The Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1925
This event is part of an ongoing series that chronicles the remarkable journey of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, focusing on its development exactly 100 years ago, year by year. By 1925, after years of meticulous planning, design refinements and competitive tendering since 1921, the project transitioned from concept to reality. Work on the ground officially commenced, marking a pivotal moment in the bridge’s history. A granite quarry was established to source the stone needed for the massive pylons and engineering decisions were finalised to ensure the seamless erection of the future arch. This included the design and construction of highly specialised cranes—an extraordinary feat of engineering in itself—that would, in the years to come, shape one of Australia’s most iconic structures.
Learning outcomes
In this presentation you will learn:
an appreciation of the multiple issues involved in the development of major engineering projects
how these issues were resolved in the major transport project in Sydney in the 1920s
factors to be considered for current and future projects, where the engineering challenges must be considered alongside political and social issues to achieve engineering excellence.
About the Speaker
Deputy Chairman, Engineering Heritage Sydney
Bill graduated from Sydney University in 1976. After a career in the building industry, he moved into history and archives in 2010 as manager of the Railway Resource Centre. In 2013 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for service to people with disability, recognising more than 35 years of work with the engineering-based charity Technical Aid to the Disabled. Bill is Deputy Chairman of Engineering Heritage Sydney. He has had several books published looking at rail infrastructure in NSW. In 2019 his book, The Hawkesbury River Railway Bridges, received the Colin Crisp Award from Engineers Heritage Australia. His current pre-occupation is Sydney’s Transport Revolution, a sub-section of the Engineers Heritage Australia website which looks in detail at the Sydney Harbour Bridge construction between 1922 and 1932.
