Sydney Harbour Bridge
Official name	Sydney Harbour Bridge
Carries	Trains, Motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles
Crosses	Port Jackson
Locale	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Design	Through arch bridge
Total length	1,149 m (3,770 ft)
Width	49 m (161 ft)
Height	134 m (440 ft)
Longest span	503 m (1,650 ft)
Clearance below	49 m (161 ft) at mid-span
Construction begin	28 July 1923
Construction end	19 January 1932
Opened	19 March 1932
Coordinates	33°51′08″S 151°12′38″E / 33.85222°S 151.21056°E / -33.85222; 151.21056Coordinates: 33°51′08″S 151°12′38″E / 33.85222°S 151.21056°E / -33.85222; 151.21056

Sydney Harbour from the air, showing the Opera House, the CBD, Circular Quay, the Bridge, the Parramatta River, North Sydney and Kirribilli in the foreground

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of both Sydney and Australia. The bridge is nicknamed "The Coathanger" because of its arch-based design.^[1][2]

Under the directions of Dr J.J.C. Bradfield of the NSW Department of Public Works, the bridge was designed and built by British firm Dorman Long and Co Ltd of Middlesbrough and opened in 1932.^[3][4] The bridge's design was influenced by the Hell Gate Bridge in New York.^[5] According to the Guinness World Records, it is the world's widest long-span bridge.^[6] It is also the fifth longest spanning-arch bridge in the world, and it is the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 metres (440 ft) from top to water level.^[7] Until 1967 the Harbour Bridge was Sydney's tallest structure.^{[citation needed]}

Structure[link]

The southern (CBD) bridge end is located at Millers Point in The Rocks area, and the northern end at Milsons Point in the lower North Shore area. It carries six lanes of road traffic on its main roadway, while on its eastern side are two lanes of road traffic (formerly two tram tracks) and a footpath, and on its western side are two railway tracks and a bicycle path, making the western side 30.5 cm (12 in) broader than the eastern side.

The main roadway across the bridge is known as the Bradfield Highway and is about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) long, making it one of the shortest highways in Australia. (The shortest, also called the Bradfield Highway, is found on the Story Bridge in Brisbane.)

Arch[link]

One of the nuts that hold the Bridge on its abutments. This one is at the north end

The south-eastern pylon containing the tourist lookout, made of granite quarried at Moruya, NSW

The arch is composed of two 28-panel arch trusses; their heights vary from 18 m (59 ft) at the centre of the arch to 57 m (187 ft) at the ends next to the pylons.

The arch has a span of 503 m and its summit is 134 m (440 ft) above mean sea level; however, expansion of the steel structure on hot days can increase the height of the arch by as much as 18 cm (7.1 in).^[8] Large steel pins support each end of the arch, allowing it to rotate to accommodate expansion and contraction caused by changes of temperature, and avoiding stresses that would otherwise cause damage.

The total weight of the steelwork of the bridge, including the arch and approach spans, is 52,800 tonnes, with the arch itself weighing 39,000 tonnes.^[9] About 79% of the steel was imported from England, with the rest being sourced from Australia.^[10] On site, the contractors set up two workshops at Milsons Point, at the site of the present day Luna Park, and fabricated the steel into the girders and other required parts.^[10]

The bridge is held together by six million Australian-made hand-driven rivets supplied by the McPherson company of Melbourne,^[11][12] the last being driven through the deck on 21 January 1932.^[10][13] The rivets were heated red-hot and inserted into the plates; the headless end was immediately rounded over with a large pneumatic rivet gun.^[14] The largest of the rivets used weighed 3.5 kg (8 lb) and was 39.5 cm (15.6 in) long.^[9][15] The practice of riveting large steel structures, rather than welding, was, at the time, a proven and understood construction technique, whilst structural welding had not at that stage been adequately developed for use on the bridge.^[14]

Pylons[link]

At each end of the arch stands a pair of 89 m (292 ft) high concrete pylons, faced with granite.^[16] The pylons were designed by the Scottish architect Thomas S. Tait,^[17][18] a partner in the architectural firm John Burnet & Partners.^[19]

Some 250 Australian, Scottish, and Italian stonemasons and their families relocated to a temporary settlement at Moruya, NSW, 300 kilometres (186 mi) south of Sydney, where they quarried around 18,000 cubic metres (635,664 cu ft) of granite for the bridge pylons.^[10] The stonemasons cut, dressed, and numbered the blocks, which were then transported to Sydney on three ships built specifically for this purpose.^[10] The concrete used was also Australian made.

Abutments at the base of the pylons are essential to support the loads from the arch and hold its span firmly in place, however, the pylons themselves have no structural purpose. They were included to provide a frame for the arch panels and to give better visual balance to the bridge. The pylons were not part of the original design, and were only added to allay public concern about the structural integrity of the bridge.^[20]

Although originally added to the bridge solely for their aesthetic value, all four pylons have now been put to use. The south-eastern pylon contains a museum and tourist centre, with a 360° lookout at the top providing views across the harbour and city. The south-western pylon is used by the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) to support its CCTV cameras overlooking the bridge and the roads around that area. The two pylons on the north shore include venting chimneys for fumes from the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, with the base of the southern pylon containing the RTA maintenance shed for the bridge, and the base of the northern pylon containing the traffic management shed for tow trucks and safety vehicles used on the bridge.

In 1942, the pylons were modified to include parapets and anti-aircraft guns designed to assist in both Australia’s defence and general war effort. The top level of stonework was never removed. ^[21]

History[link]

Early proposals[link]

There had been plans to build a bridge as early as 1815, when convict and noted architect Francis Greenway reputedly proposed to Governor Lachlan Macquarie that a bridge be built from the northern to the southern shore of the harbour.^[7][22] In 1825 Greenway wrote a letter to the then The Australian newspaper stating that such a bridge would "give an idea of strength and magnificence that would reflect credit and glory on the colony and the Mother Country".^[22]

Sketches of designs submitted when tenders were called for a harbour crossing in 1900

Nothing came of Greenway's suggestions, but the idea remained alive, and many further suggestions were made during the nineteenth century. In 1840, naval architect Robert Brindley proposed that a floating bridge be built. Engineer Peter Henderson produced one of the earliest known drawings of a bridge across the harbour around 1857. A suggestion for a truss bridge was made in 1879, and in 1880 a high-level bridge estimated at $850,000 was proposed.^[22] In 1900 a competition was launched to find a suitable design for the bridge. Despite a number of submissions, none were considered suitable, and no further action was taken for some years.^[7]

