Sydney Harbour Bridge is recognisable around the world. Building it was a significant undertaking of almost eight years and celebrating its completion was a days-long event.

Wednesday 16 March 1932, three days before the bridge’s official opening, was designated as Children’s Day, and before crossing it by train or car became common, my then eleven-year-old grandmother was one of tens of thousands of school children who walked across the bridge as part of the celebrations (watch a newsreel of the children crossing the bridge).

“What a day! After watching all that time, first to see if the arch would meet in the middle (many said it wouldn’t) and the excitement when it did. Whenever we crossed the harbour all eyes would be on the progress of its building…”

Selected references

National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, ‘Children walk across Sydney harbour Bridge prior to opening’, https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/asset/97356-children-walk-across-sydney-harbour-bridge-prior-opening, accessed 17 March 2025.

National Museum of Australia, ‘Sydney Harbour Bridge Opens’, https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/sydney-harbour-bridge-opens, accessed 17 March 2025.

Sydney Harbour Bridge: official souvenir and programme, official opening, 19th March, 1932, http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1913018230, accessed 23 March 2025.

State Library of New South Wales, ‘The Bridge’, https://thebridge.sl.nsw.gov.au/, accessed 17 March 2025.

BridgeClimb Sydney, ‘Stories from the Bridge’, https://www.bridgeclimb.com/news/stories-from-the-bridge, accessed 17 March 2025.