Rangitikei River Bridge Number 75, as it was officially christened in 1925, was built to be practical and functional. But in the 21st century, we can now admire its engineering and celebrate its rarity – very few examples of this type of suspension bridge remain. It links us to the past in the same way that it once linked the local farming community to the outside work and the future.
In the early 1900s life was hazardous and rivers presented a daily trial for many in remote country areas. But it was economics, not safety, which drive the development of this bridge. A rough, winding track from Hastings reached the Rangitikei River as early as 1885 and the first car drove through the ford on route from Hastings to Taihape in 1908. A footbridge was shifted onsite in 1903, but a reliable vehicle crossing was needed if the farmers were to get their produce (wool and meat) over the river and out to the port in Napier.
The need became increasingly urgent after World War I as more and more remote areas such as the Rangitikei were wanted for farming. In 1922, Sydney Mair of the Rangitikei County Council up plans and William Salt of Wanganui was contracted to build the bridge. Construction started in early 1923 and the bridge opening in April 1925. It became widely known as the Erewhon Bridge (after the well-know sheep station nearby) and, later, the Springvale bridge.
Despite the rough and winding nature of the road, it got a lot of use and after 45 years of service, the suspension bridge was not longer considered safe for heavy traffic. In 1970 the road was realigned and a new bridge built alongside the old one. Saved from demolition by Tony Batley of Moawhango, the bridge has been managed by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust since 1974. It is registered as a Category II historic place.
Springvale Bridge is on the Napier-Taihape Road (also know as the Gentle Annie Road). This remote route is 150km, which includes 30km of gravel road. The Gentle Annie Road is a road full of history and amazing views of some of New Zealand’s most beautiful countryside. It is not suitable for caravans. On the trip you can also see Moawhango, with its carved meeting house and memorial chapel, go past some of New Zealand’s largest sheep stations and see the Rangitikei River, which is popular for fishing, canoeing, jet boating and white-water rafting, making its way through steep gorges. The Gentle Annie Road is popular with tourists wanting to see something ‘off the beaten track’, and Springvale Bridge is a popular place to stop en route.