Building a road link across the Yarra River in Melbourne had long been recognised as an infrastructure project of enormous importance for the future development of the city. Lacking the funds to finance a new bridge, the Victorian State government worked with a private consortium to build the West Gate. Under enabling legislation, the Lower Yarra Crossing Authority (LYCA) was formed. The LYCA comprised a group of business leaders based in Melbourne’s western suburbs, who had lobbied for improved road transport links with other parts of the city to enhance the productive capacity of land in Melbourne’s West. With the imprimatur of a government department, this consortium was given powers to attract finance, issue contracts for work, supervise construction, and operate a toll bridge upon completion. Two firms of consulting engineers were appointed — Melbourne based Maunsell and Partners and London based Freeman Fox and Partners — both leading design and construction companies. A number of contractors were engaged by the Authority to perform various elements of the overall construction, with the two main contractors being John Holland Constructions (‘Hollands’) and World Services.
Work on the bridge began in April 1968, but the project was besieged by problems. World Services fell behind schedule and was eventually removed from the job. In its place, Hollands was asked to take over the work. Workers on the bridge were highly organised and represented by seven unions. These unions were the Amalgamated Engineering Union, the Australian Society of Engineers, the Boilermakers and Blacksmiths Society of Australia, the Builders Labourers’ Federation, the Building Workers Industrial Union, the Federated Engine Drivers and Firemen’s Association, and the Federated Iron Workers Association of Australia. Site meetings about member concerns were common and industrial action was instigated regularly over issues such as pay, conditions, union rights, and safety.
On 15 October 1970, the day of the collapse, engineers and workers under their instruction, had been attempting to maneuverer half girders into place on the Western side of the construction. The half girders needed to meet, but the camber difference was 4.5 inches. Engineers decided to place large concrete blocks onto one girder to pressure it into place, but a buckle in the bridge formed. At 11.50 am, workers were asked to remove bolts to smooth the buckle. The bridge groaned, the metal turned blue, and a major section of the bridge construction collapsed. The disaster killed 35 employees and injured many more. Workers and emergency personnel searched through the night and into the next day to retrieve bodies from the freezing muddy wetlands. This collapse remains Australia’s worst industrial disaster in construction.
A 36th worker lost his life while working to build the West Gate. In 1972, after construction on the bridge had resumed, Joe Owens, a rigger, died in a fall.
As listed on the memorial plaque, the 35 workers who lost their lives in the disaster were:
- Royvin Barbuto – Boilermaker
- Ross Bigmore – Carpenter
- Amadeo Boscolo – Carpenter
- Bernard Butters – Boilermaker
- Cyril Carmichael – Ironworker
- Peter Crossley – Engineer
- Peter Dawson – Rigger
- Abraham Eden – Rigger
- Anthony Falzon – Carpenter
- Esequiel Fernandez – Ironworker
- Bernard Fitzsimmonds – Ironworker
- Victor Gerada – Ironworker
- John Grist – Boilermaker
- William Harburn – Boilermaker
- Jack Hindshaw – Engineer
- Trevor Hunsdale – Fitter
- John Little – Rigger
- Charles Lund – Rigger
- Peter McGuire – Rigger
- Ian Miller – Engineer
- Jeremiah Murphy – Rigger
- Dennis O’Brien – Rigger
- Joseph Ozelis – First Aid
- Frank Piermarini – Rigger
- George Pram – Rigger
- Lesley Scarlett – Ironworker
- Christopher Stewart – Boilermaker
- Alfonso Suarez – Boilermaker
- William Tracy – Engineer
- George Tsihilidis – Boilermaker
- Edgar Upsdell – Ironworker
- Robert West – Boilermaker
- Robert Whelan – Boilermaker
- Patrick Woods – Rigger
- Barry Wright – Boilermaker