More Info →Oroua River flood - 1897 37-12

The traffic and railway bridges across the Oroua River at Aorangi suffered considerably under the heavy flood waters on April 17th, 1897. The approaches to the Railway Bridge on the Feilding side of the river went with three short spans of the bridge, the iron piers resisting force of the current remarkably well. The only connection left between the two sides of the river were the Railway irons and sleepers, which remained swinging the air. Two spans of the Road Bridge on the Feilding side of the river went, leaving six standing without any apparent damage. The two spans which were washed away stranded about a quarter of a mile away down the river.