Heritage lamps removed from Junee’s Kemp Street bridge

THE first heritage pieces of Junee’s old Kemp Street bridge have been carefully removed, marking the beginning of a long-awaited farewell to one of the town’s most iconic structures.

On Tuesday morning, crews moved in to extract the four vintage lamp posts that have framed either end of the bridge deck since 1945.

They’re the first heritage elements to be salvaged ahead of this weekend’s demolition blitz.

READ MORE: The history of Kemp Street bridge

Installed by the Railway Department when the bridge first opened, the iconic green lamps have lit the crossing for more than eight decades, standing watch over generations of Junee locals.

Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Positioned in pairs at either end of the deck, the lamps were separated from their original red brick pillars before being gently lifted by crane and lowered to the ground for the first time in 80 years.

Although the lamps won’t be used to light the new bridge, Inland Rail says it hopes to incorporate them into the landscaping design if their condition allows.

WATCH: See what the new bridge will look like

The four lights will now be stored in custom-made boxes for safekeeping, while the ageing bridge is cut up and removed to make way for its modern replacement.

The surprise removal caught some locals off guard, with several stopping to watch as the lamps were lifted — a quiet but poignant moment in the bridge’s final chapter.

Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Photo: © The Junee Bulletin

Activity around the site has steadily increased since the crossing closed to traffic on Friday night, and will continue to ramp up in the lead-up to this weekend’s 60-hour demolition.

The bridge was closed a week early to allow time for site establishment and preparation, enabling crews to begin dismantling the structure as soon as the rail possession begins at 6am on Saturday, September 13.

READ MORE: Demolition to start 6am Saturday