Human Features of Australia
Sydney Opera House
Conductor Eugene Goossens began work with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 1947, and soon afterwards approached John Cahill, then premier of New South Wales, with an idea to build an opera house for the state. However, it was not until 1956 that the NSW Government announced that they would hold a design competition for an opera house to be located at Bennelong Point, Sydney. A Danish architect Jorn Utzon was the winner. While the Sydney Opera House was being built, several government officials demanded Utzon make changes to his design. He refused, and the arguments between Utzon and the officials ended with Utzon leaving Australia in 1966 never to return. In 1973, the Sydney Opera House was finally completed. Port Arthur
Port Arthur was named after Van Diemen's Land lieutenant governor George Arthur. The settlement started as a timber station in 1830; it is best known for being a penal colony. From 1833, until 1850s, it was a destination for the hardest of convicted British and Irish criminals, those who were secondary offenders having re-offended after their arrival in Australia. Port Arthur was secured naturally by shark-infested waters on three sides and the 30m wide isthmus of Eaglehawk Neck that connected it to the mainland was crossed by fences and guarded by prison guards and dogs. Today, Port Arthur is one of Australia's great tourism destinations located within the scenic beauty and wonder of Tasmania. |
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge construction started in 1923 from the design by Dorman Long and Co's Consulting Engineer, Sir Ralph Freeman. It took 1400 men eight years to build and includes six million hand driven rivets and 53,000 tonnes of steel making up its construction. 272,000 litres of paint were required to give the Bridge its initial three coats! Sixteen workers died during construction, but surprisingly only two from falling off the bridge. It now carries eight traffic lanes and two rail lines and almost 200,000 cars per day cross the bridge. It is the world's largest steel arch bridge with the top of the bridge standing 134 metres above the harbour. |