Construction from 28 July 1923 to 19 January 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is an Australian heritage-listed steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge under construction

The view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is widely regarded as an iconic image of Sydney, and of Australia itself. The bridge is nicknamed “The Coathanger” because of its arch-based design.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the sixth longest spanning-arch bridge in the world and the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 m (440 ft) from top to water level. It was also the world’s widest long-span bridge, at 48.8 m (160 ft) wide, until construction of the new Port Mann Bridge in Vancouver was completed in 2012.

The purpose of this photo series from NSW State Archives

was to document in photographic form the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the turning of the first sod and the initial acts of construction to the official opening and early use of the bridge.

The series consists of black and white photographs which were developed from glass negatives and pasted into large albums. One volume is devoted to the southern approach, two to the northern approach and 11 to the main Bridge. Each photograph is captioned and almost all are precisely dated with the caption if the date is not incorporated into the image.

Looking towards Bay Road Station from Eastern Abutment Euroka St Bridge, November 23, 1923

Fabricated Members Sydney Harbour Bridge on Barge, Milsons Point Workshops, October 28, 1926

First Member being placed in position- Lower Chord SLO-L2L, Span No.1, October 28, 1926

Pouring Fitzroy Street Arch, June 22, 1928

Portal bracing between End Posts, January 21, 1929

View from McMahon’s Point, November 5, 1929

Erecting Hanger, December 1, 1930

Laying Sheet Asphalt on Roadway, November 20, 1930

Lifting Hanger O. Sydney Harbour Bridge, September 25, 1930

Panel Point 7 Western Truss, June 20, 1930

Safety Chain, on Top Chord, for Creeper Crane, December 1, 1930

Safety Mechanism for Creeper Cranes, December 2, 1930

Taking Strain Gauge Measurements in Chords, August 13, 1930

View from Milson’s Point, December 2, 1930

View from Wharf at Milsons Point, May 5, 1930

A Bird’s Eye View, circa 1931

Dismantled Creeper Crane, April 30, 1931

Laying Sheet Asphalt on Roadway, May 26, 1931

Mrs J.J.C. Bradfield, January 23, 1931

Rail for Painting Gantry, January 21, 1931

Roadway Deck Troughing, May 13, 1931

Sir William Cullen, Miss Cullen, Dr. Bradfield, March 19, 1931

Timber for Pent House Formwork, December 11, 1931

Track Timbers and O.H.Wiring Structures, April 30, 1931

Bridge Lighting Switched on for First Time, February 11, 1932

First Passenger Train to Cross Bridge, March 19, 1932

First train across Bridge. Dr.J.J.C. Bradfield, January 19, 1932

Painting crane and staging on top chord, February 22, 1932

Taking strain measurements on post, February 23, 1932