The 'epoch-making' official opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge attracted thousands of spectators, particularly to Observatory Hill and along the path of the pageant's progress through the city. The dais for the official party and stands for invited guests were situated along the harbour side of the southern approach, between Essex and Argyle streets. The pageant floats assembled in Macquarie Street and proceeded from Queens Square along College, Park and York streets to the bridge. After crossing the bridge, the procession travelled north along the Bradfield Highway and completed a circuit of Blue, Miller, Mount and Walker streets, North Sydney, before returning across the bridge to the city.

Crowd at Observatory Park photographer unknown, 19 March 1932 Sydney Harbour Bridge Photographic Albums 1923

Angela McDonald from Lane Cove
My grandmother, Bette (Bronger) Richards was six years old on the day the bridge was opened. It was so crowded that she had to be carried across on her father's shoulders, and finally they had to climb over into the train line (as no trains were running)to be able to get through. She remembers that even at that age she was wearing a large organdie hat, as everyone was dressed up for the celebrations. My grandmother also walked over the bridge on both the 50th and 75th anniversary- only a few weeks ago.

Barbara Carr from Springwood NSW
My Mother, Margery Ward was the president of the younger Set associated with Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and later an organiser of fund raising events for RPA and The Children's Hospital. She often told us that she organised the catering for the school children who attended the opening of the Harbour Bridge. I do not know whether it was the Children's Day or the actual opening Day but she talked about each child receiving lunch in a paper bag. She also, on the night she met my father for the first time, set out fwith him in Mosman to catch a tram.When no tram came, they just kept walking and found themselves crossing the bridge and then on to the eastern suburbs. I gather the shoe leather was well worn.

Betty Callaway from Yamba
My parents were in the throng walking across the bridge on its historic opening day. My mother was 6 months pregnant with me and when part way over fell ill. I was told 101 times during my life that father had to carry her on his back down the "hundreds"of steps from the walk way. It was a day they never forgot and makes me the same age as the bridge!!

Betty Marriott from Australia
I was 8 years old and walked across the bridge with other Mortdale Public School pupils. We didn't have uniforms in those days but we were dressed in our Sunday best because it was such a special day. We met at school and the teachers took us on the train into the city.There were lots of schools at the other end and we were encouraged to corral together. We weren't close enough to see the ceremony - only the so called VIPS were in that position!!! After the cremony all the schools there marched across the bridge. People were still sitting in the stands and others were joining the children as they also wanted to be amongst the first to walk across the bridge. Before this day I remember the meeting of the two sides ofthe bridge being in the newspapers and we were all excitedly looking over my father's shoulder.

Catherine Phoebe Spalding (nee Wise) from Woy Woy, NSW
Some of my memories on the Opening Day of the Bridge. My father was a Director of Bebarfalds Pty Ltd, whose premises were in George street, opposite the Sydney Town Hall. A special event party had been arranged by the firm for the employees and their families. I remember wearing my new, best dress and being driven into Sydney by my father. Also in the sedan car were my mother and brother. I remember my father parking in the building itself. A special area had been prepared for the event and, on arrival, we all gathered there and had morning tea. The adults then proceeded to another floor where a corner area had been set up with seats so they could watch the parade go along George Street. The children watched the parade with their families, and when the parade was finished, the children were taken up to the roof where a carnival had been set up. There was a merry-go-round and live horses to ride, and drinks, sweets and cakes to enjoy. The children watched in wonder as the horses were brought up in the goods lift from the basement to the roof area. Lunch was served on a special floor and the families all sat down together to eat. After lunch, when the crowd in the Street was thinning a little, my family went to George Street and walked from the Sydney Town Hall to Milson's Point, across our wonderful new bridge. It was one of the most exciting days in my life. It was quite dark by the time we reached our home that night, very weary but still very excited. The day was something to always be remembered. I still treasure my souvenir child size cup and saucer presented to me that day by the Directors of Bebarfalds. Kit Spalding

Cathy McBey from Wentworth Falls
My Mum, Lola Campbell was born in North Sydney in 1916 in a little private hospital which was demolished for the building of the one of the northern pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. When the bridge was opened she was among the thousands of people to cross the bridge from North to South and wore a new pair of red shoes that day which caused painfull blisters on her feet. On the 75th anniversary of the opening my two daughters and I plan as a dedication to my Mum and their Grandma to follow in her footsteps by walking across the bridge ... also in red shoes.

D Wonderley from Charlestown
My father, Lewis Wonderley and his brother Eric attended the bridge opening ceremony, but could not see so they each climbed a light pole for a better view. This is recorded in a newsreel of the ceremony. After the ceremony they climbed to the top of the arch (there was no handrail or safety line). On returning to ground they were stopped by a policeman and asked their names. Lewis gave a false name, Tom Smith, but Eric gave the name Jack Johnson who was a world champion boxer then. The policeman said "that's funny, I thought Jack Johnson was black!"

