Dec 2019, Yackandandah, Vic
You’d have to be pretty cheesed off wouldn’t you? If you’d just spent a year or so building this fine bridge, another obstacle overcome in the 1000 or so kilometre road between Melbourne and Sydney, when someone higher up the pecking order decides to change the route to Chiltern. Chiltern for heaven’s sake! I wonder if a few pockets were greased in the process?
The stone bridge was built in 1859 and 1860 when this was the Melbourne to Sydney road passing through the gold towns of Beechworth and Yackandandah. Upon completion it was decided that Chiltern (40kms to the west) would be a more practical route.
One wonders if this decision helped to isolate Yackandandah from the hordes and preserve its beauty for future generations.
itchingforhitching 
Beautiful old bridge, probably all the better for the detour 🙂 I’ve just read a book by Aussie author Joanna Baker who sets her stories in Yackandandah and Beechworth.
LikeLike
Thanks for the tip, I’ll check them out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a stunning bridge. We detour regularly here in Greece to see old bridges – some are ancient and all no long accommodate modern roads since they were constructed for animal or cart travel. Yackandandah, with its history and its preserved beauty, sounds like an interesting place to explore.
LikeLike
It is an interesting town.
LikeLike
I live in Yack, and our bridge is beautiful. It’s a pity indigo shire plonked a concrete skate park directly in front of the bridge. It’s an eyesore.
LikeLike
How thoughtful of them!
LikeLike