Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Wednesday, 8th March 2006 by Alex

Just north-west of the Sydney Opera House stands the mighty Sydney Harbour Bridge, Not only is it the world’s largest single-arch bridge, but it’s also the widest long-span bridge in the world (although not the longest, as millions of Australian school children were supposedly taught).

The bridge is 49 metres across and has 8 lanes of traffic, a footpath. 2 railway tracks and a bicycle path on it!

More about Sydney Harbour Bridge at Wikipedia.

Thanks to Paul Munro, Don Campbell and Glenn Slaven

18 Responses to 'Sydney Harbour Bridge'

  1. 1. Timhogs says:

    Can anyone tell me what’s the story on the grey strangeness to the west, at the mouth of the harbour?

  2. 2. alame says:

    Im gonna go right ahead and assume you mean east. I think that is the main sea water coming in, and probably where it gets a lot deeper.

  3. 3. Alex says:

    Do you mean Placemark: to the east / Google Earth Timhogs? It looks like its just where two different images have been blended together.

    It made me notice Placemark: this dude going mental in his boat / Google Earth though! Cool.

  4. 4. cookie monster says:

    Look familiar?

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    Its like erm … the same …… only smaller!

  5. 5. Luke says:

    Hey,
    I was lucky enough to spend new years eve in Sydney, and got to walk over the harbor bridge. While it may not be the worlds longest bridge, it is certainly long enough.

    The boat that has the ‘dude going mental’ is probably one of the jet boat rides:
    http://www.ozjetboating.com/

    The different colored water is caused by google stitching together images taken on different days with different weather. I’ve been sailing as a sport since I was a kid, and after long enough you can read the wind by looking at the surface of the sea. If it was Melbourne I would say the shots with the waves were taken on a day when there was a strong northerly wind, but I don’t know how the weather works on Sydney harbor :-)

    - Luke

  6. 6. Luke says:

    BTW, here you can see:

    A revolving restaurant at the top of a tower:
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    A submarine and the monorail line running over the bridge and darling harbour
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    The prime ministers houe:
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    An island where they put the worst of the worst convicts:
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    - Luke

  7. 7. Alan says:

    Isn’t this the Island where they put the worst of the worst convicts?

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

  8. 8. Timhogs says:

    I stand corrected; east it is. (And, no, I don’t drive a taxi…)

  9. 9. BuZZ says:

    The widest bridge in the world (97.3 meters wide) is the “Blue” bridge in Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

  10. 10. Alex says:

    BuZZ you’re right of course - I should have said widest long-span bridge. Post updated.

  11. 11. William says:

    There are several tall sailing ships in the area, like these two: Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    Can someone point out the Bounty. I don’t believe either of these is her…

    Thanks.
    -Bill

  12. 12. Alex says:

    Cheeky Alan, cheeky ;-)

  13. 13. Tim says:

    Woah, Alcatraz South! Who’da thunk it?

  14. 14. Russ says:

    the island for the worst convicts is Fort Dension, more info here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Denison

  15. 15. Trey says:

    The worlds longest bridge is Akashi-Kaikyo in Kobe-Naruto, Japan.

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

  16. 16. Trey says:

    (wrong link before)
    The worlds longest bridge is Akashi-Kaikyo in Kobe-Naruto, Japan.
    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

  17. 17. Jay Scott says:

    Do you have a nick-name for the Bridge?

  18. 18. snipergirl101 says:

    The coathanger is the obvious nickname. Any other wacky ones. I have a friend who calls it the smiley.

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