The first bridge across the Apsley River at Walcha was a community-funded footbridge erected in 1863 at “the usual crossing place in Fitzroy Street”.
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Despite the decking being 12 feet (3.6 metres) above the normal river level, the bridge was completely washed away in the great flood of February 1864.
The 1864 flood also caused the government to fast track existing plans for the village’s first road bridge with Reid and Mason being awarded a contract late in December 1864 to build a timber bridge across the Apsley River in Middle Street.
It was given its final inspection and declared open for traffic in September 1865.
A contract to build the first road bridge across the river in Fitzroy Street was awarded to William Sims in August 1889.
The bridge design incorporated two truss spans each 65 feet (20 metres) long while the carriageway was a meagre 15 feet (4.6 metres) wide.
During December 1889, the newly formed Walcha Municipal Council convinced the Department of Public Works that the design of the bridge had caused a narrowing of the river, which was liable to result in overflow during times of flood.
Walcha Council recommended that a 40 feet beam extension be added to both sides of the bridge to fix the problem. The extension added to the western side of the bridge can be seen in the photo.
The Armidale Express of March 31, 1891 included a progress report of the works that said: “Mr. Trueman, contractor for the approaches to the new bridge, is making good headway with the work.
“The structure is now crossable, both for foot-passengers and for vehicles. An old footbridge has been removed.”
Within 10 years of the bridge being built, council contacted the government road superintendent at Tamworth pointing out the possibility of the bridge collapsing due to rotting of the structural timbers.
The timber had been sourced from a local area where trees quickly grew to gigantic proportions but rarely reached maturity in a sound condition.
The bridge was torn down and replaced during 1908-1909 with the second Fitzroy Street Bridge remaining in service until the present bridge, built of concrete, was opened during 1975.
There have also been three bridges across the Apsley River in Middle Street.
The first, which opened in 1865, was demolished in 1928 to make way for a second timber bridge.
This bridge was demolished in 2005-2006 to make way for the relatively new concrete bridge now in use, which was opened in November 2006.
