Bruce Norman Loder
Bruce Loder was born on 3 November 1926 in Sydney, to Arthur Bruce Loder and Elsie Mary Loder (née Bates), the youngest of four children, two boys and two girls.
He studied at Gladesville and Putney Public School, and the from 1939 to 1943 at Fort Street Boys' High School. In the years 1944 to 1947 he attended Sydney University studying Civil Engineering, graduating in 1948 with BE (Hons). In 1947 he had won the Craig Memorial Prize in Surveying.
He also obtained a Diploma in Town and Country Planning from Sydney University.
In 1946 Loder did work experience with NSW Department of Main Roads. He worked on the Karuah River Bridge, the Pacific Highway and the Newell Highway, Coonabarrabran. In February 1948 became the Assistant Engineer (later known as Engineer Grade III, then Engineer Class 1) in the Bridge Design Section located in Sydney. Here he was given special projects to brighten up his 'not so exciting ' work.
In January 1949 he was appointed Assistant to Fred Relf, the Officer in Charge, Bilpin and about September 1949, advised the Department of his intention to take a two year's leave without pay to travel overseas. He was granted this and simultaneously appointed Officer-in-Charge.
In April 1950 had to resign from the DMR, and travelled to England to broaden his experience. He took a position as Supervising Engineer with the Air Ministry on airfield reconstruction and gained excellent engineering experience but was unimpressed with senior English engineers and decided to return home in 1951. On his return worked for a short period with the Snowy Mountains Authority in Sydney in the Municipal Engineering Section, designing towns like Guthega. He then rejoined the Department of Main Roads, NSW with virtually the same status as if he had not been away. In January 1952 he was appointed Officer-in-Charge, Bega and in the same year met and married Sister Beryl Schafer.
In July 1954, was transferred to the Goulburn Division Office working with the Divisional Engineer, Ken Jordan, who had a great influence on Loder, more than any other superior. A daughter, Robyn and a son, Peter, were born during this period in Goulburn.
November 1960 brought him back to Head Office in Sydney to become Executive Engineer of the National Association of Australian State Road Authorities.
During the 1960's there was great bridge building activity in the Sydney region. Major works such as Gladesville Bridge, Tarban Creek Bridge, Captain Cook Bridge and Figtree Bridge with their freeway approaches were all constructed during this period under the direction of the Metropolitan Engineer, Raymond Hirt.
In 1964 Loder was appointed Senior Supervising Engineer at Milsons Point and was made responsible for all works undertaken by Councils, all traffic engineering related matters and the operation of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
From June 1967 to January 1969 served as Divisional Engineer at Bourke and was then transferred back to Head Office to become Assistant Urban Investigations Engineer and then Advance Planning Engineer. During this period served on a number of outside committees.
In 1974 Loder was appointed as Divisional Engineer, Wollongong and in 1977 was transferred back to Head Office to lead a team to review the top management structure of the Department of Main Roads, NSW. The position of Deputy Commissioner for Main Roads became vacant in1978, so Loder applied for it and was appointed on 1st September 1978. In 1980 the then Minister for Roads, Harry Jensen, recommended that he be sent to the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University and attended the course from February to May 1981. Towards the end of the course the then Commissioner, Brian Sexton, died and Loder returned to Australia as Acting Commissioner.
On 11 November 1981 was appointed Commissioner for Main Roads and was ex-officio member of NAASRA, Director of the Australian Road Research Board and a member of the NSW Traffic Authority. In his time as Commissioner, Loder was the instigator of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and an initiator of random breath testing. He was involved in the revision of the Main Roads Act, and called upon by the Premiers of the day to assist in overcoming road blockades and facilitate the road haulage of coal in order to maintain the flow of coal to the Port of Newcastle when this was threatened by a rail strike. He retired from the position of Commissioner of Main Roads on 3 November 1986.
His submissions to the New South Wales Government in 1987 appear to have influenced the introduction of privately funded toll roads. After retiring he maintained a close interest in road related matters. He spent almost ten years as National President of the Australian Road Federation, Director of Statewide Roads Ltd, a successful project management company and private toll road provider and Chairman of Sami Pty Ltd, manufacturer of bitumen products and supplier of related services.
At various times Loder has served on committees of the:
Institution of Engineers Australia;
Standards Association;
Institute of Planning;
Institute of Architects;
Engineering Graduates. Association;
Main Roads Credit Union.
Bruce Loder died on 7 January 2016.
Prepared by Freda Garnsey, June 2002 from interviews conducted on 7 June 1999
To access an oral history interview with Bruce Norman Loder please use this link:'
https://heritage.engineersaustralia.org.au/wiki/Oral_Histories_Sydney
