The Jervois Bridge-Keepers Gallery comes home

From 1878 to 1969 the Bridge-Keeper's gallery stood in the centre of the original Jervois Bridge, which linked St Vincent Street and Hart Street across the Port River.

The wooden octagonal control box was added to the gallery in 1880. Using levers within the box, the bridge-keeper would operate the machinery that opened and closed the central span of the swing bridge to enable the passage of ships along this section of the river.

From 1878 to 1969 the gallery stood in the centre of the original Jervois Bridge, which linked St Vincent Street and Hart Street across the Port River.

The wooden octagonal control box was added to the gallery in 1880. Using levers within the box, the bridge-keeper would operate the machinery that opened and closed the central span of the swing bridge to enable the passage of ships along this section of the river.

When the bridge was replaced with a fixed bridge in 1969, the gallery was transferred to the council depot in Exeter, and after some restoration was installed in Nile Street, originally to act as a gateway to a marine heritage precinct in the vicinity of Queens Wharf.

Developments adjacent to the car park area in 2016-2019 required the relocation of the gallery again, and provided the opportunity to fully restore the iconic artefact, which was undertaken offsite.

The City of Port Adelaide Enfield on the 29th January 2022, after extensive restoration work, the installed the Bridge-Keepers galley facing, and adjacent to its old home. 

Phil Winter will present the history of the Jervois Bridge, focusing on the restoration of the Bridge Keepers Gallery.