Planning[link]

In 1912 J.J.C. Bradfield was appointed 'Chief Engineer of Sydney Harbour Bridge and Metropolitan Railway Construction', and his work on the project over many years earned him the legacy as the "father" of the bridge.^[3] Bradfield's preference at the time was for a cantilever bridge without piers, and in 1916 the NSW Legislative Assembly passed a bill for such a construction, however it did not proceed as the Legislative Council rejected the legislation on the basis that the money would be better spent on the war effort.^[22]

Following World War I, plans to build the bridge again built momentum.^[7] Bradfield persevered with the project, fleshing out the details of the specifications and financing for his cantilever bridge proposal, and in 1921 he travelled overseas to investigate tenders. On return from his travels Bradfield decided that an arch design would also be suitable^[22] and he and officers of the NSW Department of Public Works prepared a general design^[3][7] for a single-arch bridge based upon New York City's Hell Gate Bridge.^[5][23] In 1922 the government passed the Sydney Harbour Bridge Act No. 28, specifying the construction of a high-level cantilever or arch bridge across the harbour between Dawes Point and Milsons Point, along with construction of necessary approaches and electric railway lines,^[22] and worldwide tenders were invited for the project.^[3]

As a result of the tendering process, the government received twenty proposals from six companies; on 24 March 1924 the contract was awarded to English firm Dorman Long and Co Ltd, of Middlesbrough, for an arch bridge at a quoted price of AU£4,217,721 11s 10d.^[3][22] The arch design was cheaper than alternative cantilever and suspension bridge proposals, and also provided greater rigidity making it better suited for the heavy loads expected.^[22]

To offset concerns about a foreign firm participating in the project, assurances were given by Bradfield that the workforce building the bridge would all be Australians.^{[citation needed]} Bradfield and his staff were ultimately to oversee the entire bridge design and building process, while Dorman Long and Co's Consulting Engineer, Sir Ralph Freeman of Sir Douglas Fox and Partners, and his associate Mr. G.C. Imbault, carried out the detailed design and erection process of the bridge.^[3] Architects for the contractors were from the British firm John Burnet & Partners of Glasgow, Scotland.^[19]

The building of the bridge coincided with the construction of a system of underground railways in Sydney's CBD, known today as the City Circle, and the bridge was designed with this in mind. The bridge was designed to carry four lanes of road traffic, flanked on each side by two railway tracks and a footpath. Both sets of rail tracks were linked into the underground Wynyard railway station on the south (city) side of the bridge by symmetrical ramps and tunnels. The eastern-side railway tracks were intended for use by a planned rail link to the Northern Beaches;^{[citation needed]} in the interim they were used to carry trams from the North Shore into a terminal within Wynyard station, and when tram services were discontinued in 1958, they were converted into extra traffic lanes. The Bradfield Highway, which is the main roadway section of the bridge and its approaches, is named in honour of Bradfield's contribution to the bridge.

Construction[link]

Sydney Harbour Bridge under construction

John Bradfield riding the first test train across the bridge on 19 January 1932

The building of the bridge was under the management of Bradfield. Three other people heavily involved in the bridge's design and construction were Lawrence Ennis, Edward Judge, and Sir Ralph Freeman. Ennis was the engineer-in-charge at Dorman Long and Co and the main on-site supervisor (Bradfield visited occasionally throughout the project and, in particular, at many key stages of the project, to inspect progress and make managerial decisions), Judge was chief technical engineer of Dorman Long, and Freeman was hired by the company to design the accepted model in further detail. Later a bitter disagreement broke out between Bradfield and Freeman as to who actually designed the bridge. Another name connected with the bridge's design is that of Arthur Plunkett.^{[citation needed]}

The official ceremony to mark the "turning of the first sod" occurred on 28 July 1923, on the spot at Milsons Point on the north shore where two workshops to assist in building the bridge were to be constructed.^[24]

An estimated 469 buildings on the north shore, both private homes and commercial operations, were demolished in order to allow construction to proceed, with little or no compensation being paid. Work on the bridge itself commenced with the construction of approaches and approach spans, and by September 1926 concrete piers to support the approach spans were in place on each side of the harbour.^[24]

As construction of the approaches took place, work was also started on preparing the foundations required to support the enormous weight of the arch and loadings. Concrete and granite faced abutment towers were constructed, with the angled foundations built into their sides.^[24]

Once work had progressed sufficiently on the support structures, a giant 'creeper crane' was erected on each side of the harbour.^[25] These cranes were fitted with a cradle, and then used to hoist men and materials into position to allow for erection of the steelwork. To stabilise works while building the arches, tunnels were excavated on each shore with steel cables passed through them and then fixed to the upper sections of each half-arch to stop them collapsing as they extended outwards.^[24]

HMAS Canberra sailing under the completed arch from which the deck is being suspended in 1930

Arch construction itself began on 26 October 1928. The southern end of the bridge was worked on ahead of the northern end, in order to detect any errors and to help with alignment. The cranes would 'creep' along the arches as they were constructed, eventually meeting up in the middle. In less than two years, on Tuesday, 19 August 1930, the two halves of the arch touched for the first time. Workers riveted both top and bottom sections of the arch together, and the arch became self-supporting, allowing the support cables to be removed. On 20 August 1930 the joining of the arches was celebrated by flying the flags of Australia and the United Kingdom (Australia being very much part of the British Commonwealth) from the jibs of the creeper cranes.^[24]

Once the arch was completed, the creeper cranes were then worked back down the arches, allowing the roadway and other parts of the bridge to be constructed from the centre out. The vertical hangers were attached to the arch, and these were then joined with horizontal crossbeams. The deck for the roadway and railway were built on top of the crossbeams, with the deck itself being completed by June 1931, and the creeper cranes were dismantled. Rails for trains and trams were laid, and road was surfaced using concrete topped with asphalt.^[24] Power and telephone lines, and water, gas, and drainage pipes were also all added to the bridge in 1931.

