Tasmania is preparing to mark the 50th anniversary of the Tasman Bridge disaster with a bridge closure and lighting display this weekend.
On Sunday, it will be exactly five decades since the MV Lake Illawarra collided with the bridge on January 5, 1975, killing 12 people.
The disaster claimed the lives of seven crew members on board the Lake Illawarra and five occupants of four cars that plunged 45 metres into the river after driving off the bridge.
The collapse of the bridge cut Hobart off from its eastern suburbs and had a major social impact on the community.
It took one year for a temporary two-lane Bailey bridge to be built across the river, which remained in place for over a year.
Two and a half years after the disaster, the Tasman Bridge finally reopened to the public on October 8, 1977.
To mark the somber occasion, the bridge will be closed for three minutes on Sunday from 9:27pm to 9:30pm, around the time of impact.
During this time, bridge lighting will be dimmed to a dark blue between piers 17 and 19, the area of impact, while lighting in other sections will remain bright white.
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is also hosting an exhibition titled “On The Edge” featuring two cars that managed to escape the disaster.
The exhibition provides an opportunity for family, friends and the public to remember the events of January 5, 1975 and will be open from January 3 to 12.
