March 2026
This is all that’s left of the Centenary Bridge that once formed the entrance to Station Pier – it was a rather huge thing, designed to carry motor traffic along the beach road – over the many rail lines that once ran to and onto the pier (pic 11) – and also down to the pier itself.
When the pier was rebuilt in the early 20s something like this was planned, but not built until 1934, prompted by the impending visit of the Duke of Gloucester (Prince Henry) for Victoria’s centenary celebrations in 1934-5. He arrived at Princes Pier (now just a stub) and was driven over the new bridge though it didn’t open to general traffic for another year.
It was all concrete and pretty much like a wall for much of its very long ramps, but had some Art Deco style, especially the pylons and the nice lamps, which seems to be gone by the 60s. The MTH stands for the Melbourne Harbour Trust which built it. The area behind and to the west was largely railyards and storage, all redundant by the 1980s, so of course a comprehensive redevelopment was planned. The bridge was in the way so it was demolished in 1990, to allow for the rather flawed Beacon Cove townhouses and towers.
Would have been nice to keep a little more somehow. There’s a bunch of photos of it from various periods I found on Facebook, especially thanks to the train enthusiasts and Port Melbourne historians.
Storey of Melbourne 