The Princes Bridge you see today is the third bridge across the river at this point. Before bridges were built at this site, Indigenous people crossed the river by a shallow ford, then, in 1838, William Watts operated the first rope-hauled flat-bottomed punt service at this major crossing point of the river.

The original bridge was built in 1845 as a privately-owned wooden trestle toll bridge. The first permanent, free bridge was built of sandstone and incorporated the longest stone arch ever built in Australia. The bridge was formally opened in November 1850 by Lieutenant-Governor La Trobe, who named the bridge in honour of the then Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, and the name has remained.

Thirty years later, the sandstone bridge had to be replaced as part of the widening of the Yarra River due to flood problems, and to deal with increased traffic from the southern suburbs. Opened with fanfare in 1888, the current bridge was designed by architect John Grainger and was loosely-based on Blackfriars Bridge in London. Solid bluestone basalt pillars support the three arched spans which are decorated with Melbourne’s earlier Coat of Arms: a fleece, a bull and a whale, Melbourne’s principal exports at the time and significantly, the image of a ship indicates the critical importance of sea transportation to the burgeoning port city Melbourne.

Princes Bridge is of historical significance for its role in the early establishment of main thoroughfares in and around the city. In 1885, seven municipalities agreed to contribute to the cost of the bridge and its construction provided an important link between the city and ships anchored in Port Phillip Bay. These early thoroughfares, and in particular river crossings contributed greatly in forming the shape of the city. The bridge played a significant role in linking port, recreational and industrial facilities with the city, facilitating the economic, suburban, and demographic development of Melbourne.

FURTHER READING

• https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/817
• https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01189b.htm

IMAGE CREDITS
Princes Bridge, photographer Jeff Malley 2022
Bridge over the Yarra River, lithograph by Thomas Ham, 1850, Royal Historical Society of Victoria

STOP 5  >

More bridges over the Birrarung / Yarra