Sydney - Australia 2004 - page 145

A Walk on the Wild Side: Climbing
the Harbour Bridge
At one time, only bridge workers had the opportunity to view Sydney
from the top of the main bridge arch. But since October 1998, Syd-
neysiders and tourists have been able to experience the spectacular view
and the exhilarating achievement of climbing to the top of one of Aus-
tralia's icons. The experience takes 3 hours from check-in at the Bridge-
Climb base at 5 Cumberland St., The Rocks ( & 02/9240 1100 or 02/
8274 7777; fax [phone]; www.bridgeclimb.com) to completion. The
office is open daily from 8am to 6pm, and climbers leave in small groups
every 10 minutes or so. Climbers wear “Bridge Suits” and are harnessed to
a line. Participants are also breath-tested for alcohol and are banned from
carrying anything, including cameras. Climbs cost A$145 (US$94) for
adults and A$110 (US$72) for children ages 12 to 16 on weekdays during
the day and for night climbs Monday to Thursday; and A$175 (US$114) for
adults and $125 (US$81) for children for twilight climbs daily, night climbs
on Friday and Saturday, and day climbs on Saturday and Sunday. Children
under 12 are not allowed to climb.

Moments

monstrosity. Following a disagreement, Utzon returned home, without ever see-
ing his finished project, and the interior fell victim to a compromise design,
which, among other things, left too little space to perform full-scale operas. And
the cost? Initially the project was budgeted at a cool A$7 million (US$5.44 mil-
lion), but by the time it was finished in 1973 it had cost a staggering A$102 mil-
lion (US$66.3 million), most raised through a series of lotteries. Since then,
continual refurbishment and the major task of replacing the asbestos-laden
grouting between the hundreds of thousands of white tiles that make up its shell
has cost many millions more.
Tours & Tickets: Guided tours of the Opera House last about an hour and
are conducted daily from 9am to 4pm, except Good Friday and Christmas.
Though guides try to take groups into the main theaters and around the foyers,
if you don't get to see everything you want it's because the Opera House is not
a museum but a workplace, and there's almost always some performance, prac-
tice, or setting up to be done. Reservations are essential. Tours include approxi-
mately 200 stairs. (Tours for people with disabilities can be arranged.)
Specialized tours, focusing on the building's architecture and engineering, for
example, can also be arranged.
The Tourism Services Department at the Sydney Opera House can book com-
bination packages, including dinner and a show; a tour, dinner, and a show; or
a champagne interval performance. Prices vary depending on shows and dining
venues. Visitors from overseas can buy tickets by credit card and then pick them
up at the box office on arrival, or contact a local tour company specializing in
Australia. Advance ticket purchases are a good idea, as performances are very pop-
ular. The views from the back rows are hardly worth the effort and expense if you
turn up on the day of performance. Tickets for performances vary from as little
as A$12 (US$7.80) for children's shows to A$180 (US$117) for good seats at the
opera. Plays cost between A$40 and A$60 (US$26-US$39) on average.