ver ▁bridge . ▁The ▁selection ▁board ▁were ▁un anim ous , ▁comment ing ▁that , ▁" The ▁struct ural ▁lines ▁are ▁correct ▁and ▁in ▁true ▁proportion , ▁and ... ▁the ▁outline ▁is ▁grace ful ". ▁However ▁due ▁to ▁an ▁economic ▁dow nt urn ▁and ▁a ▁change ▁of ▁government ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁NS W ▁State ▁election ▁construction ▁never ▁began . ▁ ▁A ▁unique ▁three - span ▁bridge ▁was ▁proposed ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁by ▁Ernest ▁St owe ▁with ▁connections ▁at ▁B alls ▁Head , ▁Mill ers ▁Point , ▁and ▁Bal main ▁with ▁a ▁mem orial ▁tower ▁and ▁hub ▁on ▁Go at ▁Island . ▁ ▁Pl anning ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁John ▁Brad field ▁was ▁appointed ▁" Ch ief ▁Engine er ▁of ▁Sydney ▁Har bour ▁Bridge ▁and ▁Metropolitan ▁Railway ▁Const ruction ", ▁and ▁his ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁project ▁over ▁many ▁years ▁earned ▁him ▁the ▁legacy ▁as ▁the ▁" father " ▁of ▁the ▁bridge . ▁Brad field ' s ▁preference ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁was ▁for ▁a ▁cant ile ver ▁bridge ▁without ▁pi ers , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁the ▁NS W ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly ▁passed ▁a ▁bill ▁for ▁such ▁a ▁construction , ▁however ▁it ▁did ▁not ▁proceed ▁as ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁rejected ▁the ▁legisl ation ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁that ▁the ▁money ▁would ▁be ▁better ▁spent ▁on ▁the ▁war ▁effort . ▁ ▁Following ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁plans ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁bridge ▁again ▁built ▁momentum . ▁Brad field ▁per se ver ed ▁with ▁the ▁project