It’s a crisp Wednesday morning in Sydney and I’m filled with a nervous excitement as today is the day I’m going to do what over 4 million people have done before me, climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
It’s such an iconic part of Sydney and something that most people who travel to Australia have on their bucket list. Being a Sydney local, it’s one of those things that you know exists but never got around to doing.
Construction began way back in 1923. Sydney was a very different place then. The country was growing and evolving at a rapid pace. It was a long and hard process, with just over 1600 people working day and night until it was officially opened on 19 March 1932.
Fast forward to today, there are more than 150,000 vehicles that cross the bridge every day, trains running back and forth and hundreds of ferry’s passing under it….. and me, I will be adding to the numbers by climbing over the top of it.
My climb was for 10:25 am. I got a cab to the Bridge climb starting point, which takes you through a historic part of Sydney called the Rocks which is also a must-see for anyone coming to Sydney for the first time. That’s worthy of a different article altogether.
When you arrive you are greeted by the friendly Bridge climb staff and get you going with filling out a safety form asking if you have any medical conditions they need to be aware of. Safety is most definitely at the forefront of everything they do. It’s a quick process and you’re ushered into a room that’s full of historic memorabilia relating to the bridge and its construction. You can’t help but feel a little nostalgic about the past and the hardship that went into building this iconic bridge.
It was at this point it had hit me, I’m a going to be climbing the bridge any minute now. I had butterflies in my stomach but excited to get going.
You get taken to a room with your group and then suit you up into safety gear. It’s surprisingly comfortable and not restricting in the slightest. Back to what I said about earlier with safety being at the forefront of everything they do, we were explained what all the belts and clips are for, they even have made a sample climb to practice on before you get onto the bridge just to triple check everyone is safe and comfortable with what we are about to do.
It was at this point it had hit me, I’m a going to be climbing the bridge any minute now. I had butterflies in my stomach but excited to get going.
The time has now come to make those first steps onto the bridge. It starts off with a little bit of a ladder as you climb up onto the bridge. As you climb up onto the ladder you get a peek of the harbour and you’re eager to keep climbing to see more. During your climb, you have a headset on and your guide is telling you fun and interesting stories about Sydney and for some, I think it distracts you from the fact that you’re climbing a bridge that’s 134 m (440 ft) above sea level.
Once you get onto the arch of the bridge the steps are wider and surprisingly manageable. You’re constantly in awe of how beautiful the harbour is and feel like your on top of the world. We were very lucky, the weather was flawless and perfect blue skies. I could not have asked for anything more.
When you reach the top, they give you plenty of time to take it all in. Your guide doubles as your photographer. He will take a handful of pictures of you and your friends, is there a more insta worthy picture than this??
From the summit of the bridge, you can see amazing 360-degree sweeping views of Sydney. Insert every descriptive word imaginable “amazing, breathtaking, awesome….” the list can go on and on.
Our guide then pointed out all the big landmarks you can see from up there. I also loved that he took the time to come to each and every person to have a chat and ask if there was something you wanted to know about Sydney or the bridge. You were part of a group but also felt very personal.
We asked about celebrities that had climbed the bridge before us. They have had some big names, Oprah, Bette Midler, Kylie, Will Smith… you name it. Our guide had personally taken Australia’s very own Hugh Jackman to the top and shared some funny stories with the group.
After a decent amount of time up the top, you will slowly make your way back down the bridge taking in everything one last time.
Everyone asks, is it scary? It’s the big question really. It’s hard to answer as everyone has their own fears. Heights has not been one of them for me. But what i can say is, the staff and safety equipment combined made me feel incredibly safe at every stage of the climb.
The customers at Bridge climb is roughly 80% international and 20% Australians. With the currently COVID-19 situation around the world and travel being so restricted. I genuinely hope that flips around to 80% Australians and 20% international because I think its something everyone should do, it’s important that Australians experience some of the greatness we have to offer. It’s time to discover our backyard, cause its kinda awesome.
