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It was one of New Zealand’s largest coalmines, with a tragic history. The Brunner mine on the South Island’s west coast is a haunting reminder of the country’s mining past. It’s also home to one of New Zealand’s most interesting suspension bridges. BY PAUL HALTON
Getting the coal from Brunner to Greymouth proved problematic, as a lack of access meant the coal had to be shipped down the river on barges. In the 1870s Prime Minster Julius Vogel’s, Public Works Programme provided the solution. The programme aimed to improve rail lines, especially in areas that would benefit the mining industry, and Brunner fitted the bill. A bridge over the river would allow the mines to be linked to the rail network, allowing faster transportation of the coal. New Zealand Historic Places Trust regional property manager, Alan Joliffe, says the bridge was vital to the rapidly expanding region. “There were coalmines on both sides of the Grey River, but the Brunner side was the main area. The bridge formed an integral link from the mines to the railway lines on far side, where the coal would be taken to Grey Harbour or over to Christchurch.” The Public Works Department decided to try something new at Brunner, designing its first suspension bridge. The bridge measured more than 90 metres, with a wooden box girder truss construction with splayed cables. The original contractor was EB Garvin. Built in 1876, the first bridge did not last long. A few weeks prior to opening, the anchor plates at one end failed, sending the structure crashing into the river below. Workers salvaged what they could and the bridge was completed a few months later. However, the dimensions and lightweight construction of the bridge meant the heavy train engines could not cross, instead horses pulled the coal wagons. In what proved to be an unpopular move, the bridge was tolled in 1879. The tolls were eventually removed seven years later as a result of protests from locals. In 1885, a pedestrian walkway was added across the top of the box girder trusses, to separate people from freight. Many miners used the bridge to get to work from the surrounding areas. In the same year, the Brunner mine became the first mine to exceed an annual output of 100,000 tons. The Brunner bridge was closed on a number of occasions, in 1921 it closed to vehicles but pedestrians were allowed to cross at their own risk. The mine officially closed five months later. In the 1920s the Brunnerton Borough Council took responsibility for it and replaced the suspension cables. Major work in the 1960s saw the Bailey bridge trusses overlaid on the existing deck and the timber towers were replaced by steel. This continual process of renewal means that very little remains of the original bridge. The bridge continued to be in regular use until 1978, when a road bridge was opened just upstream at Stillwater. Over the years the Brunner bridge slowly fell into a state of disrepair, with the perishable wooden structure decaying. Responsibility for the bridge passed through successive local bodies before falling to the Grey District Council. In 1996, the bridge failed an engineering inspection and was closed. A plan was then hatched to save the historic structure, which was in a bad way, says Joliffe. “It was dangerous, unstable and really quite run down,” he says. So the Grey District Council, the Historic Places Trust and the Department of Conservation joined together to form the Brunner site co-ordinating committee, to organise, fund and oversee the bridge restoration. Funding for the bridge has come many places, including contributions from the Lotteries Grants Board and the Environment and Heritage Committee. Completing the project was joint effort between MWH Consulting Engineers and Works Infrastructure. This included removing the bridge and its two steel towers. The rebuild started with the construction of the two towers, followed by the adding of the cables. The treated radiata pine box girder trusses were reinstated in sections. The first two sections were reinstated from the Taylorville side of the river using a mobile crane. The remaining sections were then winched out from the Tyneside side of the river. Difficulties positioning the truss sections of the bridge forced the opening of the bridge to be postponed for a month. The ceremony went ahead in March 2004. Joliffe describes the bridge as, “practical rather than beautiful”. It’s the bridge’s history and location that make it a tourist draw card, attracting more than 30,000 visitors a year. “It provides the link from State Highway 2 into the historical industrial Brunner complex. It’s offers great views down the valley, and in the future we hope to do more with the bridge to tell the story of mining and coal transportation,” he says. Although a piece of New Zealand’s industrial history, the Brunner mine will always be remembered for the tragic events of 1896, when a gas explosion deep in the mine killed 65 miners. A Commission of Inquiry initially blamed the miners, but prolonged litigation found the mine owners responsible. It was New Zealand’s worst ever mining accident. The Brunner mine has a category one status with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, and the bridge is category two. This means the mine and bridge are areas of great historical importance to be preserved. • Thanks to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust for assisting with this article. Contractor Vol.31 No.2 March 2007 All articles on this website are copyright to Contrafed Publishing Co. Ltd.
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The Brunner coalmine opened in 1864. It sits in a valley dissected by the Grey River, 13 kilometres from Greymouth.