Percy Burn Viaduct

Designer Unknown

The Percy Burn viaduct, completed in 1923, is one of the largest timber viaducts built in New Zealand. It is located in the Waitutu State Forest, 20 km west of Tuatapere in Southland.

The viaduct is made from Australian hardwood and is 125 m long by 35 m high. It was constructed by the Rope Construction Co and opened in 1923, but it is not known who the designer was. From 1918, Port Craig in Southland was the site of two Marlborough Timber Company mills. When built, one of these mills was the largest and most modern mill in New Zealand, capable of producing 7–8 million feet of timber per year. While the mills operated, the Maori land and some State forest between Port Craig and the Wairaurahiri River was logged, with the logs being transported by tram. The company erected four large viaducts to carry the tram rails over deep streams. The largest of these was the Percy Burn. The viaducts are good examples of early 20th century engineering, and remain as important relics of the sawmilling history in Southland. The Percy Burn viaduct now serves trampers walking the Humpridge track in the Waitutu State Forest and is under the care of the Department of Conservation. It has an Historic Places Trust Category 1 rating.

Location:

Port Craig, Southland, New Zealand

Reference:

Thornton, G. 2001. Bridging the Gap: Early Bridges in New Zealand 1830–1939. Auckland: Reed Books, a division of Reed Publishing (NZ) Ltd