Construction of the Goulburn River diversion under way in 1968. Source: Richard Smith
The Goulburn River once wound its way behind Welsford St from High St to Fryers St but in 1969 the river was redirected and partially filled in to create a new bridge, the High St extension and a new park named after Sir John Monash, an Australian civil engineer and military commander during World War I.
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Many would say this was environmental vandalism and it destroyed Shepparton’s main sandy beach and river swimming pool on the sharp bend of the river shown behind the Heritage Centre and old Scout Hall.
Goulburn River diverted in 1969. Photo: Contributed.
Lost Shepparton comments
William Ely
I remember going down and watching the huge earth-moving machines carving the new river bed. It was a pretty impressive project for a country town.
Len Ivey
A temporary wooden bridge was erected to span the Goulburn, it wasn’t that high above the waterline. I rode my bike over it and my wheels got caught between the wooden ‘treads’ and I was flipped into the river. I got washed under the bridge and once I regained the river bank I saw my bike was still trapped between the treads. I’m glad it was a low bridge, it may have been a different outcome if it was the normal road height.
Bill Mawson
Remember it well, was working with Mawson’s Construction and done some of the earthworks.
Goulburn River diverted at Monash Bridge. Photo: Contributed.
David Doyle
If I’m not mistaken the point of the exercise was to upgrade ageing bridges and to eliminate one entirely. The bridge over the cutting rebuilt/enlarged becoming the main bridge, the Fryers St bridge eliminated and a new entrance added to High St. The High St entrance and elimination of the river course wiped out the McGuire’s Punt bridge area (not the bridge). The area opposite the new Monash park, on the remaining part of the Goulburn River, is JayCee Park.
Clive G Reynolds
Civic vandalism on a grand scale — destruction of a historic bend of the river with a fabulous sandy beach and no respect to the heritage of McGuire’s Punt. Of a kind with council’s failure to protect the original post office. Why not simply widen the bridge?
Work on the Goulburn River diversion at the wharf. Photo: Contributed.
