New Zealands longest swingbridges

The Buller Gorge swingbridge, near Murchison, has advertised itself as the longest at 110m. AA Traveller now calls it "one of the longest". Not aware of a ranking list, sorry.

The one over the Waiohine in the tararuas - right beside Totara flats hut - also seems to be pretty huge. Not sure of the actual length of it though.

Contact DOC, they have a large database of every structure they've built so they should be able to tell you In the Tararuas the swing bridge at the Waiohine Gorge roadend would be the highest and longest. The previous swingbridge at that location had a reputation for being rather "sporting" when the wind was blowing.

Different designs can cope with different lengths. The ex forest service "swing" bridges could go up to 70 metres, I think The new "suspension" bridges can stretch much further. The swing bridges coped better with the wind, than older suspension But newer, much more robust design allowed the suspension bridges to go over 100 metres. theres 4 in the Tararuas (Tutuwai, Waiohine, Totara flat, cow creek that are fairly long two were originally cableways, cow creek and totara flats (these coped with wider rivers) Totara flats was replaced with an NZFS swing bridge, but wind/use is bit much (bit scary when a good breeze blowing down the Hector Gorge. (The NZ Army built a suspension bridge before the NZFS cableway. was destroyed by wind within few years. Not robust enough. (probably no suspension bridge will last there) There are now some very long bridges, not sure if theyre suspension or other design. The NZFS swingbridge was designed, to be able to handle wind. Adding mesh to the sides increased wind resistance. bit too scary for some people. But most deer cullers dogs didn't mind them

I like the old swing bridge, one of the best experiences crossing them in high wind as they swing back and forward esp with a raging river underneath... so many people got freaked out by them

I don't think any of the Tararua bridges are over 60 meters. Some of them were fun as 3 wires which keep you on your toes. Are there any 3 or 2 wire bridges left? I know one 1 wire but the stream has always been fordable.

Yes there are quite a few 3 wire bridges left. I haven't come across maintained 2 wire bridges for a number of years but remember them from my youth.

The Timber trail, which is for mountain bikes in the Pureora Forest Park has several swing bridges, the longest is 141 metres from their website. Dusky track has a good half dozen 3 wire bridges.

@geeves. Totara flats is 70 metres, is a bit over length for an NZFS swingbridge. (or what was the accepted max length) it replaced a cableway. ditto with the previous Walls Whare bridge, its 70 metres also. but was replaced by a suspension bridge