(Information in [square brackets] below indicates a correction made to the summary)

Clifden Suspension Bridge Historic Reserve is located on State Highway [99], some 16km from Tuatapere, in Southland. It occupies an area of [5715m2] and was classified as an historic reserve in 1984 and vested in the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

The bridge was built in 1898-99 to span the Waiau River and replaced a punt which had operated since the early days of settlement. At that time the river was often swift and dangerous but the flow has been severely reduced by hydroelectric development on Lake Manapouri. The bridge was an important transport link and was influential in the opening up of the area east of the Waiau River.

[The total cost of the bridge was £5007, and it was officially opened by Sir Joseph Ward on 5 April 1899]. A single lane bridge, it was originally used by horse and cart traffic and later by vehicles. It remained in operation until 1978 when a new bridge was built some 130 metres downstream to cater for traffic to and from the Manapouri power project.

An unusual feature of the bridge is the Clifden Roll of Honour, a plaque commemorating those men from the district who gave their lives in World War 1. The plaque is attached to the north tower at the eastern end of the bridge.