Sydney Harbour Bridge

It's not generally known but my father, who worked as a crane driver in the steelworks near Middlesbrough, helped build the Harbour Bridge.

The contract, in the late 1920s, went to Dorman Long of Teesside and the steel was shipped out to Australia. Dad would have helped move it out of the steel making area, ready for export.

Since his first name was Sydney we were always told as kids that the bridge was named after him !! It seemed logical.

On New Year's Eve, we passed under and near the bridge many times and I thought of Dad and some of the older days. Dave

Butterfly with a sting?

The Opera House stages many things in its various theatres, including opera of course but Madame Butterfly (next on on Tuesday) which I tried for is a sell-out. Tickets range from 34 pounds to 125 pounds which is a bit of a sting but no worse I suppose than London. May see if there are any returns on the night.

An alternative is The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, all 37 plays in 97 minutes, and hailed as "London's longest running comedy." Dave

Ships that pass - occasionally

The cruise ship Millennium has been in Sydney Harbour over the New Year but was preparing to leave today. It holds 1,950 passengers and when completed in 2000, at 91,000 tons, the ship was the largest at the time ever built in France.

Compare the humble but sturdy Manly Ferry pictured here battling through some choppy waters on its way to Circular Quay near the Harbour Bridge. A faithful servant 0ver many years. Dave