Prince Alfred Bridge Memorial
Where: O.I Bell Drive, Gundagai
Once one of Gundagai’s most recognisable landmarks, the Prince Alfred Bridge connected North and South Gundagai across the Murrumbidgee River and its vast floodplain for generations.
Before the bridge was built, crossing the Murrumbidgee relied largely on punts and was heavily dependent on river conditions. Growing settlement and increasing traffic created pressure for a permanent crossing, and after years of campaigning, construction of a bridge began during the 1860s.
The new crossing was named the Prince Alfred Bridge, in honour of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. It officially opened on 20 October 1867 with celebrations attended by residents from across the district.
The original river crossing incorporated iron spans, while extensive timber approaches carried the roadway across the floodplain. Over the following decades the approaches were altered and extended, eventually creating the long timber viaduct that became such a familiar feature of Gundagai.
For more than a century, the bridge provided a vital connection between North and South Gundagai. It survived repeated flooding of the Murrumbidgee and became an important part of the town’s identity as well as its transport history.
The opening of the Sheahan Bridge on 25 March 1977 provided a new highway crossing and ended the Prince Alfred Bridge’s role as part of the main road south. The historic bridge was subsequently retained, with strong community efforts over many years advocating for its preservation.
The Prince Alfred Bridge was demolished in November 2021, bringing an end to a structure that had been part of Gundagai’s landscape for more than 150 years.
Today, its story is preserved at the Prince Alfred Bridge Memorial on the Gundagai Common, O.I. Bell Drive. The memorial provides visitors with an opportunity to discover the history of the bridge and its importance to Gundagai.
Nearby, the historic Railway Bridge and viaduct remain standing across the Murrumbidgee floodplain, continuing the story of the remarkable engineering structures that once crossed this landscape side by side.
