Down the coast

If a Canberran tells you they're "heading down the coast for the weekend", odds are they're driving to Batemans Bay (or at least through it on the way slightly further north or south along the seafront). To get into the town from our direction, you need to cross the Clyde River, across this 55-year-old lifting span bridge. Prior to 1956, the only crossing was via a vehicle ferry - the only break in the Princes Highway between Sydney and the Victorian border.

The bridge is of an unusual type, where the whole centre span lifts vertically to allow access underneath by tall boats. In this second photo, you can see the two towers from which counter-weighted cables are suspended. The bridge is opened about 1000 times a year on demand (you need to give at least an hour's notice). There's a good photo of it in action here: