When was the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened?
The Sydney Harbour Bridge opened on 19 March 1932. The huge steel arch bridge links the Sydney CBD with the North Shore and is nicknamed the Coathanger.
The bridge was designed under the direction of engineer John Bradfield and built by the British firm Dorman Long. Construction began in 1923, and the two halves of the arch were built out from each shore until they met in 1930.
Its arch spans 503 metres, and the top of the arch stands about 134 metres above the water. For decades it was the widest long-span bridge in the world, carrying road lanes, railway tracks, a footpath and a cycleway.
A dramatic opening day
At the opening ceremony, before Premier Jack Lang could cut the ribbon, Francis de Groot of the New Guard rode up on horseback and slashed it with his sword. The ribbon was quickly retied and cut officially.
Today visitors can walk across, cycle over, visit the Pylon Lookout or join BridgeClimb tours to the summit of the arch, which began in 1998. The bridge is also the centrepiece of Sydney's famous New Year's Eve fireworks.
Did You Know?
About six million rivets were used to hold the steel of the Sydney Harbour Bridge together.