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Home » Themes » Disaster » Land Transport
40th Anniversary of the Tasman Bridge DisasterPrint Page 
The Tasman Bridge was open to traffic in August 1964. It was a four-lane, high level concrete bridge constructed with a central navigation span for shipping. Prior to 1964, a floating bridge spanned the Derwent.
On Sunday, 5 January 1975 at 9.27 p.m. the bulk carrier Lake Illawarra collided with the Tasman Bridge. Two piers collapsed along with 127 metres of bridge decking. Four cars ran over the gap into the Derwent River, five occupants died while several others managed to escape from two vehicles which teetered on the edge of the gap. Seven crewmen from the Lake Illawarra also lost their lives. The impact of the bridge collapse was quickly felt as Hobart was suddenly cut in two. Eastern shore residents were severely compromised, transport facilities were tested and to compound the issue further, most hospitals, schools, businesses and government offices were located on the western shore.
Location
| Address: | Tasman Highway, Tasman Bridge, Southern side footpath at the position of collapsed span, Montagu Bay, 7018 |
|---|---|
| State: | TAS |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -42.864592 Long: 147.347601 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Disaster |
| Sub-Theme: | Land Transport |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 05-January-1975 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 05-January-1975 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Thursday 5th February, 2015 |
|---|
This plaque marks the section of bridge
which fell in the Tasman Bridge disaster
on 5 January 1975 at 9.27pm.
Placed here by the Lord Mayor of Hobart
and the Mayor of Clarence
to mark the 40th anniversary of the event
which changed our cities and claimed 12 lives.
