BridgeClimb Sydney: High above the harbour
Along with the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is perhaps Australia’s most widely recognised landmark. Affectionately known as the ‘Coathanger’, the bridge was opened on March 1932 after six years of construction. Made of steel and held together by no fewer than six million rivets, the Harbour Bridge is the largest (but not the longest) steel arch bridge in the world.
There are plenty of great vantage spots around the city where you can capture those iconic Harbour Bridge postcard images. And of course, you can drive up and down the bridge to your heart’s content, and stroll its entire length along the pedestrian walkway. But without a doubt, the very best way to get up close and personal with this masterwork of engineering is the Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb.
First launched in 1998, BridgeClimb Sydney provides anyone with a sense of adventure a unique opportunity to scale the southern half of the bridge. The climb takes you along the outer arch of the bridge on catwalks and ladders, all the way to the summit, 134 metres (440 feet) above Sydney Harbour. It’s an exhilarating experience, and the 360 degree views stretching as far as the Blue Mountains, are tremendous. Climbers wear protective clothing and are safely secured to the bridge by a wire lifeline. Tours run from dusk to dawn, and after-dark climbs are also available for a unique view of Sydney's sparkling city lights. The very popular twilight climbs are arguably the most spectacular, although they do run at an additional cost.
BridgeClimb runs every day of the year and is only ever cancelled under severe weather conditions. There’s also an alternative climb available, called the Discovery Climb. This climb takes you along the suspension arch, giving you an up-close look at the internal structure of the bridge before ascending to the summit.
The BridgeClimb and Discovery Climb both run for 3½ hours (a new 2¼ hour ‘Express Climb is now also available) and depart from the BridgeClimb Sydney centre in the Rocks. You can’t take any personal belongings with you (the risk of mishap involving your camera and a 134 metre plummet into the harbour is just a little too great), but you do get a commemorative certificate and a complemintary group photo after the climb.
HelloSydney Tip: Book your climb in advance at the BridgeClimb Sydney website: www.bridgeclimb.com.
Posted by Fiona Davies
