The Trestle Bridge

Trestle Bridge Bloedel Reserve -- The curved benches give guests a place to rest and listen to the small stream below.

A Shady Rest Stop

Near the Buxton Bird Marsh, guests will find a large wooden footbridge tucked into the woods and spanning a ravine. This structure is Bloedel Reserve’s Trestle Bridge. A graceful curving structure, it offers guests a shady place to rest with a view of a small stream and lush green forest vegetation.

Construction of the trestle bridge started in 1992, making the bridge about 28 years old. Back then, as now, the only vehicular access to the area was by the dirt and gravel road running between the Sheep Sheds and the Bird Marsh. Unfortunately, this road can not support heavy machinery such as cranes. As a result, the Trestle Bridge was built entirely without the use of heavy machinery.

Strong and Sturdy

Despite the lack of machinery used in its construction, the bridge is very strong and able to support the utility vehicles used by the grounds and facilities staff. The wooden planks and pilings are made of Douglas fir. The handrails are jarrah, a dark wood from the Eucalyptus marginata, a tree native to southwestern Australia.

Underneath the bridge, hidden from view, are stout beams supporting the bridge planks. These beams rest on concrete pilings. The bridge is held together by large metal bolts and hardware.

Bloedel Reserve Emblem

A Nod to the Past

In the center of the bridge is a large, round bronze plate bearing the original logo for Bloedel Reserve. The fan-like design in the middle is inspired by the architectural detail found over the ground floor windows of the Residence. This design can also be found on the ends of the bridge’s benches.

Maintaining the bridge is not too complicated. The walking surfaces are scrubbed a few times a year to combat the build-up of slippery algae. Leaves and debris are swept off as needed. Once a year, tensioning cables and structural elements underneath the bridge are inspected to make sure that the bridge is safe to use. After almost 30 years, it has held up well and continues to be one of the Reserve’s most striking features.

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