Macquarie River railway bridge, Bathurst

The Macquarie River railway bridge is a heritage-listed disused railway bridge across the Macquarie River that was previously located on the Main Western line in Bathurst in the Bathurst Region local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1876. It is also known as Bathurst Rail Bridge over Macquarie River and Bathurst - Kelso Railway Bridge. The property is owned by RailCorp, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

History
The bridge opened with the extension of the railway line into Bathurst in April 1876. It was designed by John Whitton, with the ironwork by Messrs. Andrew Handyside & Co. of the Britannia Ironworks, Derby, imported from England by the contractor, William Mason.

Description
The Macquarie River underbridge is made of wrought iron with lattice girder.

The bridge was replaced by a concrete girder bridge that is located several metres downriver of the heritage-listed bridge.

Heritage listing
This is one of John Whitton's major 1870s wrought iron bridges and is an excellent example of early bridge construction. The lattice girder is one of Whittons original 12 bridges of that design and they represent the third stage of bridge construction in NSW following the stone viaduct and iron tubular bridges.

Bathurst rail bridge over Macquarie River was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.

The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

This item is assessed as historically rare. This item is assessed as scientifically rare. This item is assessed as arch. rare. This item is assessed as socially rare.