The Coathangers 75 !

tdw · #1 (**permalink**) 03-17-2007

Big celebration in Sydney Town today. Our bridge, the Sydney Harbour Bridge aka The Coathanger was completed 75 years ago. We've had replicas of the Bounty, The Endeavour and the Duyfken sailing past our home. The bridge itself is being closed to traffic and opened to walkers who will be invading the old dear, en masse. Apparently some 250,000 people will be walking across the bridge today.

While the Opera house is today seen as the symbol of Sydney for old farts like me it is the bridge that is a far more evocative icon.

Of interest is the fact that when the bridge was due to be opened by the then Premier of NSW, Jack Lang a bloke by the name of De Groot rushed in and slashed the ribbon. DeGroot was a member of a far right wing organisation called the New Guard and he was incensed by the fact that a socialist premier was going to open the bridge and not a member of the Royal Family. BTW they really threw the book at De Groot. Fined him $10.00. Harsh justice in those days.

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 03-17-2007

Is this the bridge that they take tourist up the arch on, and then charge them a bucketload for a souvenir photograph??

sailorjim99 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-17-2007

Yup..Thats right salingdog..
We learnt that style of tourism from some other country.

Hey Wombat..Do you think the old girl will be strong enough to FLY the QUEENSLAND FLAG when us canetoads beat the hell out of you cockroachs in the STATE OF ORIGIN?

OHHH! The humility of it all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE.

Jim.

sailaway21 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-17-2007

Happy birthday to the old bridge. With all respect to tdw, a young, blond, and voluptuous lingerie model named Christine will always symbolize Sydney to me. If I get as old as tdw, i may have to look into bridges.

tdw · #5 (**permalink**) 03-19-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailorjim99

Yup..Thats right salingdog..
We learnt that style of tourism from some other country.

Hey Wombat..Do you think the old girl will be strong enough to FLY the QUEENSLAND FLAG when us canetoads beat the hell out of you cockroachs in the STATE OF ORIGIN?

OHHH! The humility of it all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE.

Jim.

Well given that your bridge is made up of leftovers from ours you might need to look to your own problems.

Hmmm, SOA. I have no idea about this season. Surely with the Titans now backing up the Cowboys and the Broncos, Qld should be able to put a decent team on the ground this year. ( I know not all those teams players are Qlders but they do tend to form the basis of the side. )

Personally I fear it's going to be a long hard winter. Wombat live in Balmain, 2004 is feeling like a long time ago. Doubt they will be anything other than mid table this year. Titans are probably my second choice cos my brother lives on the coast but one would have to doubt that such a new team will do to much in it's first year. Souths are once again a force to be reckoned with it appears. That sucks. (refer back to Wombat live in Balmain).

tdw · #6 (**permalink**) 03-19-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailaway21

Happy birthday to the old bridge. With all respect to tdw, a young, blond, and voluptuous lingerie model named Christine will always symbolize Sydney to me. If I get as old as tdw, i may have to look into bridges.

Sod bridges. You have your priorities well sorted.

sailorjim99 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-20-2007

Sydneys' bridge was designed by Bradfield. He also did our bridge, the Story Bridge.
Now go back into your history book and see the design YOU were going to get. It was going to be the same as the Story Bridge.
But your bridge has the built in flag holder, which us Queenslanders think is a good idea. Gives us a place to put our flag when we beat you.

We got the better lookin' bridge because WE are better lookin' and we are more popular.

So roll on winter and let the game begin.

CANE TOADS FOREVER.
Jim

tdw · #8 (**permalink**) 03-20-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailorjim99

Sydneys' bridge was designed by Bradfield. He also did our bridge, the Story Bridge.
Now go back into your history book and see the design YOU were going to get. It was going to be the same as the Story Bridge.
But your bridge has the built in flag holder, which us Queenslanders think is a good idea. Gives us a place to put our flag when we beat you.

We got the better lookin' bridge because WE are better lookin' and we are more popular.

So roll on winter and let the game begin.

CANE TOADS FOREVER.
Jim

Apparently the cables that were used to support the SHB during construction were then sent up to you lot and were incorporated into the Storey.

Well, we shall what we shall see.

Of course I'd have to point out that all Bradfield had to do up there was cross a little creek. Here he had a decent body of water to worry about .

tdw · #9 (**permalink**) 03-20-2007

This is a pic of the replicas of the Endeavour, Duyfken and Bounty going past our place on Saturday. Ya gotta love them old ships.