The railway bridge near Malmsbury, Victoria, was a significant technical accomplishment for its time. This magnificent bridge has five 18.3 metre spans, is about 25 metres high, and carries two railway tracks over the Coliban River at Malmsbury. It is still one of Australia's finest early bridges.

The initial design of the Melbourne - Mount Alexander - Murray River Railway is credited to Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The line was designed with two broad gauge tracks, high speed alignments, cutting through the landscape, and double headed rail. It was opened in October 1862 as part of the fourth stage, between Kyneton and Bendigo, on the historic Melbourne to Bendigo railway line.
Construction of the viaduct commenced in 1859 and completed three years later. It was erected by Cornish and Bruce for the Victorian Railways in 1859. The railway viaduct crosses over the Coliban River, which is dammed upstream to provide the headworks for the Bendigo Water Supply.
When completed it was the largest masonry bridge built in Australia, exceeding the bridge at Perth, Tasmania (1839, 88m), which no longer exists. Its length was later exceeded by the Coxs River viaduct in New South Wales (1870, 140m) and then by some later brick arch viaducts. As with the other structures on this Line, it is substantially built, with excellent stonework.
The bridge has five 18.3m bluestone arch spans, with a total sum of spans of 91.5m and an overall length of 149m; the height from the riverbed to the rails is 22.6m. The bridge carries two 1.6m gauge rail tracks and has five 18.3m bluestone arch spans, with segmental profiles and a rise of 4.6m. The piers and the substantial abutments are also of stone.
The bridge is accessible from Ellesmere Place, which is on the south, or left, side of the Calder Highway coming from Melbourne. View the viaduct by either walking through the park to the Lake, or from the southern end of Ellesmere Place.

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