The Opiki Bridge in New Zealand, once the longest suspension bridge in the country, was not destroyed by natural disasters or engineering failures but by economic factors. Built in 1918 by Joseph Dawson, a self-taught engineer, the bridge linked the flax mills of the Makerua marsh to the Rongiotu station. It featured cables from the gold mines of Waihi and a hêtre deck, and was designed to support up to 50 tons. Originally named the Tane Swing Bridge, it was commissioned by the Tane Hemp Company Ltd. to improve the transportation of processed flax bales. At the time, the flax industry was a major economic force in the Horowhenua district. By 1900, over 14,500 acres were dedicated to flax cultivation, and between 1910 and 1918, thirty processing plants were established in the region. However, the flax market collapsed in 1919, worsened by a plant disease called yellow leaf. This led to a dramatic drop in flax prices, from 70 pounds per ton to 28 pounds by May 1919. As a result, the bridge, which had been built to serve the needs of the flax industry, became unnecessary. Despite its structural integrity, the bridge was abandoned as its economic purpose disappeared with the downturn in the flax market. Designed as a private infrastructure project to support the Tane Hemp Company Ltd.'s business, the Opiki Bridge stood as a symbol of the vulnerability of an economy reliant on a single resource. Though the structure remained untouched, the bridge no longer served its intended function, becoming a quiet reminder of the economic forces that can render even the most impressive engineering feats obsolete.