In the 1850s there was a lengthy debate over whether the main road from Normanville to Second Valley and beyond should go through the Great Gorge or through Little Gorge (the route of the present Main South Road). When the Little Gorge route was decided on in 1858, a bridge over the Yankalilla river was needed and was completed in 1860.

The bridge had a timber superstructure on stone abutments. The bridge required repairs in 1870 and 1876. In 1919 plans were drawn up for a new bridge to be built over the abutments of the previous one. This new bridge was constructed of reinforced concrete, with a concrete deck carried on four concrete understrutted girders. When the road was realigned in 1970 a new bridge was built, and this old bridge became obsolete.