A Moruya kid loved cars so much in the 1950s he would ride his pushbike to Batemans Bay to watch them being punted across the Clyde River.
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That "kid" grew up to live in Wagga Wagga, but has big plans to bridge the gap back to his childhood self.
The well-named Ross Woodbridge attended the opening of the lifting bridge on November 21, 1956, and reached out to Australian Community Media a few days before its 64th anniversary.
He said he would love to attend the opening of its replacement, earmarked for 2023.
"As a kid I lived at Moruya and was mad on cars," Mr Woodbridge said.
"I would ride my push bike to Batemans Bay just to have a captive spectacle of the cars crossing on the ferry.
"When the bridge opened it was a very big deal. The two biggest names in Australia at the time were Jack Davey and Bob Dyer, both radio stars.
"I remember Jack Davey driving a new, grey Packard. I saw him in it arriving at the surf carnival that was part of the weekend. He was a bit upset that a parking space had not been organised for him. He drove off in a huff."
"Bob Dyer had his boat "Tennessee II" moored at the wharf. It was the biggest thing I had ever seen. I often wonder how it would stack up today."
"My personal highlight was going to a cafe with my father (can't remember the name, but it was north of the police station, just near the pub. )
"They had the old fashioned booths and we sat at the booth next to Davey and Dyer. It was a great thrill just sitting there eavesdropping on their conversation."
On the eve of the bridge's 64th anniversary, Mr Woodbridge wrote to Australian Community Media: "I am living in Wagga now but if the opening of the new bridge is not too far off I hope to still be here and will make the effort to get there for the celebrations. Please keep me informed if a date is announced."
The bridge was officially opened on November 21, 1956, and replaced the only remaining vehicular ferry on the Princes Highway between Sydney and the Victorian border.
The bridge was built by the Department of Main Roads and was officially opened for traffic by the Hon. J. B. Renshaw, Minister for Local Government and Minister for Highways.
The structure consisted of five fixed steel truss spans, each 120 feet in length, one opening truss span of the vertical lift type, 90 feet long, and four approach spans of steel plate girders - a total length of 1,008 feet.
