The Charleyong Bridge over the Mongarlowe River at Marlowe has been removed from the NSW Heritage List and is now to be demolished when the Nerriga Road is realigned and a new concrete bridge constructed by the Roads and Maritime Authority. 

The new bridge will be well upstream of the present structure which was built in 1901 using a new wooden truss design by Government Engineer Percy Allen.

The bridge is on the Historic Old Wool Road and opened up the district to the coastal ports at Jervis bay.

 In the last three years a large amount of money has been spent strengthening the bridge with steel supports, the deck has been replaced, all damaged timbers replaced and the paint stripped and repainted.

It is now claimed that the bridge is in poor repair and does not meet modern load standards, apparently it is able to meet modern standards until 2019 when the new bridge will be built after which time it will not have vehicular traffic.

 The old Charleyong Recreational Ground with its cricket pitch and remnant tennis court is still in public ownership. The Recreation Ground would make an excellent picnic and rest ground for locals and tourists to admire the magnificent workmanship and design of a bygone era on the banks of the Mongarlowe River.

Bill Chalmers, Tomboye

NOTE: Funding for the project forms part of the NSW Government’s Bridges for the Bush Program, with $1 million allocated in the 2015/16 budget. See www.rms.nsw.gov.au