A photograph of repairmen swinging into action after the railway bridge in Warragul collapsed on May 8, 1962.
A 14-metre section of the bridge collapsed with a dramatic roar shortly after 3.30pm on a Wednesday afternoon.
"There was a terrific bang; the ground rumbled beneath me as if there was an earthquake," eyewitness Edwin Evans of Brandy Creek said.
At this time, the Princes Hwy ran through Warragul and across the railway bridge.
The bridge was prevented from falling onto the railway line by a fully laden 10,000 gallon capacity motor spirit tanker sitting below. However, wires from overhead lines carrying 1500 volts lashed the tanker, throwing out sparks and flashes of blue flame.
A low-loader, being pushed by a prime mover, had left the bridge just seconds before the collapse.
Transporting a 32-tonne transformer to the SEC's Yallourn Power Station, it was the third low-loader taken over the bridge within a week.
The prime mover was left balancing with its front wheels safely across but its rear wheels still on the bridge.
A woman driving a small sedan was trapped in the middle of the dip after the collapse.
After sitting in shock for some seconds, she leapt from the car and ran off the bridge. Several school children were also on the bridge at the time.
Due to the bridge's importance, a temporary bridge was erected by the Country Roads Board.
Whilst repairs were undertaken day and night, Melbourne-bound highway traffic was diverted along Burke St and East Gippsland travellers to the north of Warragul, via Albert Rd and Nilma.
Photograph and information courtesy of The Gazette.