Ross Bridge

We made a detour and visited the beautiful village of Ross. We stopped to have a look at the famous stone bridge. Quite rightly the pride of the village of Ross this beautiful stone bridge was constructed by convicts in 1836. It is the third oldest bridge still standing in Australia and is recognised as the most important convict-built bridge in the country. It was constructed on the orders of Governor Arthur and designed by John Lee Archer. Built by convicts its beautiful stonework is the result of two convict stonemasons - Daniel Herbert and James Colbeck. They were paid one shilling a day. Herbert, who had been transported for highway robbery in 1827, was freed after the bridge was completed and is buried in the Old Cemetery. He is credited with the beautiful carvings on the side of the bridge. Experts have described the carvings as 'possibly the richest achievement of the earlier colonial period if not the most significant sculpture on any edifice in the Commonwealth.