What iconic Sydney Harbour bridge opened in 1932 is nicknamed 'The Coathanger'?

The iconic Sydney Harbour bridge that opened in 1932 and is nicknamed “The Coathanger” is the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The nickname comes from its distinctive steel through-arch, whose sweeping curve resembles a household coat hanger. The bridge crosses Port Jackson between Dawes Point in the city centre and Milsons Point on the North Shore, linking road, rail, pedestrian and bicycle routes.

Construction began in 1923 under the direction of engineer John Bradfield, with the British firm Dorman Long building the structure. It officially opened on 19 March 1932, during the Great Depression, and became both a major transport link and a symbol of Sydney.

The bridge’s arch spans about 503 metres, while its summit rises roughly 134 metres above the harbour. Its four stone-faced pylons were added partly for appearance and public reassurance, rather than being essential to the arch’s structural design. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is sometimes confused with the nearby Sydney Harbour Tunnel, which opened in 1992 and carries additional road traffic beneath the water.