With the 55th anniversary of the collapse of the West Gate Bridge approaching this October, a Melbourne author is preparing to mark the milestone by releasing a new book.
But rather than detailing Australia’s worst industrial accident with a work of non-fiction, Coral Vass’s new book released on October 1 is a teen novella.
‘The Day the Bridge Fell,’ tells the story of best friends Ray and Tommy who are nearing the end of their first year at Williamstown High School.
Most afternoons after school, Ray and Tommy head down to the banks of the Yarra River to play and visit the construction site of the new West Gate Bridge.
Inspired by the true events of October 15, 1970, The Day the Bridge Fell is a story about grief, loss, family, friendships, hope, growing up and a tragedy that profoundly impacted Melbourne and reshaped workplace safety across Australia.
A children’s author, Vass said she has always had a passion for true stories as well as a fascination with the bridge collapse, making the decision to write a book about it a straightforward one.
“It was a natural pull to write historical fiction and what better story to tell than one in my home town,” said Vass, adding that her months spent in Williamstown, Newport, Yarraville and Spotwood researching the book gave her a greater appreciation of the inner-west.
“I came to appreciate the landscape, the people, the great display of compassion and bravery, the bonds formed through hardship, the lives lost and the lessons learned.”
To order, visit: https://www.coralvass.com/
