Tas That Was – Tasman Bridge (1970)

This photograph of the Tasman Bridge was snapped at some point in 1970.

The bridge was still fairly new at this time (it opened in 1965), and the liftspan of its predecessor, the floating Hobart Bridge, hadn’t been removed yet. (It can be seen at the right of the Tasman Bridge.)

Five years after the photograph was taken, the SS Lake Illawarra infamously collided with the Tasman Bridge, causing a section of it to collapse. It was reconstructed, and the Bowen Bridge was built as a back-up in case something happens to the Tasman Bridge again.

Tas That Was is a column that includes:

• anecdotes of life in Tasmania in the past;
• historical photographs of locations in Tasmania; and/or
• documentaries about locations in Tasmania.

If you have an anecdote or photograph you’d like to share with us, please send it to submit@tasmaniantimes.com.

Callum J. Jones is passionate about telling stories. He studied English, History, and Journalism at the University of Tasmania and lived in Western Sydney from 2022 to 2024 while working as a journalist for Professional Planner, a leading online publication for financial planners. Callum has written for Tasmanian Times since 2018 and has also been published in a range of other outlets, including Quadrant and the BAD Western Sydney anthologies.