Harbour Bridge trike ride – Kevin + Trish 06.01.25

Both of our tours today had visitors from Adelaide (they don’t know each other). All our tours are private, so they didn’t come together for the tours. The Harbour Bridge trike ride was their choice and they loved it!! We will put up their amazing review in the next few days, or read it on our socials now.

William Street

After being picked up from their hotel, firstly they rode along William Street. This is a 1.4-kilometre-long (0.87 mi) major thoroughfare in Sydney. The street was named in honour of king William IV of the UK and Ireland upon its opening in 1834. At the top of William St is the huge:

Coca-Cola billboard

Secondly they rode past “The Coke Sign”. It is an advertising billboard erected in 1974 by the Coca-Cola Company. More often regarded as an iconic landmark than as an advertisement. The new Coca-Cola sign was officially turned on, on 15 September 2016, and uses a lot less power. It is the single largest controllable LED sign in the Southern Hemisphere and can change colour.

Kings Cross

Further on, they rode through the infamous Kings Cross, though it has calmed down a lot since it’s heyday – home of the famous and huge Coca Cola sign. Kings Cross is also home to nightclubs and ladies of the night though it is not nearly as raunchy as it was in the 1970s (apparently).

Woolloomooloo, Harry’s and Garden Island

The inner eastern suburb of Woolloomoolloo has the famous Harry Cafe De Wheels. Harry’s Café de Wheels has been serving customers for over 80 years. They make delicious pies, hotdogs and more. Lots of interesting photos are on the walls, mostly of famous celebrities who have visited over the years.

Art Gallery of NSW

Turning right, along Mrs Macquaries Road is the Art Gallery of NSW. It’s beautiful historic sandstone buildings were built between 1896 and 1909. The Art Gallery of New South Wales began without a collection and without a building on 24 April 1871 when a group of 30 art-loving citizens established a society to support artists and promote knowledge and enjoyment of art in the wider community. In 1874 they secured government support for their project and by 1880 they had their own dedicated building, the first of its kind in Australia.

Domain

Also, this road goes through the Domain. The Domain is a heritage-listed 34-hectare (84-acre) area of open space located on the eastern fringe of the Sydney CBD. There is so much to show on the Harbour Bridge trike ride in Sydney!

Mrs Macquaries Chair / Point

Then, they rode to Mrs Macquaries Point. This peninsula was named in 1810 after Elizabeth, Governor Macquarie’s wife, who ordered a seat to be chiselled into the rock from which she could view the harbour. Mrs Macquaries Chair, as it’s known, is still there today. It’s in the Domain but is effectively an extension of the Botanic Gardens.

St Mary’s Cathedral

Next, they rode through the city and past St Mary’s Cathedral which is very impressive, even when riding past. It’s a Gothic Revival architectural building which opened in 1928. It took from 1866 to 1928 to build and has a height of 75m.

Macquarie Street

This street, is the location of the main governmental institutions of NSW: Parliament House, Government House, and the Law Courts Building (which houses the Supreme Court of New South Wales). There is so much history behind Macquarie St. and the buildings that front it.

In the years since its founding in 1788, Sydney had developed organically, and by the early 1800s was lacking in major public buildings, and had a complex network of narrow streets. The supply of drinking water and waste management was also becoming an issue. Governor Macquarie initiated the construction of Sydney’s first public buildings of any real permanence and set the boundaries of Sydney’s grid of streets, laying out the street in 1810.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

At last, they rode over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We always tell our passengers to look up and enjoy the unique view. he more than 6,000,000 rivets are so interesting and the arch is so iconic. It’s nicknamed ‘The Coathanger’ because of its arch-based design. It is the largest steel arch bridge in the world. This bridge is the eighth longest spanning-arch bridge in the world and the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 m (440 ft) from top to water level. It was also the world’s widest long-span bridge, at 48.8 m (160 ft) wide, until a bridge in Canada was completed in 2012.

Blues Point Reserve / McMahons Point

Exiting the freeway, they rode on through Milsons Point, did a left hand turn and rode up a few streets. This lead to Blues Point Reserve. The views over Blues Bay towards the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the CBD are just stunning. All the more stunning because of the lovely weather. Another perfect place for photos.

Kirribilli

Continuing on, they rode past Kirribilli House. Kirribilli House is the secondary official residence of the Prime Minister of Australia. Further on is Admiralty House. It is the Sydney residence of the Governor-General and one of the most historic and important residences on Sydney Harbour. The house – originally called ‘Wotonga’ – was built in the mid 1800’s.

After that, they rode around the corner to Jeffrey Street Wharf. From here, the views across Sydney Harbour towards the Sydney Opera House and the CBD are magnificent. In addition, it also has an up-close view of the side and underneath of the bridge. A perfect place to stop for photos. What a great view of the Sydney Opera House!

The Kirribilli Loop

Finally, they rode under the north side of the bridge and continued on their tour. The underside of the northern end of the SHB – Sydney Harbour Bridge – is very interesting. The Kirribilli Loop was finished by riding past Luna Park and the North Sydney Olympic Pool. Then it was back over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

However, the 1 hour was up so they rode back over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and were dropped off in the shopping area. In conclusion, the Harbour Bridge trike ride was a fun and informative experience. Feel the Freedom!

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or just email us: trevor@trolltours.com.au