History & Heritage

One of Australia’s most bizarre shipwrecks must be the tragic collision of the MV Lake Illawarra (a 7274-ton bulk ore carrier) with the Tasman Bridge, in Hobart, on the evening of January 5, 1975.
The Tasman Bridge opened to traffic in August 1964, as a four-lane, high-level concrete bridge with a central navigation span for shipping.

Just before 9:30pm, as it sailed up the River Derwent, the Lake Illawarra struck two pylons on the eastern end of the bridge, bringing the concrete roadway crashing down onto the deck. Seven crew members were killed and four cars ran over the gap in the bridge; five car occupants were killed and several others were left to scramble for their lives as their vehicles teetered on the edge of the gap. The ship sank in deep water a short distance to the south of the bridge where its wreckage can be found today.

An inquiry found the captain of the Lake Illawarra had been off course, partly due to tidal currents and partly due to inattention. Following the findings, a pilot service was introduced for all ships passing under the bridge.

The impact of the bridge collapse was quickly felt as Hobart was suddenly cut in two. Eastern shore residents were severely compromised; most of the city’s hospitals, schools, businesses and government offices were located on the western shore.

The Tasmanian Government, Emergency Services and Police were forced to swing into action quickly. The Sullivans Cove Ferry Company began running their vessels within an hour of the bridge collapse and continued the service throughout the night of the disaster. By the next day, three private ferries and a government vessel were in operation.

Weeks after the collision a decision had been made to construct a temporary bridge north of the damaged Tasman Bridge, in order to restore a direct road link between Hobart and the eastern shore. The dual-lane Bailey Bridge was opened to traffic on 16 December 1975.

The Tasman Bridge took about two years to re-build at a cost of approximately $44 million. During the reconstruction the bridge was widened to carry five lanes and it was officially re-opened to the public on Saturday 8 October, 1977.