This is a suggested Itinery for one day, walking over the Harbour bridge and around the Circular Quay/ Rocks area, and including ferry trips of the harbour. Purchase a daytripper rail,bus and ferry ticket, allowing you to ride as much as you want for $16. It also gives you a 20% discount on the Essentials tour in the Opera house. Catch the ferry to Manly giving you great views of the harbour. The return trip in the morning will give you great pics on the way back with the sun behind you. Arrive back at Circular Quay and transfer to the ferry for Milsons Point (Darling Harbour Ferry). Admire the views and maybe have a coffee at Ripples cafe near the pool. Ripples have great Apple and cinnamon pancakes if you
have a sweet tooth. Other great meals also on the menu. Walk up the hill to Milsons point train station, and walk under the overpass, and enter on the Kirribilli side of the footbridge. Walk south over the Bridge admiring the views of the city. Arrive at the South East Pylon and climb the 200 steps to the lookout($9.50 adult entrance fee). Relax and admire the elevated views. Check out the photo's and history of its construction on the way down. The pylon is much better value than the bridge climb in my opinion. Continue walking south and exit the bridge at the Rocks.
Time for a quick drink at one of the many pubs in the area and maybe lunch, or walk round past the Ferry terminal towards the Opera house and enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants on the way. Use your Day tripper pass for 20% discount on the Essentials tour at the Opera House to complete your planned sight seeing for the day .
For a relaxing day, allow 5 hours including a couple of stops for coffee , lunch etc.

Associated links

http://www.cityrail.info/out_about_s...sp#-Operahouse

http://www.mytickets.com.au/sydney-h...px#event_group

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/visit/tours.aspx

http://www.sydneyferries.info/timeta...anly-ferry.htm

http://www.sydneyferries.info/timeta...ng-harbour.htm

http://www.aquadining.com.au/aqua_ri...restaurant.htm

Bumplink

navgator has done a service with his walk across the bridge documenting and just thought I would supplement it with the Bridge Climb info:
http://www.bridgeclimb.com/

It is becoming very popular and there's a need to book in well in advance for the more popular times of early morning and evening/twilight.

You are not allowed to take your own cameras on the climb.

Som information about the Bridge itself can be found on the following sites:
http://www.sydneyharbourbridge.info/
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov....harbourbridge/
And you want to get a picture like the one of the sunset behind the Bridge - catch a ferry from Manly just as the sun is setting and good chance with any scudding clouds about you could be lucky!
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/A...bourBridge.asp

So as far as I can tell, the bridge climb is going on the actual arch structure and is only available through these expensive guided packages whereas the pylon is just a simple walk up the steps and you just drop in and visit for a very modest fee (compared to the high price for the bridge climb)?

And I read somewhere you can take a camera up on the pylon but not the bridge climb?

Correct. One cannot take anything on the bridge climb which may fall and injure those below. (Liability policy requirement, as well as safety issues.)

Is the pedestrian walkway on the bridge above the Opera House?

For instance, I've found this picture on Panoramio and it seems to be taken from the bridge but not sure if it's the normal walkway or on the arch itself:

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/3103042

My guess is that photo was probably taken from the pedestrian walkway on the Cahill Expressway (Above Circular Quay). It will all make sense when you get here.

OK, it's a nice vantage point. And your suggestions about Milsons point looks good too.

Are there good transport options at night from the area around Museum Station all the way out to the other side of the bridge and back?

It's possible that this guy is a professional photographer. Have a look at his other pics they are fantastic.

If that is the case he could have been allowed up there to take pics in a professional capacity.

I have been across the top twice and have a daytime pic taken by the bridge team showing the same view and ours looks to be a higher position than that one, so Bokhara may be right.

You will also get breatherlised before going up,if you fail you won't be allowed to climb. So have a few drinks afterwards.

I think the climb is expensive, but having travelled across the world to visit it ought to be done once. It is a good experience and superbly organised.

Muck

Cahill Expressway is on the bridge?

Funny thing about the bridge climb is that it's mentioned on various sites and one of them said it's like $120. That must have been 10 years ago.

We did the Bridge Climb on our visit a few weeks back. It's worth the price, not so much for the view, but for the experience. Yes, it's a little fun going through all the prep for the climb - the special suits, the screening, etc. If the weather is great, you'll have a great view. If the weather doesn't cooperate, then, you've a great story to share about nearly being blown from the top of the bridge. Its great fun even at the price of a dollar a minute or more.

There is a pub called the Glenmore that has a great harbour view from the roof and there is no charge to enter http://www.glenmorerooftophotel.com.au/1_home/


The Cahill Expressway is at Circular Quay facing towards the harbour. It gives you a similar view to the one from Circular Quay station.

I think you could get that shot by sticking your camera between the fencing on the bridge... I don't think it was from the Cahill Expressway cause the angle seems wrong.

Now I've looked at it again, I think you're right Emerald125.
More likely taken from near Quay, Park Hyatt or perhaps on the Bridge, as you say.

That's I'll look out for those vantage points.