Sydneysiders love their giant Coathanger, which opened in 1932. The best way to experience this magnificent structure is on foot. Stairs and elevators ascend the bridge from both sides, leading to a footpath on the east side (the west side has a bike path).
Catching the train to Milson Point and walking back to the city offers more spectacular views. Climb the southeast pylon at Pylon Lookout or tackle the arch on the popular, if expensive, once-in-a-lifetime experience BridgeClimb.
Climb the bridge
The BridgeClimb experience takes between 1.5 and 3 hours depending on which climb you choose. A full safety briefing is provided as well as a special boiler suit, harness and a headset. Climbers are given 15 minutes to take photos at the top of the climb, but it’s a good hour to climb back down.
There’s also a climbing tour with an Aboriginal leader who will teach you more about the land, its First Nations protectors, and Aboriginal place names in Sydney such as Benlong Point where the Sydney Opera House sits, and the Gadigal here. Originally named Tubowgule by the people. .
For many, climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge is a bucket list experience thwarted by a fear of heights. The organization provides support for people with acrophobia.
History
The harbor bridge is a frighteningly large thing – walking around the city you’ll catch it in the corner of your eye, sometimes in the most surprising places. Of its enormous size, the arch is 134 meters high (440 ft) from the top to the water and measures 503 meters (1650 ft). It is the longest (though not quite the tallest) steel arch bridge in the world.
Chief engineer JJC Bradfield’s two sections of mighty arch were built outward from each shore, a major source of depression employment. In 1930, after seven years of brutal work by 1,400 workers, the two arches were only centimeters apart when 100 km/h winds blew them away. Cothinger hung tight and the arch was finally tied together. Extensive load testing took place before the bridge opened two years later.
Sydney Harbor Bridge Facts
Construction began in 1923 and the bridge opened in 1932 – connecting the city of Sydney to the northern suburbs.
It has four railway tracks, a multi-lane highway, a footpath and a cycleway.
The bridge is made of 53,000 tons of steel, reportedly held together by six million hand-driven rivets (we’re not sure who wants to fact-check this!).