For many years, while travelling on the Inner West Rail Line between Lewisham and Summer Hill, I had noticed a “spare bridge” sitting low down next to the railway line on the south side. I wondered what it was doing there. Thanks, to Chris from the Greenway Bird Group, I now know. She had given me a copy of Mark Sobolch’s book – “Hawthorne Canal, A History of Long Cove Creek“. It was a very interesting book to read and it also solved the mystery of that bit of bridge. It was a remnant of the Whipple Truss – a bridge built for the railway line that spanned Long Cove Creek at the bottom of Taverners Hill.
When the railway was constructed between Sydney and Parramatta, an impressive sandstone viaduct was built for the line to cross this valley. But, this bridge proved to be too expensive to maintain, so it was replaced with a truss type bridge. Rather than was typical of the times, an American design truss was used instead of a British design.
At the truss, I met up with John and his two sons Jasper and Seby. We walked back to his place further along the Greenway.
The history book also mentions an old water pipe – part of a water scheme to dam rivers in the upper Nepean to provide water for Sydney. This may be the old pipe –
And a few more photos alone the Greenway –
A Pacific Koel –
Amanita farinacea –
Australasian Figbird –
