Opiki Toll Bridge

The Opiki Toll Bridge is an abandoned bridge in Opiki, located in the Horowhenua district of New Zealand's North Island. Spanning the Manawatū River, the Opiki Bridge was once a vital link for the local community. But after the local flax industry collapsed and the government decided to build a new two-lane concrete road bridge over the river less than 400 meters away, the Opiki suspension bridge became redundant and was partially dismantled. Today, its dangling suspension wires serve as a reminder to passersby of the important role the bridge once played in the region’s economy.

Opiki Toll Bridge as on July 2013. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Makerua region, within the Opiki district, was originally swampland. In the late 1800s, it was decided to drain the area to create new farmland. The draining of the Makerua Swamp and the lowering of water levels created ideal conditions for growing flax. By 1900, the swamp supported more than 14,500 acres of flax plants. Before long, flax millers established mills along the riverbanks, harvesting flax from the swamp. The Makerua Swamp became New Zealand’s largest commercial flax-growing area. At its production peak between 1910 and 1918, some 30 flax mills operated in the region, producing nearly two-thirds of New Zealand's total flax fiber output.

Once the flax was dried, stripped, and processed, it had to be transported across the river to the railway station at Rongiotu. Initially, this was done using a flying fox—a platform hauled across on a wire rope. When the river was low enough, a cable-drawn punt was used instead. Both methods were slow, laborious, and inefficient. As flax production increased, the need for a proper bridge became evident.

In 1915, a group of landowners and flax-milling investors formed the Tane Hemp Company Ltd. and commissioned Joseph Dawson of Pahiatua—an engineer and bridge designer—to build the bridge. Dawson, a self-taught engineer, specialized in bridge construction and had patented several techniques and design features. He was responsible for building a number of bridges over the Hutt River in the Wellington region, as well as in Manawatū, Wairarapa, and Rangitīkei, where he designed and supervised the construction of the Mokai Bridge over the Rangitīkei River—all of which no longer exist.

View of the flax mill at Makerua. Credit: Godber Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

A man harvesting green flax leaves using a sickle. Credit: Godber Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

The Tane Swing Bridge, as it was known in its early years, opened in 1918. It measured 154 meters in length and 3.3 meters in width. The bridge was suspended between two reinforced concrete towers, each standing 14.6 meters above ground, with sixteen cables running over rollers mounted on top of the towers. These cables, sourced from the Waihi gold mines, had been tested to bear loads of up to 50 tons. They were connected to long bronzed-steel rods anchored into 19 cubic meters of concrete, buried 5 meters underground. The deck, constructed from beech timber, was designed to support loads of up to three tonnes. Upon completion, it was the longest suspension bridge ever built in New Zealand.

The Tane Swing Bridge bridge provided a direct link between the flax mills and the railway station at Rongiotu, dramatically improving transport efficiency. Horse-drawn wagons laden with processed flax could now cross the river safely and quickly, eliminating the delays and hazards of the earlier methods. For a time after the bridge opened, the flax industry experienced a boom. Unfortunately, the period of economic prosperity was short-lived. By May 1919, flax prices had plummeted, with millers struggling to sell their fibre for more than £28 per ton—down sharply from peak prices of £70 per ton.

Adding to the industry's woes was the outbreak of the "yellow leaf" disease, which began appearing as early as 1916. By 1921, half the flax plants in the swamp had been affected, forcing all the flax mills to shut down. In September 1922, the Tane Hemp Company Ltd. went into voluntary liquidation.

Hugh Akers, one of the company’s eight shareholders, purchased the shares of the remaining partners and assumed full responsibility for the bridge. He built a bridge-keeper’s house and began charging a toll for its use. From then on, the Tane Swing Bridge became known as the Opiki Toll Bridge.

Entrance to the Opiki toll bridge, 1970s. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Opiki Toll Bridge, 1963. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

As time passed and traffic across the bridge increased, the need for a new two-lane highway bridge became more pressing. Despite the rise in usage, Hugh Akers gradually reduced the toll charges, as he had no desire to profit from the bridge—he only needed the tolls to cover maintenance costs. By 1966, the toll had fallen to one-fifth of its original rate.

In 1938, the Hon. Robert (Bob) Semple, Minister of Works, visited the bridge and declared that a private toll bridge was unacceptable, promising it would soon be replaced by a government-built structure. However, it would be another three decades before that promise was fulfilled.

The new concrete bridge was finally completed in November 1969, at which point the old toll bridge was decommissioned. While the concrete towers of the suspension bridge still stand (in September 2023, one of the suspension cables fell into the river) its steel and timber deck was removed to prevent further use. Due to its design and the engineering techniques employed at the time of its construction, the Opiki suspension bridge has been registered as a Category 1 historic place.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons