The Old Bridge Piers, Clutha River

The Old Bridge Piers are the remains of the original Alexandra Bridge, which was completed in 1882 at a cost of £16,111 ($32,222). This bridge crossed the mighty Clutha River, New Zealand's largest river by volume and second longest at 338km.

The piers were constructed of schist stone quarried locally. The total height of the piers is 29.48metres with 6.8metres beneath the present water level. The construction of this bridge was a huge task when you consider the size of the river and the tools available at the time of construction.

The very first method of crossing the river was a packing case on a cable. This method was superseded by a punt, which ferried people across the river. The name Clutha is taken from Scotland's Clyde River - Clutha being Gaelic for Clyde. To the Maori people the river was Mata-au (surfaced current).