The pylons were built atop the abutment towers, with construction advancing rapidly from July 1931. Carpenters built wooden scaffolding, with concreters and masons then setting the masonry and pouring the concrete behind it. Gangers built the steelwork in the towers, while day labourers manually cleaned the granite with wire brushes. The last stone of the north-west pylon was set in place on 15 January 1932, and the timber towers used to support the cranes were removed.^[16][24]

On 19 January 1932, the first test train, a steam locomotive, safely crossed the bridge.^{[citation needed]} Load testing of the bridge took place in February 1932, with the four rail tracks being loaded with as many as 96 steam locomotives positioned end-to-end. The bridge underwent testing for three weeks, after which it was declared safe and ready to be opened.^[24] The construction worksheds were demolished after the bridge was completed, and the land that they were on is now occupied by Luna Park.

The standards of industrial safety during construction were poor by today's standards. Sixteen workers died during construction,^[26] but surprisingly only two from falling off the bridge. Several more were injured from unsafe working practices undertaken whilst heating and inserting its rivets, and the deafness experienced by many of the workers in later years was blamed on the project. Henri Mallard between 1930 and 1932 produced hundreds of stills^[27] and film footage^[28] which reveal at close quarters the bravery of the workers in tough Depression-era conditions.

The total financial cost of the bridge was AU£6.25 million, which was not paid off in full until 1988.^[29]

Opening[link]

The bridge was formally opened on Saturday, 19 March 1932.^[30] Amongst those who attended and gave speeches were the state Governor, Sir Philip Game, the Minister for Public Works, and Ennis. The Labor Premier of New South Wales, Jack Lang, was to open the bridge by cutting a ribbon at its southern end.

However, just as Lang was about to cut the ribbon, a man in military uniform rode in on a horse, slashing the ribbon with his sword and opening the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the name of the people of New South Wales before the official ceremony began. He was promptly arrested.^[31] The ribbon was hurriedly retied and Lang performed the official opening ceremony. After he did so, there was a 21-gun salute and an RAAF flypast. The intruder was identified as Francis de Groot. He was convicted of offensive behaviour and fined £5 after a psychiatric test proved he was sane. He was a member of a right-wing paramilitary group called the New Guard, opposed to Lang's leftist policies and resentful of the fact that a member of the Royal Family had not been asked to open the bridge.^[31] De Groot was not a member of the regular army but his uniform allowed him to blend in with the real cavalry. This incident was one of several involving Lang and the New Guard during that year.

A similar ribbon-cutting ceremony on the bridge's northern side by North Sydney's mayor, Alderman Primrose, was carried out without incident. It was later discovered that Primrose was also a New Guard member but his role in and knowledge of the de Groot incident, if any, are unclear.^{[citation needed]} The pair of golden scissors used in the ribbon cutting ceremonies on both sides of the bridge was also used to cut the ribbon at the dedication of the Bayonne Bridge, which had opened in Bayonne, New Jersey, close to New York City, the year before.^[32][33]

Despite the bridge opening in the midst of the Great Depression, opening celebrations organised by the Citizens of Sydney Organising Committee, an influential body of prominent men and politicians that formed in 1931 under the chairmanship of the Lord Mayor to oversee the festivities. The celebrations included an array of decorated floats a procession of passenger ships sailing below the bridge,and a Venetian Carnival.^[22] A message from a primary school in Tottenham, 515 km (320 mi) away in rural New South Wales, arrived at the bridge on the day and was presented at the opening ceremony. It had been carried all the way from Tottenham to the bridge by relays of school children, with the final relay being run by two children from the nearby Fort Street Boys' and Girls' schools. The City of Sydney organising Committee ^[34] also announced plans for a Great Eisteddfod. Lord Mayor Samuel Walder told the press that the competition would begin at the Town Hall in August 1933 and thus began the Sydney Eisteddfod.

After the official ceremonies, the public was allowed to walk across the bridge on the deck, something that would not be repeated again until the 50th anniversary celebrations.^[22] Estimates suggest that between 300,000 and one million people took part in the opening festivities,^[22] a phenomenal number given that the entire population of Sydney at the time was only a little over a million people.

There had also been numerous preparatory arrangements. On 14 March 1932, three postage stamps were issued to commemorate the imminent opening of the bridge. One of these stamps, with a face value of five shillings, is worth several hundred dollars today.^{[citation needed]} Several songs were also composed in advance for the occasion.

The bridge itself was regarded as a triumph over Depression times, earning the nickname "the Iron Lung", as it kept many Depression-era workers employed.^{[citation needed]}

Operations[link]

Road[link]

The roadway of the bridge, from the southern or city approach. From left: walkway, eight traffic lanes (the two leftmost once carried the Sydney trams), two railway tracks, and cycleway. The gantries with lights controlling traffic tidal flow are clearly visible, while the tollbooths can be seen near the bases of the high-rise buildings

From the Sydney CBD side, motor vehicle access to the bridge is normally via Grosvenor Street, Clarence Street, Kent Street, the Cahill Expressway, or the Western Distributor. Drivers on the northern side will find themselves on the Warringah Freeway, though it is easy to turn off the freeway to drive westwards into North Sydney or eastwards to Neutral Bay and beyond upon arrival on the northern side.

The bridge originally only had four wider traffic lanes occupying the central space which now has six, as photos taken soon after the opening clearly show. In 1958, tram services across the bridge were withdrawn and the tracks replaced by two extra road lanes; these lanes are now the leftmost southbound lanes on the bridge and are still clearly distinguishable from the other six road lanes. Lanes 7 and 8 now connect the bridge to the elevated Cahill Expressway that carries traffic to the Eastern Distributor.

In 1988, work began to build a tunnel to complement the bridge. It was determined that the bridge could no longer support the increased traffic flow of the 1980s. The Sydney Harbour Tunnel was completed in August 1992. It is intended for use only by motor vehicles.

The Bradfield Highway is designated as a Travelling Stock Route which means that it is permissible to herd livestock across the bridge, but only between midnight and dawn, and after giving notice of intention to do so. In practice, owing to the high-density urban nature of modern Sydney, and the relocation of abattoirs and markets, this has not taken place for approximately half a century.

Tidal flow[link]

The bridge is equipped for tidal flow operation, permitting the direction of traffic flow on the bridge to be altered to better suit the morning and evening rush hours' traffic patterns.

The bridge has eight lanes in total, numbered one through eight from west to east. Lanes three, four and five are reversible. One and two always flow north. Six, seven and eight always flow south. The default is four each way. For the morning rush hour, the lane changes on the bridge also require changes to the Warringah Freeway, with its inner western reversible carriageway directing traffic to the bridge lane numbers three and four southbound.

