Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a colossal structure which took the efforts of over 1400 workers and a time span of 8 years. The bridge was put together using over 6 million hand-driven rivets into 53,000 tonnes of steel, thus completing the construction of the world's largest steel arch Bridge. A unique fact about this bridge is that it is continuously being painted mostly to protect it from outer elements and due to its humongous size by the time the painting is done it is time to start over and this cycle is unending. The steel arch of the Bridge actually changes in size; sometimes up-to 18 cm change in its height can be seen. The Bridge's workers and caretakers once included the famous Australian Actor Paul Hogan as a rigger and his job was to erect platforms so the painters could come. 

The arch of the Bridge is open to climbing and has had over 3 million visitors since 1998 that came for this adventurous trip. The view from the top of the arch is mesmerizing and unbeatable. Approximately 80 % of the steel used in the bridge was actually imported from the United Kingdom and this means that the steel has traveled halfway across the world to make this bridge. 

History of Harbour Bridge

The plans for building this bridge were proposed originally in 1815 by Francis Greenway to Governor Lachlan Macquarie. He even wrote a letter to an Australian newspaper in 1825, elaborating on the need for a bridge to connect the two sides of the harbor. Though his idea remained in public memory, it did not end up being executed.

In 1840, Robert Brindley, who was a naval architect, proposed a floating bridge, and in 1857 Engineer Peter Henderson ended up designing one of the first drawings. Finally, John Bradfield, who is now known as the father of the bridge, became the "Chief Engineer of Sydney Harbour Bridge and Metropolitan Railway Construction" in 1914. 

Initially, he had proposed a suspension bridge at the location, but later after visiting New York due to the First World War, and got inspired by the architecture and decided to build an arch bridge instead. This construction too was delayed, and finally took place between 1923 and 1932 when the bridge finally opened for the public. 

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• The completion of this bridge signified Sydney as a modern city throughout the world due to its unique architecture and size. 
• Even though it was originally proposed in 1815, it was only in 1924 that Dorman Long & Company of Middlesbrough, England received the contract.
•  Over 2000 men were employed in the construction of the bridge, and the construction did have the element of multinational diversity to it. This is because people from different countries were employed in its construction. 
• Its construction was completed in eight years using 53,000 tons of steel. 
• Even though it was the NSW premier, John T Lang, who officially declared the bridge open, Captain Francis de Groot of the New Guard slashed the ribbon with his sword before it could be cut. 
• Before making the bridge functional various locomotives were positioned in diverse ways on the bridge to test its loading capacity.
• Around 79% of steel that has been used to build this bridge has been imported from England and rest 21% from Australia. 
• To give the bridge initial three coats around 272,000 liters of paint was used.
• Around eight hundred families living in the path of the bridge were displaced without any compensation.

Here are some of the best seasons when you can visit Sydney Harbour bridge. December to February is the best time to visit Sydney Harbour Bridge as the temperature remains extremely pleasant. You can also visit this bridge in moderate months like the days between April to May when the weather is a bit warm leading to less crowd. This also automatically means lower hotel prices and travel costs.

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Location:

Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney NSW, Australia 

Timings:

Since the Sydney Harbour Bridge is operational, it is open throughout the day to traffic. However, if you are planning on climbing the bridge, you can choose any time of the day between dawn and dusk. 

Entry fee:

There is no entry fee. You can walk across the bridge for free. If you are in a vehicle, you might have to pay a toll, depending on the time of the day. The climber experience is, however, ticketed. Ticket prices for adults can range anywhere between 174(Rs 12,506.48) to 203(Rs 14590.90) dollars and for a child can range between 148(Rs 10,636.74) to 283(Rs 20,339.17) dollars.

Places to Visit near Sydney Harbour Bridge 

There are many fun places to visit near the Sydney Harbour Bridge like- 

1. Sydney Opera House: This is a multi-venue arts center that hosts around sixteen hundred performances every year. These performances include dance, music, theatre, opera, comedy as well as ballet. You can also have scrumptious food at Bennelong Restaurant or Opera Kitchen located over here.
2. Museum of Contemporary Art Australia: If you are an art lover, Museum of Contemporary Art should be a must-visit. It has the collection of the oldest artifacts from all over the world. The exhibitions held over here are always the next level and give you a glimpse of the rich history of Australia.  
3. Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens: These sprawling gardens are replete with greenery and flowers that will definitely allure your senses. This is a must-visit place for any nature enthusiast. 
4. Taronga Zoo: Housing species of animals from all over Australia, the Taronga zoo is one of the iconic landmarks of Australia. You can also feed the animals over here for a unique experience.

Since the distance between these two destinations is roughly seventeen Kilometres, there are many ways to commute between them. 

By Car:

You can either choose to drive a rented car or hire a taxi or town car, which will take about sixteen minutes to reach Sydney Harbor Bridge from Sydney Airport. 

By Shuttle:

Alternatively, you can also take the shuttle from the airport to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which will drop you in about fifteen minutes. 

By Bus:

You won’t find a direct bus between Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Airport. You can board a taxi from the airport and it will drop you at Ward Theaters. From here you can board a bus to Town Hall Station and it will drop you directly at Sydney harbour Bridge.

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