David Fayle from Arrawarra Headland
TELEGRAMS FROM PYLON TO PYLON For the man known as "Checker", blindingly fast and accurate at Morse code, the Sydney Harbour Bridge opening proved one of the highlights of his career. The Postmaster-General's Department chose Checker and several other telegraphists to help set up telegraph stations in the two Eastern pylons, from which the public could send messages to the opposite pylon (16 words for ninepence, plus one penny per extra word). The day before the bridge opening, Checker, John Archibald Jones, completed the set-up and tested it by sending the first telegram from pylon to pylon, to his wife Gladys. Their younger daughter Joan (who turned 6 the following week) was there, and she remembers picnicking next to the pylon and then walking with her family across the bridge and back

E J Smith from Bexley North
My Mother and father climbed to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Arch on the opening day. My father then foolishly climbed up the flagpole and carved his initials. It's a wonder I'm here today. My mother is now 95 years of age, still going strong and has vivid memories of that day.

Gwendoline Lily Rowles (nee Richard-Preston) from Mount Lewis
I am now 92 years old but can still remember the day of when my parents, my two brothers and myself travelled by train to St James station to walk across the bridge and back. The line up to the station was jammed and the guards had the gates closed and only letting a small number through at a time, so you can imagine the delay in standing and waiting. We were very fortunate, as my family were rushed through the tunnel and let in through the gate as I fainted and my father, who is a tall man, picked me up and yelled to let us through as his daughter had fainted. To this day I still am proned to fainting but my daughters wheel me around more now.

Isabelle Skakle from Wollstonecraft
My great great granfather walk across the harbour when it open in 1932.

Jack Robinson from Lisarow

Reminisces of 90 year old John (Jack) Robinson from Lisarow.
Jack was living at Artarmon when the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened and in this recording describes, amongst other things, some of his memories of the event.

Listen to Message

Jean Crook from Leura
My father Robert Venor Southon was working for the Postmaster General's Department in the north-east pylon at the time of the Bridge opening. While working there, he sent a telegram to his girlfriend, Mona Boyle in Singleton. She later became his wife when they married. My elder sister, Margaret Blanchfield of Lane Cove, is in possession of the telegram.

John Grant, from Collaroy
Present at the opening aged five years and mother (now me) has a copy of the 1923 opening of the "first sod" event in 1923.

Lyndall Nairn from Lynchburg VA, USA
My grandfather, Charles Wilfred Murray (1891-1968), worked as a traindriver for NSW Public Railways. On the day that the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened, the first train with the politicans and speech makers crossed the bridge. Then my grandfather drove the next train across the bridge; that was the first regular passenger train to cross. Also, after the bridge was finished but before it was officially opened, my grandfather drove several trains across the bridge to test it.

Lynette Brooker from Woolloomooloo.
I was born in 1928 and lived in a grand old mansion called Fern Hill on the shore of Kirribilli. My earliest memories were of the bridge construction. It towered over our suburb and my long held wish was to cross the bridge. I was told only when the bridge was open. The magic day eventually arrived and I could see people on the bridge but! my family was far to busy with a large party, so at the age of four years I walked to the steps leading to the bridge and walked across. I remember being very frightened when I looked down the great height to the water below but knew I had had reached the other side when there was no more water and the land joined the bridge. Then I had to return. At this stage I became very frightened and sat down and cried. The great crowds of people just coming and coming and no one took the slightest notice. I eventually made my way back, down the steps to the road and finnally back home. I had not even been missed.

Marie Fielder from Oatley
My mother, Kathleen Elizabeth Davidson (nee Higgins)was 17 years old when the Bridge was completed in 1932. She was living at Blacktown and took the train from there to Central Station from where she walked, crossing the bridge, to her brother's home in Willoughby, on the day the Bridge was officially opened.

Ron Leverett from Australia
My mother was pregnant with me and listing to ABC national radio coverage of the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge coming to Rockhampton over the recently established national network. When the announcer described the de Groote incident she went immediately into labour -- by the time the ribbon was retied and Lang officialy opened the bridge I was born !!! My mother always said that the bridge belongs to me. I am prepared to sell it if the offer is large enough !!

Shirley Doolan nee Wells from Balmoral
I was about 18 months old when the Harbour Bridge opened and my family and I believe we were one of the first motor cars to cross the bridge on that day. My father Keith Wells was a prominent member of the motor trade retail industry. He always told us that one of the biggest thrills in life was to cross the harbour bridge in an open car and look up at the metal arches. In the 1970s I lived at Moruya and was able to enjoy hearing all the stories of the granite quarry. One gentleman would come down from Sydney each year and renew the lettering on a grave of one of his friends who was killed working at the quarry for the harbour bridge. The exhibition is excellent and I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing it. Congratulations

Shirley Martin from Sandringham Victoria
My parents, Bessie and George Munro, walked across the Bridge on the opening day. Nine months later I was born! It was a happy occasion in many ways for many people.

Stan Dodd from Bowen, North Queensland
My name is Stanley Alan McLaren Dodd and I am a Sydney-sider through and through. I live today in Bowen, North Queensland and at nearly eighty-five years old you could say this old navy man is getting on in years, but yet to this day, I remain a "walking encyclopedia" of the Old Sydney