The bridge has a series of overhead gantries which indicate the direction of flow for each traffic lane. A green arrow pointing down to a traffic lane means the lane is open. A flashing red 'X' indicates the lane is closing, but is not yet in use for traffic travelling in the other direction. A static red 'X' means the lane is in use for oncoming traffic. This arrangement was introduced in the 1990s, replacing a slow operation where lane markers were manually moved to mark the centre median.

It is possible to see odd arrangements of flow during night periods when maintenance occurs, which may involve completely closing some lanes. Normally this is done between midnight and dawn, because of the enormous traffic demands placed on the bridge outside these hours.

Tolls[link]

The vehicular traffic lanes on the bridge are operated as a toll road. As of 27 January 2009 there is a variable tolling system for all vehicles headed into the CBD (southbound). The toll paid is dependent on the time of day in which the vehicle passes through the toll plaza. The toll varies from a minimum value of $2.50 to a maximum value of $4.^[35] There is no toll for northbound traffic (though taxis travelling north may charge passengers the toll in anticipation of the toll the taxi must pay on the return journey). There are toll plazas at the northern and southern ends. The two eastern lanes (which continue over the Cahill Expressway at the southern end of the bridge) have their tollbooths at the northern end, while the other southbound lanes (for CBD traffic) are serviced by tollbooths at the southern end of the bridge. There is a bridge-long median strip between lanes 6 and 7 to separate traffic which has already paid the toll (at the northern end) from other southbound traffic (which must pay the toll at the southern end).

The toll was originally placed on travel across the bridge, in both directions, to recoup the cost of its construction. This cost was recovered in the 1980s, but the toll has been kept (indeed increased) by the state government's Roads and Traffic Authority to recoup the costs of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel.

After the decision to build the Sydney Harbour Tunnel was made in the early 1980s, the toll was increased (from 20 cents to $1, then to $1.50, and finally to $2 by the time the tunnel opened) to pay for its construction. The tunnel also had an initial toll of $2 southbound. After the increase to $1, the concrete barrier on the bridge separating the Bradfield Highway from the Cahill Expressway was increased in height, because of the large numbers of drivers crossing it illegally from lane 6 to 7, in order to avoid the toll. The toll for all southbound vehicles was increased to $3 in March 2004.

Originally it cost a car or motorcycle six pence to cross, a horse and rider being three pence. Use of the bridge by bicycle riders (provided that they use the cycleway) and by pedestrians is free. Later governments capped the fee for motorcycles at one-quarter of the passenger-vehicle cost, but now it is again the same as the cost for a passenger vehicle.

In July 2008, a new electronic tolling system called E-Tag was introduced. The Sydney Harbour Tunnel was converted to this new tolling system while the Sydney Harbour Bridge itself had several cash lanes. The electronic system as of 12 January 2009 has now replaced all booths with E-tag lanes.^[36]

Pedestrians[link]

The pedestrian only footway is located on the east side of the bridge. Access from the northern side involves climbing an easily-spotted flight of stairs, located on the east side of the bridge at Burton St, Milsons Point. Pedestrian access on the southern side is more complicated, but signposts in the Rocks area now direct pedestrians to the long and sheltered flight of stairs that leads to the bridge's southern end. These stairs are located near Gloucester Street and Cumberland Street.

The bridge can also be approached from the south by accessing Cahill Walk, which runs along the Cahill Expressway. Pedestrians can access this walkway from the east end of Circular Quay by a flight of stairs or a lift. Alternatively it can be accessed from the Botanic Gardens.

Cyclists[link]

The bike only cycleway is located on the west side of the bridge. Access from the northern side involves carrying or pushing a bicycle up a staircase, consisting of 55 steps, located on the west side of the bridge at Burton St, Milsons Point. A campaign to eliminate the steps on this popular cycling route to the CBD has been running since at least 2008.^[37][38] Cyclist access on the southern side is via the north end of the Kent St. cycleway and/or Upper Fort St.

Rail[link]

First passenger train crossing the bridge, 19 March 1932

The bridge lies between Milsons Point and Wynyard railway stations, located on the north and south shores respectively, with two train lines running along the western side of the bridge. Milson's Point station is part of the North Shore line and the Northern line.

In 1958, tram services across the bridge were withdrawn and the tracks they had used were removed and replaced by two extra road lanes; these lanes are now the leftmost southbound lanes on the bridge and are still clearly distinguishable from the other six road lanes. The original ramp that took the trams into their terminus at the underground Wynyard railway station is still visible at the southern end of the main walkway under lanes 7 and 8, although the tunnels have been converted into a car park and firing range.

Maintenance[link]

Maintenance crew painting the bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge requires constant inspections and other maintenance work to keep it safe for the public, and to protect from corrosion. Among the trades employed on the bridge are painters, ironworkers, boilermakers, fitters, electricians, plasterers, carpenters, plumbers, and riggers.^[23]

The most noticeable maintenance work on the bridge involves painting. The steelwork of the bridge that needs to be painted is a combined 485,000 square metres (120 acres), the equivalent of sixty football fields. Each coat on the bridge requires some 30,000 litres (6,600 imp gal) of paint.^[23] A special fast-drying paint is used, so that any paint drops have dried before reaching the vehicles or bridge surface.^[15] One notable identity from previous bridge-painting crews is Australian comedian and actor Paul Hogan, who worked as a bridge painter before rising to media fame in the 1970s.^[7]

In 2003 the Roads & Traffic Authority began completely repainting the southern approach spans of the bridge. This involved removing the old lead-based paint, and repainting the 90,000 square metres (22 acres) of steel below the deck. Workers operated from self-contained platforms below the deck, with each platform having an air extraction system to filter airborne particles. An abrasive blasting was used, with the lead waste collected and safely removed from the site for disposal.^[23]

Tourism[link]

Historic tourist signs for the pylon lookout, from Rentoul's 'All Australian Exhibition', 1948 - 1971

BridgeClimbers admire the view mid-climb, while a second group reach the top of the arch. Note also the light fixtures and extensive use of rivets

South-east pylon[link]

Even during its construction, the bridge was such a prominent feature of Sydney that it would attract tourist interest. One of the ongoing tourist attractions of the bridge has been the south-east pylon, which is accessed via the pedestrian walkway across the bridge, and then a climb to the top of the pylon of about 200 steps.^[13]

