Dickabram Bridge

The Dickabram Bridge over the Mary River was the major bridge on the Kingaroy branch railway line. The contract for construction of the line to Kilkivan was awarded to McDermott, Owens & Company on 8 August 1884, the contract to be completed by the 1st June 1886.  This contract Included several other bridges, drainage structures, formation & track consisting of a total length of railway of {{Convert|26|mi|lk=on}} {{Convert|35|chain|m|lk=on}} and 2 links.{{Cite web |title=Centenary of the Dickabram Bridge {{!}} Monument Australia |url=https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/technology/industry/display/99766-centenary-of-the-dickabram-bridge |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=monumentaustralia.org.au}} Work was delayed in 1885 awaiting casting of the cylindrical piers for the central spans. During construction it was known as the Kilkivan railway bridge, and at least one worker died, as well as two children of workers drowning.{{cite news |date=2 April 1886 |title=COUNTRY MAILS. |volume=XLI |page=2 |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |issue=8,803 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4487273 |accessdate=29 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Carlie |date=19 May 2017 |title=Bridge with worker entombed to undergo renovation |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/fraser-coast/bridge-with-worker-entombed-to-undergo-renovation/news-story/8d305feb2b2d7b255d94e9085f9538de |access-date=29 October 2022 |website=The Courier Mail}} The bridge was tested in November 1886 with a two-engine train. The line opened for traffic between Dickabram and Kilkivan on 6 December 1886.

The original road bridge across the Mary River at Miva had opened on 30 October 1878. This bridge was damaged by floods in July 1879 and swept away by floods in February 1880. A replacement road bridge was swept away by floods in October 1882. Prior to these bridges a punt had operated at the crossing.{{cite news |date=6 July 1870 |title=LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS |volume=III |page=3 |newspaper=Gympie Times And Mary River Mining Gazette |issue=272 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168850340 |accessdate=5 November 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}}

It was provided in December 1882 that the proposed rail bridge be built to carry road traffic as well. Because of the delay in opening access roads it was March 1889 before it opened to road traffic.

The steel and timber truss bridge, built by McDermott, Owens & Co., was completed in November 1886 and the line opened for traffic between Dickabram and Kilkivan on 6 December 1886.

The name of the bridge comes from a local Aboriginal word dickabram meaning sweet potato that grew along the river flats there. The bridge decking was submerged under water only once during the 1893 floods.{{cite news|url=http://www.frasercoastonline.com.au/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=128&Itemid=196 |title=Dickabram Bridge |date=9 February 2009 |publisher=Fraser Coast Online |access-date=3 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221130515/http://www.frasercoastonline.com.au/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=128&Itemid=196 |archive-date=21 February 2011 |df=dmy }}

The bridge has remained in use without substantial modification. Work since its completion includes undertrussing a {{convert|36|ft|adj=on}} span in 1911, strengthening the {{convert|26|and|36|ft|adj=on}} spans for C17 locomotives in 1935, a concrete base for pier 9 in 1968, and scour protection in 1976. Work strengthening the line from PB15 to C17 standard was completed between 1933 and 1935. Diesel electric locomotives were first permitted in 1977. The decking has been modified by adding a kerb in the 1970s–80s to separate road and rail traffic to save the need for a gatekeeper to control road traffic.

The extensive restoration of the bridge, involving replacement of hardwood timber beams and decking, was completed in April 2009.

Rehabilitation works were carried out in 2017-2019 by the Department of Transport and Main Roads. This involved replacing some of the aged timber girders, decking, piles and other structural elements and re-painting the steel elements with a coating applied to protect the structure from further corrosion.{{Cite news |date=May 2017 |title=Dickabram Bridge rehabilitation works project flyer |work= |publisher=Queensland Government |department=Department of Transport and Main Roads |url= |access-date=}} In 2018 the smaller and less complex pier 8 was rehabilitated. The project team identified issues and mitigation measures required before dismantling and in January 2019 starting work on the larger pier 11.{{Cite news |last= |date=January 2019 |title=Rehabilitation works on heritage-listed Dickabram Bridge Project update |publisher=Queensland Government |department=Department of Transport and Main Roads}}

A plaque was erected on 12 October 1986, as an Australian Bicentenary Project to commemorate the historical significance and the centenary of the Dickabram Bridge.

The Kingaroy to Theebine railway was used for agriculture and commercial freight as well as transporting passengers and was one of the first branch lines built in Queensland. The Theebine to Kingaroy line was officially closed in early 2010.{{Cite web |last=Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail Brochure v4 |title=Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail |url=https://www.gympie.qld.gov.au/kilkivan-kingaroy-rail-trail/kilkivan-kingaroy-rail-trail-1 |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=Gympie Regional Council |language=en}}

The Dickabram Bridge over the Mary River is {{convert|191|m}} long and stands {{convert|23|m}} above the Mary River. All spans are metal trusses except for the {{convert|11|m|adj=on}} approach spans which are tied timber girders. The two river piers are cast iron cylinders; the remaining piers and road deck are timber. It comprises two {{convert|80|ft|adj=on}} parallel chord lattice girder spans either side of a {{convert|120|ft|adj=on}} hogback lattice girder span, having steel cross girders, supported on two cylinder piers and two double timber piers.

Dickabram Bridge was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.

The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.

The bridge is a late 19th-century and essentially unmodified high level road-rail bridge with half-through double by 2 lattice girder approach spans and hogback through double x 2 lattice girder main spans. It was constructed on the site of several low-level bridges that had been destroyed by floods.

The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.

It is one of the few extant road-rail bridges in Queensland.

The place is important in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period.

It is the oldest extant of its type in Queensland with the longest hogback span of its type in Queensland.

The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.

Its design was associated with the Chief Engineer, Henry C. Stanley.

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{{Australian railway bridges|state=autocollapse}}

Category:Bridges in Queensland

Category:Bridges completed in 1886

Category:Road-rail bridges

Category:Queensland places listed on the defunct Register of the National Estate

Category:Queensland Heritage Register

Category:Mary River (Queensland)

Category:Railway bridges in Queensland

Category:Truss bridges in Australia

Category:Articles incorporating text from the Queensland Heritage Register

Category:Gympie Region