THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SYDNEY DIVISION OF ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA
MARCH 2012
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Sydney Division Key Sponsors
80th Anniversary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge If ever there was an icon which symbolises the vision, achievement and sustainability of engineering, it is the Sydney Harbour Bridge. On 19 March 2012 it will be 80 years since the Bridge was officially opened – and to this day it serves as a constant reminder of ‘what’s possible’ when engineers persevere towards identifying and delivering the ‘best’ solution for the community’s needs. Dr John Job Crew Bradfield, civil engineer, joined the NSW Public Works Department in 1891, was appointed Chief Engineer for metropolitan railway construction in 1912, and in 1915 submitted a report outlining a grand scheme for Sydney’s railways involving the electrification of the suburban railway network, construction of an underground city railway, and a construction of a new bridge over the harbour connecting the growing city to the north shore. But it wasn’t until after the first World War that Tenders were finally called for the Bridge in 1924. It is interesting to note that in Bradfield’s Report recommending construction of the Bridge, he also recommended that there would need to be a second harbour crossing within 25 years – incredible vision when you consider that there were only 10 cars travelling around on the north side of the harbour at the time. At age 22 my grandmother walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on opening day. Some 60 years later, also at age 22, I walked through the Sydney Harbour Tunnel on its opening day on 31 August 1992. And it seems that we are still delivering Bradfield’s vision for Sydney’s integrated transport network, with some ‘missing links’ still in planning.
However, Bradfield’s vision alone wasn’t sufficient to see construction of the Bridge brought to fruition. Jack Lang was Premier of NSW for two terms during Bradfield’s time at Public Works, 1925-1927 and 1930-1932. Lang was a supporter of Bradfield and his Bridge plans and helped to raise the necessary finance for the bridge’s construction. Even during the Great Depression, Lang ensured the continuation and completion of the Bridge by maintaining the government’s financial support for the project. Our challenge as an engineering profession continues to be how to communicate our vision for addressing the community’s needs, and to demonstrate the value of a particular solution, so that those with the necessary authority can ‘make it so’. As we celebrate the 80th anniversary of this iconic piece of engineering, it’s worth considering how our individual and collective contribution as engineers will shape the next 80 years. Brendyn Williams, BE(Civil)(Hons) MIEAust FIPWEA President, Engineers Australia Sydney Division