Not long after the bridge's opening, commencing in 1934, Archer Whitford first converted this pylon into a tourist destination.^[39] He installed a number of attractions, including a café, a camera obscura, an Aboriginal museum, a "Mother's Nook" where visitors could write letters, and a 'pashometer'. The main attraction was the viewing platform, where "charming attendants" assisted visitors to use the telescopes available,^[39] and a copper cladding (still present) over the granite guard rails identified the suburbs and landmarks of Sydney at the time.^[40]

The outbreak of World War II in 1939 saw tourist activities on the bridge cease, as the military took over the four pylons and modified them to include parapets and anti-aircraft guns.^[41]

After the war, in 1948 Yvonne Rentoul opened the 'All Australian Exhibition' in the pylon. This contained dioramas, and displays about Australian perspectives on subjects such as farming, sport, transport, mining, and the armed forces. An orientation table was installed at the viewing platform, along with a wall guide and binoculars. The owner kept several white cats in a rooftop cattery, which also served as an attraction, and there was a souvenir shop and postal outlet.^[42] Rentoul's lease expired in 1971, and the pylon and its lookout remained closed to the public for over a decade.^[43]

The pylon was reopened in 1982, with a new exhibition celebrating the bridge's 50th anniversary.^[44] In 1987 a 'Bicentennial Exhibition' was opened to mark the 200th anniversary of European settlement in Australia in 1988.^[45]

The pylon was closed from April to November 2000 for the Roads & Traffic Authority and BridgeClimb to create a new exhibition called 'Proud Arch'. The exhibition focussed on Bradfield, and included a glass direction finder on the observation level, and various important heritage items.^[46]

The pylon again closed for four weeks in 2003 for the installation of an exhibit called 'Dangerous Works', highlighting the dangerous conditions experienced by the original construction workers on the bridge, and two stained glass feature windows in memory of the workers.^[47]

BridgeClimb[link]

Since 1998, BridgeClimb^[48] has made it possible for tourists to climb the southern half of the bridge. Tours run throughout the day, from dawn to dusk, and are only cancelled for electrical storms or high wind. Night climbs are also available.

Groups of climbers are provided with protective clothing appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions and are given an orientation briefing before climbing. During the climb, attendees are secured to the bridge by a wire lifeline. Each climb begins on the eastern side of the bridge and ascends to the top. At the summit, the group crosses to the western side of the arch for the descent. Each climb is a three-and-a-half-hour experience.

In December 2006, BridgeClimb^[48] launched an alternative to climbing the upper arches of the bridge. The Discovery Climb allows climbers to ascend the lower chord of the bridge and view its internal structure. From the apex of the lower chord, climbers ascend a staircase to a platform at the summit.

BridgeClimb celebrated its 10th anniversary on 1 October 2008, and is investigating the possibilities of other 'bridge climbs' around the world. Negotiations are currently underway for a similar operation on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.^[49]

Celebrations[link]

Since the opening, the bridge has been the focal point of much tourism and national pride.

50th Anniversary celebrations (1982)[link]

In 1982, the bridge celebrated the 50th anniversary of its opening. For the first time since its opening in 1932, the bridge was closed to vehicles, and pedestrians were allowed full access for the day.^[10] The celebrations were attended by Edward Judge, who represented Dorman Long.

Postage stamp, Australia, 1932

Bicentennial Australia Day celebrations (1988)[link]

Australia's bicentennial celebrations on 26 January 1988 attracted large crowds in the bridge's vicinity as merrymakers flocked to the foreshores in order to view the events on the harbour. The highlight was the biggest parade of sail ever held in Sydney, square-riggers from all over the world, surrounded by hundreds of smaller craft of every description, passing majestically under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The day's festivities culminated in a fireworks display in which the bridge was the focal point of the finale, with fireworks streaming from the arch and roadway. This was to become the pattern for later firework displays.

Sydney New Year's Eve (1993-present)[link]

The Harbour Bridge is an integral part of the Sydney New Year's Eve celebrations, generally being used in spectacular ways during the fireworks displays. In recent times, the bridge has included a ropelight display on a framework in the centre of the eastern arch, which is used to complement the fireworks. As the scaffolding and framework are clearly visible for some weeks before the event, revealing the outline of the design, there is much speculation as to how the effect is to be realised.

During the millennium celebrations in 2000, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up with the word "Eternity", as a tribute to the legacy of Arthur Stace a Sydney artist who for many years inscribed that word on pavements in chalk in beautiful copperplate writing despite the fact that he was illiterate.

The effects have been as follows:

The opening sequence to the 2008-09 Midnight Fireworks, using the Sun for its bridge effect.

• NYE1997: Smiley face;
• NYE1999: The word "Eternity" in copperplate writing,
• NYE2000: Rainbow Serpent and Federation Star;
• NYE2001: Uluru, the Southern Cross and the Dove of Peace;
• NYE2002: Dove of Peace and the word "PEACE".
• NYE2003: Light show;
• NYE2004: 'Fanfare';
• NYE2005: Three concentric hearts
• NYE2006: Coathanger and a diamond
• NYE2007: Mandala;
• NYE2008: The Sun
• NYE2009: Taijitu Symbol, a Blue moon and a ring of fire
• NYE2010: Handprint, "X" Mark and a Spot
• NYE2011: Thought Bubble, Sun and Endless Rainbow

The numbers for the New Year's Eve countdown also appear on the eastern side of the Bridge pylons.

Walk for Reconciliation (2000)[link]

In May 2000 the bridge was closed to vehicular access for a day to allow a special reconciliation march—the "Walk for Reconciliation"—to take place. This was part of a response to an Aboriginal Stolen Generations inquiry, which found widespread suffering had taken place amongst Australian Aboriginal children forcibly placed into the care of white parents in a little-publicised state government scheme. Around a million^[50] Australians walked the bridge in a symbolic gesture of crossing a divide.

Sydney 2000 Olympics[link]

During the Sydney 2000 Olympics in September and October 2000, the bridge was adorned with the Olympic Rings. It was included in the Olympic torch's route to the Olympic stadium. The men's and women's Olympic marathon events likewise included the bridge as part of their route to the Olympic stadium. A fireworks display at the end of the closing ceremony ended at the bridge. The east-facing side of the bridge has been used several times since as a framework from which to hang static fireworks, especially during the elaborate New Year's Eve displays.

