Photograph - Zig-Zag Bridge, 1924

Historical information

Henry Beater Christian (1886-1962) , was a descendant of one of the earliest settler families in Kew. Employed at the Kew Asylum as a 'public servant', he was a skilled amateur photographer, photographing numerous scenes in Kew and on his travels around Victoria. The majority of his photographs date from 1916 to 1929. His finest photographs are housed in two photograph albums.

Physical description

Digital copy of a photograph from page 8 of the 47-page photograph album containing 261 gelatinous silver images, loaned by Diane Washfold with permission given to digitise and hold a copy in our collection. This photograph reveals how the photographer, Henry Christian, positioned himself to take the photograph from the angle in which he was interested. A skilled canoeist, an empty canoe is on the left of the photo that he apparently he used to access his vantage point. His subject, the Zig-Zag Bridge linked the grounds of the Yarra Bend and Kew Asylums. The wooden bridge was constructed in the 1870s and lasted through numerous floods until its destruction in 1929. A horizontal structure, one climbed steps to reach the higher Yarra Bend bank. At the Studley Park end, the bridge descended via a staircase to reach the much lower bank.

Inscriptions & markings

"Zig-Zag Bridge"

Other parts of this item

Back to top