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Story: South Canterbury region

Waitaki River bridge

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Waitaki River bridge

The bridging of South Canterbury’s wide, braided rivers made travel easier and faster. Initially the bridges carried both rail and vehicular traffic. This car crossing the 2-kilometre Waitaki Bridge, around 1914, is heading for Glenavy. The elevated structure houses water tanks, in case of fire on the bridge.

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South Canterbury Museum

Reference: 4074

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How to cite this page

John Wilson, South Canterbury region – Transport and towns, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11394/waitaki-river-bridge (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by John Wilson, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 February 2017.