Hi, im building an inground fish/frog pond in my yard. Thought it would be nice to have a simple bridge for looks only over it. Any ideas?
Hi @annieerbs,
Building a simple bridge over your inground fish and frog pond sounds like a charming idea and could really enhance the look of your yard. That said, even if the bridge is intended purely for aesthetics, there are some important considerations to keep in mind, especially regarding safety and compliance with local regulations.
One key concern is that small children might see any structure that looks like a bridge as something to walk on, even if it’s not designed to support weight. This can create a safety risk if the bridge isn’t built to be traffickable or lacks proper support and guardrails. Children don’t always recognise the difference between decorative features and safe walking surfaces, so it’s important to consider this when planning your design.
In many areas nowadays, structures that can be walked on, even small bridges, may need to meet certain safety standards, including proper support, slip-resistant surfaces, and sometimes guardrails or barriers to prevent falls. This is especially relevant if the pond is deep or poses any risk, as councils and building codes tend to be stricter to minimise accident hazards.
Before building, it’s a good idea to check with your local council or building authority to see if there are any specific rules or permits required for a bridge over a water feature. They can guide you on whether your planned design complies with regulations or if you might need to include safety features like handrails.
If you want to keep it very simple and purely decorative without encouraging walking on it, you could consider a small, low-profile arch or a fixed decorative piece that gives the impression of a bridge but isn’t designed to bear weight. This can still create a lovely focal point without the complexities that come with a traffickable structure.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Thanks Mitchell for your response. It will be once in the ground within our pool fence so is safe unless we are in the pool area.
It will be purely for looks not structural and we could make it removable.
Any simple ideas?
If it’s purely decorative, @annieerbs and within the pool fence, you could keep it simple by using a couple of lengths of 140 × 35 timber cut long enough to span the pond, then cutting a gentle arch into their profile. To give it that “bridge” look, you could roll some half-log edging over the top. This would create a nice visual feature without needing heavy structural work, and since it’s removable, you could take it out easily if you ever wanted to change things up.
Here's a rendering.
Thats awesome Mitchell! Definitely will make this once the pond is in! Thankyou so much!
Love this community! Always so helpful with amazing ideas!
Great minds @annieerbs I am also thinking of building a bridge and extending my frog pond. I have watched a couple of videos on youtube but @MitchellMc your advice is very helpful.
Hi, wondering why you decided to wrap the pvc with hessian? Also do you aerate your pond?
Hello @annieerbs
Let me tag @Herrenovacation to make them aware of your questions. Perhaps it was wrapped for decorative purposes or to hold moisture onto the pipes. Let's wait for Herrenovacation to confirm.
Eric
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@annieerbs Thanks for your question and @EricL thanks for tagging me.
Yes it was just for decorative purposes I didn't like the look of plain pvc. I also thought it would help moss or plants attach and grow better creating a more natural look. It hasn't quite worked the way I wanted it to, and thinking if I should change it up come summer.
My current pond is very small & not aerated, no alge issues. When I extend my pond I do plan on using a waterfall type system.
Here is one idea.
Cheers
@AlanM52 Alan thats a bit flash
@AlanM52 @Herrenovacation @EricL
Hi guys want to show you my pond finished. Just need to build the bridge, but you get the idea. I love this page and your support and ideas. My pond was an old bathtub free from FB MP. Frog bit as well. Plants I already had except for the one in the pond. The pond has cost me $230 all up! And those costs were the rocks which I bought from a local landscaper and the timber from Bunnings. Im very happy with the result! Thankyou you all!
Hi Annie.
Looks good you could add one of my garden water features.
Water barrel with bamboo spout
https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Outdoor/Water-barrel-with-bamboo-spout/m-p/285786
Bamboo Shishi-odoshi (Deer chaser)
https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Garden/Bamboo-Shishi-odoshi-Deer-chaser/m-p/286563
Looks great @annieerbs well done 😊
Love that you have reused something that may have ended up in landfill too. I can't wait to renovate my bathroom and find a new home in the garden for my old bathtub.
@Herrenovacation
Love your work @annieerbs!
Well done.
