Charles Grimes Bridge

Opened on 16th September 2000, this $20 million bridge which links to Flinders street and Wurundjeri Way provides seven lanes for traffic to ease congestion around Melbourne's regenerated Dockland area, allowing the creation of a pedestrian and leisure promenade. It also allows access to the West Gate Freeway and Melbourne's southern suburbs.

The bridge superstructure consists of five 110' main spans over the river, utilizing 67" deep, pre-stressed super-T beams. The approach structures comprise 5 smaller spans, between 39' and 79' in length, over the existing wharf and riverbank. Each of the bridges carries four traffic lanes and a footpath. The bridge is named after Charles Grimes, the acting chief surveyor of New South Wales in 1803 who led an expedition to survey Port Phillip Bay in 1802 in the schooner, Cumberland with Lieutenant Charles Robbins, James Flemming (botanist) and a supporting party.

The bridge was constructed for the Melbourne Docklands Authority and Vicroads at a cost of US $3.75 million. Consultant:Ove Arup & Partners. Contractor: Walter Construction Group.

(2000) Docklands Highway, Southbank (Yarra River)

Charles Grimes was the acting chief surveyor of New South Wales in 1803 when he was put in charge of an expedition to survey Port Phillip Bay, He set sail from Sydney on 29 November 1802 in the Cumberland (a schooner of 29 tons built in Sydney) with Lieutenant Charles Robbins, James Flemming (botanist) and a supporting party. Part of their instructions were to warn off the French and to point out that this was British territory - even though it wasn't as yet settled by the British.

They surveyed several islands in Bass Strait and spent some time on a larger one which was named after the Governor of New South Wales - King Island. (King street in Melbourne was also named after Governor King). It was on King Island that Grimes and his party encountered Captain Baudin with two French ships. Grimes' party then went on to examine Port Phillip Bay.

In February 1803 the Grimes party explored the lower reaches of the "saltwater and freshwater rivers" (the Maribyrnong and Yarra) around the present day location of Melbourne. During the latter part of the 19th century major works were to alter the course of the Yarra both for flood control and for the major dock works. This work shifted the junctions of the two rivers quite a distance from the original location that Grimes had explored. In 1941 a monument was erected near the original location of the junction.