Cooper Creek Lake Eyre Floods Nappa Merrie Burke and Wills Bridge Legacy

The Bridge with Many Names

The bridge in question spans Cooper Creek in far southwestern Queensland, near the famous Burke and Wills Dig Tree and historic Nappa Merrie Station once owned by Sir Sidney Kidman. While we often refer to it as “John’s Bridge,” the official plaque calls it the Burke and Wills Bridge—a touch ironic, as John notes with a laugh: “Burke and Wills never had a bridge!”

The Dream and the Design

The story begins in the early 1980s when Bob Willing, an engineer and hydrology enthusiast, envisioned a route across the ever-unpredictable Cooper Creek—where water levels could shift from bone-dry to 20 kilometers wide.

“Bob was the initiator,” John explains. “He got me on board to design the bridge and together we toured the outback to persuade the shires to support the idea.”

In 1974, a major flood event provided unexpected help: NASA satellite images captured the full spread of Cooper Creek, and somehow, Bob managed to acquire over 100 of those aerial photographs. “We used a stereoscope to estimate elevation and plan a feasible route. That’s how we narrowed the site down to where the bridge now stands—where the creek is ‘only’ about 300 meters wide,” John recalls.

Built to Withstand Huge Floods

While John designed for about two meters of overtopping, recent floods may have exceeded even that.

“The standard is to build for a one-in-100-year flood,” John says. “But out there, you get floods every year. So I suggested a submersible bridge, which was unheard of at the time. It cut the cost in half.”

The bridge’s design also had to allow for strong current flow and debris impacts, like floating trees. “We offset the footings to counteract current pressure and built the deck in three continuous sections to provide redundancy if one part took damage.”

Even the handrail was a point of debate. “We had to make it stronger than standard—while still low enough to avoid catching debris and forming a dam.”

Not Just a Bridge — A Legacy

A Touch of History Nearby

Just down the road lies the Burke and Wills Dig Tree, a symbol of tragedy and tenacity in Australian exploration history. As John notes, “There was controversy about which tree was the real one—both had ‘DIG’ carved into them—but I saw the one with regrowth around the hole. That seemed convincing to me.”

And Still Going Strong

John fondly recalls a visit  years ago when he saw workers trying to remove a sunken approach slab with jackhammers. “I told them, ‘Just jack it up and pack it underneath.’ They were surprised and pleased. I told them, ‘Don’t worry—I designed it.’”

A Bridge for the People

“This bridge added something special to my CV,” John says. “Australia has been good to me, and it was nice to give something back. It’s a bridge that went against convention. And it worked.”

At Spirit Safaris, we’re proud to travel across John and Bob’s bridge on our outback adventures—especially when guiding guests to places like the Dig Tree, Lake Eyre, Innamincka, Birdsville and the Corner Country.

Floodwaters will recede, but stories like these—and the bridges that make them possible—stand the test of time.

Want to see it for yourself?

Join us on an unforgettable journey into the outback—along ancient stock routes and through living history. Explore our latest Corner Country and Cooper Creek Tours.

Words: Richard O’Neill, CEO – Spirit Safaris
With heartfelt thanks to John Ivering, engineer, mentor, and adventurer.