Formula One promotion (2005)[link]

In 2005 Mark Webber drove a Williams-BMW Formula One car across the bridge.^[51]

75th anniversary (2007)[link]

In 2007, the 75th anniversary of its opening was commemorated with an exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, called "Bridging Sydney".^[52] An initiative of the Historic Houses Trust, the exhibition featured dramatic photographs and paintings with rare and previously unseen alternative bridge and tunnel proposals, plans and sketches.

On 18 March 2007, the Sydney Harbour Bridge celebrated its 75th anniversary. The occasion was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the governor, Marie Bashir and the premier of New South Wales, Morris Iemma. The bridge was subsequently open to the public to walk southward from Milsons Point or North Sydney. Several major roads, mainly in the CBD, were closed for the day. An Aboriginal smoking ceremony was held at 7pm.

Approximately 250,000 people (50,000 more than were registered) took part in the event. Bright yellow souvenir caps were distributed to walkers. A series of speakers placed at intervals along the bridge formed a sound installation. Each group of speakers broadcast sound and music from a particular era (e.g. King Edward VIII's abdication speech; Gough Whitlam's speech at Parliament House in 1975), the overall effect being that the soundscape would "flow" through history as walkers proceeded along the bridge. A light-show began after sunset and continued late into the night, the bridge being bathed in constantly changing, multi-coloured lighting, designed to highlight structural features of the bridge. In the evening the bright green caps were replaced by orange caps with a small, bright LED attached. The bridge was closed to walkers at about 8.30 p.m.

• SHB75.jpg

  Walkers with LED caps on the bridge's 75th Anniversary

• 

  The commemorative hats given to walkers

Breakfast on the Bridge (2009 to Present)[link]

On 25 October 2009 turf was laid across the eight lanes of bitumen, and 6000 people celebrated a picnic on the bridge accompanied by live music.^[53] The event was repeated in 2010, with the aim to make this an annual event.^[54]

80th anniversary[link]

On 19 March 2012 the 80th anniversary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was celebrated with a picnic dedicated to the stories of people with personal connections to the bridge.^[55] In addition, Google dedicated its Google doodle on the 19th to the event.^[56] The proposal to upgrade the bridge tolling equipment was announced by the NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay.^[57]

Quotations[link]

Prophetic observation of Sydney Cove by Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles Darwin, from his poem "Visit of Hope to Sydney Cove, near Botany Bay", (1789).

Francis de Groot 'opening' the Sydney Harbour Bridge, (1932). His organisation, the New Guard, had resented the fact that King George V had not been asked to open the bridge.

James Michener assessing the Sydney Harbour Bridge in his book "Return to Paradise", (1951).

American travel-writer Bill Bryson's impressions of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in his book "Down Under", (2000).^[58]

Sydney Harbour Bridge as viewed from Kirribilli on the North Shore, with the Sydney Opera House on the left.

See also[link]

• Australian landmarks
• List of the largest arch bridges

References[link]

Other sources[link]

• Four papers on the design and construction of the bridge in volume 238 of the Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1935 Kinley
• Knezevic, Daniel,(1947), 'The Lost Bridge',

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sydney Harbour Bridge

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sydney Harbour Bridge (construction)

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Sydney Harbour Bridge

Wikinews has related news: Commuter chaos in Sydney after wind damages lines on Harbour Bridge

• Sydney Harbour Bridge at Structurae
• Sydney City Council
• BridgeClimb
• Sydney Harbour Bridge turns 75 – Feature from Daily Telegraph
• Men at work: Sydney's Harbour Bridge – Australian Geographic
• 75th Anniversary Celebrations
• NSW Bike Plan - Bicycle Information for New South Wales
• Sydney Harbour Bridge - News and Events
• Description of SHB project in 1924 newspaper, including statistics and dimensions.

Webcams:

• Road Traffic Authority webcams

Images:

• Bridge during construction
• "Arch Bridge in Australia to Have Record Span", Popular Mechanics, May 1929
• Air views of the opening celebrations, 19 March 1932 / photographed by W. E. Searle
• Sydney Harbour Bridge during the Olympic Games, 19–26 September 2000 / Loui Seselja
• Picnic on Sydney Harbour Bridge / Sigmate Studio
• Breakfast on the Bridge / Daniel Boud
• Buildings and roads around North Sydney and Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1958–1961 / Wolfgang Sievers

v t e Sydney New Year's Eve Events 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 Venues Main venues Sydney Harbour Harbour Bridge Opera House Dawes Point Royal Botanic Gardens Circular Quay Other vantage points Clark Island Cockatoo Island Darling Harbour Fort Denison Goat Island Shark Island The Rocks Waverton Related Bridge Effect 9pm Family Fireworks Midnight Fireworks

Coordinates: 33°51′30″S 151°14′00″E / 33.85833°S 151.2333333°E / -33.85833; 151.2333333

A Sydney Catamaran ferry on Sydney Harbour

Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the South Pacific Ocean. Widely considered to be one of the world's finest harbours, it is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The location of the first European settlement in Australia, the harbour has continued to play a key role in the history and development of Sydney. The city itself lies on the southern shore, while the Northern Suburbs lie on the northern shore; which are linked by the Harbour Bridge. The Parramatta River forms the harbour's western arm.

Many recreational events are based on or around the harbour itself particularly the Sydney New Year's Eve celebrations and the starting point of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

History[link]

Port Jackson

Sydney Cove, Port Jackson in the County of Cumberland - from a drawing made by Francis Fowkes in 1788

Sydney Harbour and Port Jackson displaying Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. The CBD is located to the far left of the photo.

The land around Port Jackson was occupied at the time of European discovery and colonisation by various tribes including the Gadigal, Cammeraygal, Eora and Wangal peoples. The Gadigal people are said to have occupied the land stretching along the south side of Port Jackson from what is now South Head, in an arc west through to Petersham. The Cammeraygal lived on the northern side of the harbour. The area along the southern banks of the Parramatta River, west of Petersham to Rose Hill, was reported to belong to the Wanegal. The Eora people lived on the southern side of the harbour, close to where the First Fleet settled.

