The Harbour Bridge is one of the main tourist attractions and postcards of Sydney and the country. Construction of the bridge began in 1924. It took 8 years and around 4.2 million Australian dollars to build what is now one of the main links between Millers Point - near the historic district of the Rocks - and North Sydney - the Luna Park area.
The amount of materials and people involved is also impressive. Around 1,400 workers were part of the work, more than 6 million rivets were used and around 53 tons of steel - 39 tons being the weight of the arch alone - make up the structure - which is equivalent to the weight of at least 7 Eiffel Towers.
BridgeClimb began in October 1998 and has already attracted millions of visitors. To climb, you must be over 10 years old - children between 10 and 15 must be accompanied by a guardian - be healthy and not be bothered by the height. The tour can be done at different times of the day. For those who don't mind getting up early, there's the climb at dawn. For those who want to spend more time in bed, there are also tours throughout the day. For romantics, there's a sunset adventure. And for those who prefer nightlife and the artificial lights of the cities, the right choice is the night tour. The climb, which lasts a maximum of three and a half hours, can be adapted to suit the tourist's taste.
You need to arrive 15 minutes in advance. It all starts in a small room. The instructor explains the adventure and that items such as hats, cameras, cell phones or anything that could "fall and cause an accident" should not be part of the climb. If you want to bring your glasses, no problem. There is specific equipment to guarantee the safety of your glasses.
Along with the explanation, each participant must fill in a form guaranteeing their state of health. Once everything has been clarified, it's time to receive some of the equipment. In the next room, everyone has to check that their clothes fit. Please note that climbing must be done in closed shoes. Then it's time to put all your belongings away in the lockers, use the restroom for the last time and go for the advanced explanation with the instructor who will be guiding the tour.
Once everyone in the group - a maximum of 14 people - has passed through the metal detector, it's time to learn how the safety equipment works. All members receive a belt with a kind of carabiner that fits onto a steel cable. Other items such as caps, hats, fleeces, radios and even a scarf are handed out. Next, everyone has to do an activity to recognize the safety items and how they work. Each member of the team has to climb some stairs and descend them following the guide's instructions.
The last step before climbing is to choose the group positions. Seriously. Once you've connected the climb slider to the steel cable, you can't change positions. So if you're in a group, choose wisely who you want to be around for the photos!
The adventure begins at the base of the bridge. Here, the guide explains interesting facts about the construction. Things like how the structure was considered too grandiose at the time, when the Queen Victoria Building was the largest building in the city at 58 meters high, and that actor Paul Hogan - Crocodile Dundee - was part of a team hired to repaint the bridge before his screen career.
Once the first stage of the climb is over, and the narrowest part of the climb, it's time for the first photo with the top of the bridge in the background. Further on, it's time for a photo with the Opera House. At every moment, the guide gives you more information about the city. The Kirribilli neighborhood, for example, means "good place to fish" and according to the guide, the workers simply threw the rivets from one part of the structure to the other simply to make the job easier.
Getting to the top is rewarding. The view is magnificent and learning more about the local history is priceless. At the end of the tour, each participant receives a certificate, a group photo and the chance to buy each flash taken during the climb. You can also rate the guide and buy some souvenirs in the souvenir store.
If you have any questions about the tour visit the official website.
And if you're thinking of doing an exchange in Australia, get in touch here!
Have a Good Day!
