A brief timeline of the history of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

• 1788: Before the arrival of Europeans in 1788, both sides of Sydney Harbour, where the Sydney Harbour Bridge would later be built, were the home of the Eora people.
• 1815: Convict and architect Francis Greenway suggested the construction of a bridge across the harbour.
• 1857: Engineer Peter Henderson proposed the construction of a large cast iron bridge, spanning from Dawes Point to Milsons Point.
• 1878-1879: A proposal for a floating bridge by Commissioner WC Bennett was followed by a high-level bridge designed by TS Parrott.
• 1881: A plan by JE Garbett was actually accepted by the Government but never implemented.
• 1923: The first sod was turned, marking the beginning of construction.
• 1926: The erection of the steelwork commenced in September.
• 1930: The two halves of the arch were completed in August.
• 1931: The rail and roads were completed by June, and by December, the bridge was almost complete.
• 1932: After a safety check in January, the bridge was officially opened on March 19.
• 1988: The bridge was declared an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Engineering Landmark under the Australian Historic Engineering Plaquing Program managed by Engineering Heritage Australia.

This iconic structure now connects almost a quarter of a million people a day to the northern and southern shores of Sydney Harbour. It spans about 500 meters, making it one of the longest steel-arch bridges in the world, and features four railroad tracks, a highway, and two pedestrian walkways. It’s truly a marvel of engineering!