The first recorded European discovery of Sydney Harbour, was by Lt James Cook in 1770 - Cook named the inlet after Sir George Jackson, (one of the Lord Commissioners of the British Admiralty, and Judge Advocate of the Fleet).^[1] His ship's log notation states "at noon we where...about 2 or 3 miles from the land and abrest of a bay or harbour within there appeared to be a safe anchorage which I called Port Jackson."

View of Port Jackson and Sydney's CBD.

Eighteen years later, on 21 January 1788, after arriving at Botany Bay, Governor Arthur Phillip took a longboat and two cutters up the coast to examine Cook's Port Jackson. Phillip first stayed over night at Camp Cove, then moved down the harbour, landing at Sydney Cove and then Manly Cove before returning to Botany Bay on the afternoon of the 24th.

Phillip returned to Sydney Cove in H.M. Armed Tender Supply on 26 January 1788, where he established the first colony in Australia, later to become the city of Sydney.

In his first dispatch from the colony back to England, Governor Phillip noted that "...we had the satisfaction of finding the finest harbour in the world, in which a thousand sail of the line may ride in the most perfect security..."^[2]

A Japanese Ko-hyoteki class midget submarine, believed to be Midget No. 14, is raised from Sydney Harbour on 1 June 1942.

In 1942, to protect Sydney Harbour from a submarine attack, the 'Sydney Harbour anti-submarine boom net' was constructed. It spanned the harbour from Green (Laings) Point, Watsons Bay to Georges Head, Mosman, which is on the other side of the harbour. On the night of 31 May 1942, three Japanese midget submarines attempted to enter the harbour, one of which became entangled in the western end of the boom net's central section. Unable to free their submarine, the crew detonated charges to destroy it, killing themselves in the process. The anti-submarine boom net was demolished soon after World War II, and all that remains are the foundations of the old boom net winch house, which can be viewed on Green (Laings) Point, Watsons Bay. Today, that Japanese midget submarine remains on static display at the Australian War Memorial.^[3]

Fortifications[link]

A number of former fortifications line Sydney Harbour, some of which are now heritage listed. The earliest date from the 1830s, and were designed to defend Sydney from seaborn attack or convict uprisings. There are four historical fortifications located between Taronga Zoo and Middle Head, Mosman, they are: the Middle Head Fortifications, the Georges Head Battery, the Lower Georges Heights Commanding Position and a small fort located on Bradleys Head, known as the Bradleys Head Fortification Complex. The forts were built from sandstone quarried on site and consist of various tunnels, underground rooms, open batteries and casemated batteries, shell rooms, gunpowder magazines, barracks and trenches.^[4][5]

Geography[link]

The QE2 docked at Sydney Harbour, looking towards Circular Quay and the city CBD

Geologically, Port Jackson is a drowned river valley, or ria. It is 19 km long with an area of 55 km². The estuary's volume at high tide is 562 million cubic metres. The perimeter of the estuary is 317 kilometres.

According to the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales, Port Jackson is "a harbour which comprises all the waters within an imaginary line joining North Head and South Head. Within this harbour lies North Harbour, Middle Harbour and Sydney Harbour."^[6] These three harbours extend from the single entrance (known as Sydney Heads (North and South Heads)). North Harbour is the shortest, and is really just a large bay extending to Manly. Middle Harbour extends to the north-west. It is bridged at The Spit and Roseville. Its headwaters lie in Garigal National Park. The longest arm, Sydney Harbour, extends west as far as Balmain, where it is fed by the estuaries of the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers. Port Jackson is bridged by the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the ANZAC Bridge (formerly known as the Glebe Island Bridge). A tunnel, the Sydney Harbour Tunnel passes underneath the Harbour, to the east of the bridge, and in 2005 it was proposed that a third harbour crossing, this time a railway line, be constructed to the west of the bridge. The harbour is heavily embayed. The bays on the south side tend to be wide and rounded, whereas those on the north side are generally narrow inlets. Many of these bays include beaches. Sydney's major central business district begins at Circular Quay, a small bay on the south side that has, over time, had its semicircle reclaimed by land to the point where it is a rectangular quay. The northern side of the harbour is mainly used for residential purposes.

The waterways of Port Jackson are managed by the New South Wales Maritime Authority.

Islands[link]

There are several islands within the harbour, including Shark Island, Clark Island, Fort Denison, Goat Island, Cockatoo Island, Spectacle Island, Snapper Island and Rodd Island. Some other former islands, including Bennelong Island, Garden Island and Berry Island, have subsequently been linked to the shore by land reclamation.

Tributaries and waterways[link]

• Tank Stream is a fresh water course which empties into Sydney Cove. Today it is little more than a storm water drain but originally it was the fresh water supply for the fledgling colony of New South Wales in the late 18th century. It originated from a swamp to the west of present day Hyde Park and at high tide entered Sydney Cove at the intersection of Bridge and Pitt Streets.

• Middle Harbour is the northern arm of Sydney Harbour. It begins as a small creek (Middle Harbour Creek) at St Ives.^[7] It joins Port Jackson between the two headlands, Middle Head and Grotto Point Reserve, adjacent to the Sydney Heads.

• Iron Cove Creek is located in the inner-western suburbs of Croydon, Ashfield, Haberfield and Five Dock. Iron Cove Creek traverses mostly through residential areas and parkland, making a two kilometre journey from where it surfaces in Croydon to where it empties along with Hawthorne Canal into Iron Cove, which is a bay of the Parramatta River.

• Duck River a tributary of the Parramatta River entering at Silverwater is fed by two creeks, Duck Creek and A'Beckett Creek. It drains localties around the suburbs of Silverwater and Auburn and was named in light of the large population of ducks which inhabit the stream.

• Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour, a branch of Port Jackson. The river begins at confluence of Toongabbie Creek and Darling Mills Creek west of Parramatta and travels in an easterly direction to a line between Greenwich Point, Greenwich, and Robinsons Point, Birchgrove. Here it flows into Port Jackson, still about 21 km from the ocean.^[8]

• Lane Cove River is a tributary of the Parramatta River, its lower reaches form an arm of Sydney Harbour. The lower reaches of the Lane Cove River are tidal and merge into Sydney Harbour at Greenwich and Hunters Hill.

• Johnstons Creek is located in the inner-western suburbs of Glebe, Annandale, Forest Lodge and Stanmore. It rises in Stanmore and flows in a generally northward direction towards Rozelle Bay. The creek passes beneath the stands of Harold Park Paceway prior to emptying into Rozelle Bay at Bicentennial Park Glebe. Orphan School Creek is a tributary of Johnstons Creek.

