Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pyrmont Bridge
4
Darling Harbour.
Map
1 A5.
Darling Park, Harbourside.
6
7
8
Pyrmont Bridge opened in
1902. The world's oldest
electrically operated swingspan
bridge, it was fully functional
before Sydney's streets were
lit by electricity. It was the
second Pyrmont Bridge and
provided access to what, at
the time, was a busy interna-
tional shipping terminal with
warehouses and wool stores.
Electricity for the new bridge
came from the Ultimo power
station, the building that now
houses the city's Powerhouse
Museum
(see pp100-101).
Percy Allan, the bridge's
designer, achieved overseas
recognition for his two central
steel swingspans and went on
to design 583 more bridges in
the course of his career. JJ
Bradfield, the designer of the
Sydney Harbour Bridge
(see
pp70-71),
was also involved
in construction of this bridge.
The 369-m (1,200-ft) long
Pyrmont Bridge has 14 spans,
with only the two central
swingspans being made of
steel. The remaining spans
are made of ironbark, an
Australian hardwood timber.
The bridge was permanently
closed to road traffic in 1981,
but reopened to pedestrians
when the Darling Harbour
complex opened in 1988. A
portion of the monorail route
travels along the bridge. The
The architectural geometry of the Convention and Exhibition Centre
Convention and
Exhibition Centre
6
central steel swingspans are
still driven by their original
motor. The bridge is opened
regularly to allow boats access
to and from Cockle Bay.
Darling Drive, Darling Harbour.
Map
3 C3.
Tel
9282 5000.
Conven-
tion.
#
daily (check in advance).
6
-
7
www
.darlingharbour.com
This purpose-built facility was
completed in 1988. Major
conventions are held in the
main auditorium. For trade
shows and exhibitions, the
Exhibition Centre's five halls
can be combined to form a
column-free area the size of
five sports fields. The roof is
supported by a system of sail-
like masts and rigging, which
reflects the maritime history
of Darling Harbour. Works of
art by such noted Australian
artists as Brett Whiteley and
John Olsen hang within.
Night lights at King Street Wharf,
Darling Harbour
King Street
Wharf
5
Lime St, between King and Erskine
sts.
Map
4 D1.
Darling Park.
Δ
0
-
=
7
www
.ksw.com.au
Chinese Garden
7
Darling Harbour.
Map
4 D3.
Tel
9240
8888.
Paddy's Markets.
#
9:30am-5:30pm (to 5pm winter) daily.
¢
Good Fri, 25 Dec.
&
6
-
7
limited.
www
.chinesegardens.com.au
Journalists from nearby
newspaper offices and city
workers flock to this
harbourside venue, which
combines an aggressively
modern glass and steel shrine
to café society with a working
wharf. Passengers arrive and
depart in style on ferries,
water taxis and rivercats.
The complex is flush with
bars that vie for the best
views, and restaurants includ-
ing Thai, Japanese, Italian and
Modern Australian. Midway
along the wharf is a boutique
brewery that caters for those
who revere the best kind of
cleansing ales. There are
residents here as well in low-
rise apartments set back from
the water on the city side.
Known as the Garden of
Friendship, the Chinese
Garden was built in 1984. It is
a tranquil refuge from the city
streets. The garden's design
was a gift to Sydney from its
Chinese sister city of Guang-
dong. The Dragon Wall is in
the lower section beside the
lake. It has glazed carvings of
two dragons, one representing
Guangdong province and the
other the state of New South
Wales. In the centre of the wall,
a carved pearl, symbolizing
prosperity, is lifted by the
The view from Pyrmont Bridge
looking up towards the city centre
