Bridging Heritage
By Peter Smith — President, Braidwood & District Historical Society
Preserving a Historic Bridge
In 2024, the historic Allan truss bridge at Charleyong on the Nerriga Road was scheduled for demolition as part of the road upgrade. Braidwood & District Historical Society and others called for its preservation owing to its heritage value.
Built in 1901, the bridge replaced the long-used ford across the Mongarlowe River. That ford formed part of the Wool Road, an important transport route from the 1840s linking Braidwood and Goulburn to the port at Jervis Bay.
The Significance of Allan Truss Bridges
More than 400 timber truss road bridges were built in New South Wales between 1856 and 1936. Approximately 100 were Allan-type timber truss bridges, and only 10 are to be retained under the Transport for NSW Timber Truss Bridge Conservation Strategy.
The Allan truss was developed at a time when large timbers were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Percy Allan introduced two important innovations: timber detailing that allowed deteriorated sections to be replaced, and a splice connection in the bottom chord that was stronger than earlier designs. Together, these advances gave Allan bridges a life expectancy comparable to that of metal bridges.
From Bridge to Heritage Centre
Transport for NSW recognised the heritage value of the historic bridge, while residents also acknowledged the need for an upgrade. A compromise was reached: some of the bridge timbers were donated to the Braidwood Museum for use in the Braidwood Heritage Centre project.
A key part of that story is Moruya’s Tree Cycled, which offered its expertise through its timber recycling operation on Malabar Drive. Using timber and trees sourced through its sister company, Eurobodalla Tree Services, Tree Cycled creates reusable products ranging from mulch and firewood to furniture and construction timber.
In this project, Tree Cycled transformed timber from the Charleyong bridge into building materials for the Braidwood Heritage Centre’s new homestay accommodation at the rear of the Braidwood Museum. The result is a practical and symbolic continuation of the bridge’s life in the community.
A Night at the Museum
The homestay accommodation is now open for bookings at www.braidwoodmuseum.org.au offering visitors something special: a night at the museum.
In this way, the Charleyong bridge continues to serve the community even after its replacement—linking past and present through conservation, craftsmanship, and reuse. Its story reflects both the significance of New South Wales’ timber truss bridge heritage and the value of practical, local efforts to preserve that legacy for future generations.