Panorama of Sydney Harbour and Port Jackson from the Rhapsody of the Seas.

Maritime transport[link]

Port Jackson, as seen from Rose Bay.

Sydney Ferries is an agency of the New South Wales Department of Transport, providing ferry services on Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River in Sydney, Australia. Most ferry wharves, aside from those concentrated around the Central Business District, lie on the northern banks of the harbour, or on the southern bank, east of the Harbour Bridge. There is a lesser concentration of ferry wharves in the western areas of the harbour.

A service runs to Parramatta, along the Parramatta River, which is serviced by the RiverCat vessels, a large catamaran type ferry.

In addition to the state owned ferry service, private ferry operators run a fast commuter service between Manly and the city during peak times. Fast services on this route are now offered by private operators, following the Government decision in December 2009 to cease the premium service operated by Sydney Ferries.

Finally, a small number of water taxi and water limousine operators are active on the harbour, offering transport to individuals and groups who do not wish to travel by ferry. These water taxis are not restricted by timetables or specific routes,^[9] and can also provide a service to or from private wharfs and houses on the waterfront.

Derivative unit of measure[link]

A Sydharb is a unit of volume used in Australia for water. One sydharb (or sydarb), also called a Sydney Harbour, is the amount of water in the Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson): approximately 500 gigalitres (410,000 acre·ft).^[10]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sydney Harbour

• NSW Maritime Authority
• Maps maintained by the New South Wales Maritime Authority, which legally is the owner of the harbour bed:
  • Port Jackson—east of Harbour Bridge
  • Port Jackson—west of Harbour Bridge
• Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Established by the Australian Government to plan for the future of former Defence and other special Commonwealth Lands around Sydney Harbour.
• Geographic Names Board of New South Wales reference to Port Jackson
• A Living Harbour A history of Sydney Harbour from ABC Radio National

v t e Sydney New Year's Eve Events 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 Venues Main venues Sydney Harbour Harbour Bridge Opera House Dawes Point Royal Botanic Gardens Circular Quay Other vantage points Clark Island Cockatoo Island Darling Harbour Fort Denison Goat Island Shark Island The Rocks Waverton Related Bridge Effect 9pm Family Fireworks Midnight Fireworks

v t e Australian places named on the First voyage of James Cook in 1770 Victoria 19 April: Point Hicks Ram Head 20: Cape Howe New South Wales 21 April: Mount Dromedary Batemans Bay 22 April: Pigeon House 25 April: Red Point 28 April: Botany Bay* 6 May: Port Jackson Broken Bay 11 May: Point Stephens Port Stephens Cape Hawke 12 May: The Three Brothers 13 May: Smoky Cape 15 May: Solitary Isles Cape Byron 16 May: Mount Warning Queensland 16 May: Point Danger 17 May: Point Lookout Cape Moreton Morton Bay The Glass Houses 18 May: Double Island Point 19 May: Indian Head Sandy Cape 21 May: Herveys Bay 23 May: Bustard Bay* 25 May: Cape Capricorn 26 May: Keppel Isles 27 May: Keppel Bay 27 May: Cape Manyfold 28 May: Shoal Water Bay Northumberland Isles 1 June: Long Isle Broad Sound 2 June: Slade Point 4 June: Whitsundays Passage Cape Gloucester 6 June: Magnetical Island Palm Isles 8 June: Halifax Bay Dunk Island 9 June: Frankland Islands Fitzroy Island 10 June: Green Isle Trinity Bay Cape Tribulation 14 June – 4 August: Endeavour River* 11 August: Lizard Island* Eagle Island* 18 August: Sir Charles Hardy's Isles 19 August: Cape Grenville 21 August: York Cape 22 August: Possession Island* Prince of Wales's Isles 23 August: Booby Island* *Places where Cook landed

Sydney New South Wales
The Sydney Opera House and Sydney CBD at dusk from Jeffrey Street, Kirribilli
Sydney
Population:	4,627,345[1] (1st)
• Density:	2058/km² (5,330.2/sq mi) (2006)[2]
Established:	26 January 1788
Coordinates:	33°51′35.9″S 151°12′40″E / 33.859972°S 151.21111°E / -33.859972; 151.21111Coordinates: 33°51′35.9″S 151°12′40″E / 33.859972°S 151.21111°E / -33.859972; 151.21111
Area:	12144.6 km² (4,689.1 sq mi)
Time zone:  • Summer (DST)	AEST (UTC+10) AEDT (UTC+11)
Location:	881 km (547 mi) NE of Melbourne 938 km (583 mi) S of Brisbane 286 km (178 mi) NE of Canberra 3970 km (2,467 mi) E of Perth 1406 km (874 mi) E of Adelaide
LGA:	various (38)
County:	Cumberland
State electorate:	various (49)
Federal Division:	various (24)
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 21.7 °C 71 °F 13.8 °C 57 °F 1,212.8 mm 47.7 in

Sydney ( /sɪdni/)^[3] is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is classified as an Alpha+ World City indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world.^[4]

Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people.^[1] Inhabitants of Sydney are called Sydneysiders, comprising a cosmopolitan and international population.^[5]

The site of the first British colony in Australia, Sydney was established in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, commodore of the First Fleet as a penal colony.^[6] The city is built on hills surrounding Port Jackson which is commonly known as Sydney Harbour, where the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge feature prominently. The hinterland of the metropolitan area is surrounded by national parks, and the coastal regions feature many bays, rivers, inlets and beaches including the famous Bondi Beach and Manly Beach. Within the city are many notable parks, including Hyde Park and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Sydney ranks among the top global cities in the world.^{[7][8][9][10]} In 2010, Sydney was ranked 7th in Asia and 28th globally for economic innovation in the Innovation Cities Top 100 Index by innovation agency 2thinknow.^[11] Sydney also ranks among the top 10 most liveable cities in the world according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting, The Economist and Monocle^[12][13][14] and is considered among the top fashion capitals in the world.^[15] It was also ranked in the top 10 global university cities according to RMIT University^[16]—which limited its selection to cities already ranked in the "top 100 most liveable cities".

It has hosted major international sporting events, including the 1938 British Empire Games and the 2000 Summer Olympics. The main airport serving Sydney is Sydney Airport^[17] and the main port in the city is Sydney Harbour.