The Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an iconic image of Australia. It is approximately 1.2 kilometres long, 134m high and 49m wide, the widest bridge in the world until 2012. Today the Sydney Harbour Bridge is used for transportation and carries train lines, cars, buses, bicycles and pedestrians from the Central Business District (CBD) of Sydney to the North Shore.
Plans for the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge began as early as the initial colonisation of Australia. As the settlement at Sydney Cove grew and expanded, it was apparent that the colony could not readily expand to the north, due to the separation by sea. Convict and architect, Francis Greenway first developed the idea and plans for Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1815; however they were never put into action. During this time, to get to the North Shore, people would have to catch a ferry or travel around the head of Sydney Harbour by road. It took over a century for the construction of Sydney Harbour Bridge to commence. Plans proposed by Doctor John Bradfield would see a steel through arch bridge span from Dawes Point (near the Sydney CBD) on the south side of the harbour to Milsons Point on the north side of the Harbour. The plans for Sydney Harbour Bridge were accepted during 1913; however construction was put on hold due to the outbreak of World War I.
The Construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge commenced during April 1923. This had a huge impact on Australia during the 1930’s. As Australia was suffering the consequences of the Great Depression, the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge created and provided a huge volume of jobs for the unemployed. This gave many workers a job and enough income to support their families during these tough times. It is because of this, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was given the nickname, ‘The Iron Lung’.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was officially opened on the 19th of March 1932 during the midst of the Great Depression. Many opening celebrations were organised by the ‘Citizens of Sydney Organising Committee’, which was predominately made up of men and politicians. The celebrations included a range of decorated floats, a procession of passenger ships floating below the bridge and a Venetian Carnival. These festivities had a great impact on Australia at the time. The celebrations were able to bring the people together to celebrate. They were designed to make people ‘let go’ and have a little fun. The celebrations were also to help detract from people’s dull, everyday lives and to also let them forget about the hardship they were facing during the time of the Great Depression.
After the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened, it had a huge impact on Australia during the 1930’s. The Sydney CBD and North Shore were finally unified and an easy way of travelling between both was created. This opened up a whole new way of travelling around Sydney. Roads, pedestrian walkways and train lines were all built on the bridge to help with travel. The completion f the Sydney Harbour Bridge also open new opportunities for housing on the north shore. The Sydney Harbour Bridge also impacted on Australia during the 1930’s as it became a national icon of Australia and showed the rest of the world what Australia was capable of. These impacts have continued even today.
The construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge heavily impacted Australia during the 1930’s as well as today.
The construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge heavily impacted Australia during the 1930’s as well as today.
Further Information
For further information, visit these websites:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Australian_History/1920s
http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/great-depression
http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-114_t-308_c-1043/opening-sydney-harbour-bridge/nsw/history/australia-between-the-wars-1930s/an-event-in-the-1930s
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/constructingaustralia/thebridge/century.htm#1911
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Harbour_Bridge
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Australian_History/1920s
http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/great-depression
http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-114_t-308_c-1043/opening-sydney-harbour-bridge/nsw/history/australia-between-the-wars-1930s/an-event-in-the-1930s
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/constructingaustralia/thebridge/century.htm#1911
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Harbour_Bridge