Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge crosses Port Jackson between Dawes Point in The Rocks and Milsons Point on the North Shore. It carries rail, road, cycle and pedestrian traffic and is a central part of the view across Sydney Harbour together with the Sydney Opera House.

The bridge was designed under the direction of John Bradfield of the New South Wales Department of Public Works, and built by the English firm Dorman Long. Construction began in 1923, and the two halves of the arch met in 1930. It opened on 19 March 1932. At the opening, Francis de Groot, a member of a right-wing group, rode up on horseback and cut the ribbon with a sword before the Premier could do so.

The steel arch spans about 503 metres, and the top of the arch is about 134 metres above the water. It was for many years the widest long-span bridge in the world, at about 49 metres wide. The granite-faced pylons at each end are mainly decorative. The Pylon Lookout in the south-eastern pylon has a museum and a viewing platform. BridgeClimb tours, operating since 1998, take visitors up the arch in harnessed groups. The bridge is the centre of the Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks.

Walking or cycling across the bridge is free, using the eastern walkway for pedestrians and the western path for cyclists. Vehicles pay a toll heading south. The Pylon Lookout and BridgeClimb require tickets.

Sydneysiders call it the Coathanger because of the shape of its arch. John Bradfield of the New South Wales Department of Public Works directed the project, and the British firm Dorman Long of Middlesbrough designed and built it. The arch spans 504 metres and reaches 134 metres above sea level, which makes it the tallest steel arch bridge in the world. On hot days the steel expands and the top of the arch can rise by about 18 centimetres.

The steelwork, including the approach spans, weighs 52,800 tonnes, of which the arch itself accounts for 39,000 tonnes. The four granite-faced pylons at the ends carry no structural load; they were added for their appearance, and all four are now put to use.

The opening on Saturday 19 March 1932 is remembered for a protest. The Premier of New South Wales, Jack Lang, was due to cut the ribbon at the southern end, but Francis de Groot, a member of the right-wing New Guard, rode up on horseback and slashed it with his sword first. The ribbon was retied and Lang opened the bridge.

The bridge carries trains, cars, cyclists and walkers. The footpath runs on the eastern side facing the Opera House and is free to use, with access from The Rocks at the southern end and from Milsons Point at the northern end. Cyclists use a separate path on the western side. The south-eastern pylon holds a museum and tourist centre with a 360-degree lookout at the top.