| Richmond Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Carries | Motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles |
| Crosses | Coal River |
| Locale | Richmond, Tasmania |
| Total length | 41m (135ft) |
| Width | 7.2m (25ft) |
| Longest span | Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources |
| Opened | 1825 |
The Richmond Bridge is a heritage listed arch bridge located on the B31 ("Convict Trail") in Richmond, 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) north of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia. It is the oldest bridge still in use in Australia.
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The foundation stone for the Richmond Bridge was laid on 11 December 1823 and construction continued using convict labour until completion in 1825. The bridge was originally named Bigge's Bridge after Royal Commissioner, John Thomas Bigge, who recognised the need for the bridge in 1820.
In 2005, the bridge was recognised as an outstanding historic place and added to the Australian National Heritage List.
The Richmond Bridge is constructed of sandstone quarried from Butchers Hill, hauled to the construction site by convicts using hand carts. It consists of four main arches, of span 4.3, 8.1, 8.3, 8.5, 8.3 and 4.1 metres (14.1, 26.6, 27.2, 27.9, 27.2, and 13.5 ft) respectively, which spring from sloping fins with angular leading edges aligned with the flow of to the lake
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