title: Batman Bridge
text: # Batman Bridge
  
  The Batman Bridge is a modern road bridge that carries the Batman Highway across the Tamar River, between Whirlpool Reach, Hillwood at its eastern end and Sidmouth / Deviot midpoint at its western end, in north Tasmania, Australia. The bridge connects the Batman Highway with the West Tamar Highway (state route A7) and the East Tamar Highway (state route A8). The bridge overlooks the Deviot Sailing Club and is named in honour of John Batman, a Launceston businessman and co-founder of Melbourne.
  
  ## Design features
  
  Built between 1966 and 1968, it was the first cable-stayed bridge in Australia and among the first such bridges in the world. The main span is 206 metres (676 ft) long, suspended from a 91-metre-high (299 ft) steel A-frame tower. The deck is 10.3 metres (34 ft) wide. The tower is on the west bank of the Tamar river, on a solid dolerite rock base which carries 78% of the weight of the main span. The length of the bridge is 432 metres (1,417 ft) between abutments. The east bank is soft clay not capable of supporting a bridge. A causeway carries the highway across this softer base, supported by four piers built on piles driven up to 18 metres (59 ft) into the clay. The bridge deck is constructed of steel.
  
  ## Gallery
  
  * Batman Bridge, off Tamar Highway
  * View of the bridge from the Tamar River
  * Tamar river batman bridge
  