A marvel of engineering. That’s the Wairau Creek Bridge. It connects Milford Reserve to Beach Road. This wasn’t always so.
The Wairau Creek Bridge wasn’t the first bridge here. A temporary footbridge existed as early as 1923. It was a simple structure. It had to be high enough for boats to pass underneath. The creek allowed access for scows and sailing vessels. They travelled as far as Sheriff’s Gum Store. This was at the lower end of Shakespeare Road.
Local residents needed better access to Milford Beach. They wanted a permanent crossing. The Auckland Star newspaper reported their desire for this. A new bridge was built. The Public Works Department completed it in 1923. It cost £270. The Castor Oil Bay Company the Takapuna Borough Council and the Waitemata County Council shared the costs.
This original bridge needed repairs in 1933. The lower steps were weak. They extended them outwards. This created a platform. Swimmers used it as a diving platform. A stone embankment and breakwater were added. This improved the beach and reserve. A stone groyne was built in the 1960s.
The original bridge fell into disrepair. It was unsafe. Demolition was needed. A tow truck pulled it down in May 1975. The Wairau Creek Bridge we see today replaced it in 2015.
The new Wairau Creek Bridge cost $3.1 million. It’s a modern drawbridge. It allows boats to enter the Milford Marina. Walkers can now easily stroll from the headland to the beach. This is after a forty-year break. A dawn blessing officially opened the current Wairau Creek Bridge. Local residents and officials attended. This vital link for walkers and cyclists connects Castor Bay and Milford. It’s a sustainable transport connection. The Wairau Creek Bridge is more than a bridge. It’s a connection. It unites a community. It’s a symbol of progress and access.