From the recording A Trip To Northern Country
Lyrics
The Williamstown ferry was slow and unsteady while the trip was pretty it could barely link the city with Melbourne’s growing west
So work began in ’65 on a bridge on which cars could drive Altona side for only 80 cents
50m high and twice as long as Sydney’s arch - it had to be strong - flew in expertise from out of town
But the work was tricky, a problem sticky, some plates de-coupled and a big span buckled and it all came crashing down
So a Royal Commission found
Now Little George Sved was a super brain of Jewish descent, he changed his name, but he couldn’t avoid the Nazi glare
When George married Marta was a meeting of minds, she was even smarter it was said at the time, they made quite a pair
Fleeing to Australia’s southern coast, he got a job at Holden and an academic post, he was the brightest in his field
By the time of the catastrophe: a Dean of Faculty wearing a gown, he was world renowned
He was called in to help the rebuild
Where he discovered a glitch
He amended the plan
Now the Westgate Bridge won’t ever collapse again
Dr Sved, Dr Sved,
Will ever see another like, will we ever see another like
Dr Sved, Dr Sved
Will we ever see another like, will we ever see another like him?
George made doctor in ’79 and Marta too, not far behind, their study wall was lined and full
A decade on with a gold diploma, he kept going, and all stooped over, he lectured us on gravity’s pull
We arranged a big symposium called Balloons of Helium, to honour him and celebrate success
Has anyone in memorial spent more time in tutorial, known more about material under stress?
He discovered a glitch
He modelled the span
Now the Westgate Bridge won’t ever collapse again
He discovered a glitch
He amended the plan
Now the Westgate Bridge won’t ever collapse again