An iconic piece of Gisborne’s railway history will be given a new life, with the former rail bridge between the city and Inner Harbour being transformed into a dedicated pedestrian walkway.
Funded by Trust Tairāwhiti and delivered by Eastland Port, the project will transform an underutilised historic structure into a safer and more welcoming community connection.
The project will see the railway tracks, sleepers and ballast removed, new handrails installed along both sides of the bridge, and concrete paths constructed to connect with the existing walkways at each end.
Work is expected to begin in October and the bridge will be closed to the public for several weeks while the work is being undertaken.
Eastland Port Chief Executive Andrew Gaddum says, “This bridge has been part of Gisborne’s landscape for around 100 years. Although it is no longer required for port operations, people regularly use it to walk between the city and the Inner Harbour.
“Formalising it as a pedestrian walkway will make that journey considerably safer and create a much better connection between the city and commercial areas, our wider walkway network, and the bars, restaurants and attractions of the Inner Harbour.
“It is incredibly exciting to be giving such a unique and much-loved Gisborne structure a new purpose. This is an investment in our community and an opportunity to create something that people can use and be proud of for generations to come.
“We also hope the project will be a catalyst for further investment and activity around the Inner Harbour and riverfront, helping make the area an even more welcoming and vibrant place for our community and visitors.”
Trust Tairāwhiti Chief Executive Doug Jones says the project supports priorities in the Tairāwhiti Destination Management Plan by strengthening local infrastructure while also enhancing the visitor experience.
“This will create a scenic and welcoming walking route between the inner harbour and city, particularly for cruise ship passengers exploring Gisborne on foot. Just as importantly, it will provide a much safer connection for local whānau who use the bridge regularly.”
Built in the mid-1920s as part of a major redevelopment of Gisborne’s port and river entrance, the bridge connected the region’s railway network with the port and enabled goods to be transported to and from ships.
Its distinctive curved concrete design makes it an unusual structure in New Zealand, and it is recognised as a Category 2 historic place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
The project has the support of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and Heritage Tairāwhiti.
Heritage Tairāwhiti chair Sheridan Gundry sees the move as positive adaptive reuse of a historic structure.
“Eastland Port’s plan will enhance the bridge, which is a familiar and valued part of the townscape along the river. This will not detract from its historic commercial importance to the district, as the means of direct goods transport to the port, used for several decades. Neither will it detract from the bridge’s value as an attractive part of today's townscape. We look forward to this new use for our historic rail bridge.”
Universal Engineering has been appointed as the lead contractor. Handrails will be installed first to provide edge protection while the railway infrastructure is removed. The existing concrete bridge deck will then become the walkway, with new concrete connections constructed at both ends.
