Addresses
Type of place
Bridge
Period
Federation 1890-1914
Style
Stripped Classical
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Ithaca Bridge (near Mossvale Street)
Ithaca Bridge (near Mossvale Street)
Addresses
Type of place
Bridge
Period
Federation 1890-1914
Style
Stripped Classical
A timber bridge was built across Ithaca Creek circa 1876. Consideration was given to raising the bridge in the late 1880s. With the assistance of local MLA Mr Drake, the Shire of Ithaca was able to borrow in the 1898-99 financial year the some of £3000 for works that included bridging Ithaca Creek. Tenders were called initially in February 1899 however the shire Council reconsidered the design after a number of complaints of its inadequacy. It was not until June 1899 that tenders were finally called to build the bridge. The contract appears to have been awarded to J. Dawson, and the bridge was in operation by February 1900.
Geolocation
-27.449046 153.000227
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
StructurePeople/associations
J. Dawson (Builder)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (E) AestheticInteractive mapping
Geolocation
-27.449046 153.000227
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
StructurePeople/associations
J. Dawson (Builder)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (E) AestheticInteractive mapping
History
The thoroughfare now known as Waterworks Road was established as a track to Enoggera Reservoir, the first dam erected in Queensland and only the second in Australia. The track also serviced the scattered Enoggera diggings in the hills behind the Reservoir. The dam was completed in 1866. A cast iron pipeline was laid from the Reservoir to the service reservoirs on Wickham Terrace. The original pipeline intersects Waterworks Road at a number of points, one of which is at Walton Bridge, a dual arch bridge which was constructed at a similar time.
By the 1890s, the Reservoir had become a popular destination for picnics. Traffic increased on Waterworks Road and tramlines were extended into the Red Hill area between 1897-1904.
Ithaca Creek forms the border between Red Hill and Ashgrove and was named after the birthplace in Greece of Lady Bowen, wife of Queensland's first governor. Chinese market gardeners established their vegetable gardens on Ithaca Creek near aterworks Road before the turn of the century
The contract for erecting a bridge over Ithaca Creek was let in June 1899. The Brisbane Courier noted “The new bridge will greatly improve the highway at this point, as the road as to be raised 11 ft., and the gradient, which is now very steep and awkward, will be reduced to 1 in 15.”
Statement of significance
Relevant assessment criteria
This is a place of local heritage significance and meets one or more of the local heritage criteria under the Heritage planning scheme policy of the Brisbane City Plan 2014. It is significant because:
References
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Ann Wallin & Associates, Waterworks Road: A Cultural Heritage Report, unpublished report for Brisbane City Council, 1998
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Brisbane City Council, Ithaca Bridge Ashgrove, Conservation Management Study, 2002
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised June 2022)