Breakfast on the Bridge

Despite the forecast of rain thousands turned up with blankets and baskets in hand for Sydney's inaugural Breakfast on the Bridge event.

The gates opened at 6.30AM and air was electric with a mixture of curiosity and excitement as attendees took their first steps on Sydney's most famous landmark. The bridge deck, usually covered with bumper-to-bumper traffic, was carpeted with over 10,500 square meters of lush, green grass - a surreal sight to behold.

Picnickers enjoyed breakfasts of every kind. There were bagels, bacon & eggs, croissants, champagne, smoothies, granola, fruit salad, curries and quiches. Freshly baked breads, jams, apples and yogurt were also handed out.

At a cost of $1 million, the Breakfast on the Bridge event is part of the month-long Crave Sydney festival showcasing the city's entertainment, food and art scene.
Premier Nathan Rees said it was likely to become an annual event, following the success of Sunday's turnout, which he predicted was worth $10 million in tourism dollars.

"Among the picnickers were a four-week-old baby, a man who proposed to his girlfriend, and a young man celebrating his 19th birthday...people are having a ball" Rees said.

People did have a ball. Crave Sydney has been a real triumph -- especially for lovers of food. The Breakfast on the Bridge was a great event in a month of great events. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an international icon. Using it in this unusual way was a great opportunity for the people of New South Wales, 6000 of whom were awarded tickets by lottery.

Breakfast on the Bridge Image Gallery

Photo: © S. Wongkaew (2009) licensed to About.com, Inc