.au