▁the ▁bridge ▁was ▁the ▁longest ▁single ▁span ▁steel ▁arch ▁bridge ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁The ▁bridge , ▁its ▁p yl ons ▁and ▁its ▁approaches ▁are ▁all ▁important ▁elements ▁in ▁towns cape ▁of ▁areas ▁both ▁near ▁and ▁distant ▁from ▁it . ▁The ▁cur ved ▁northern ▁approach ▁gives ▁a ▁grand ▁swe eping ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁bridge ▁with ▁contin ually ▁changing ▁views ▁of ▁the ▁bridge ▁and ▁har bour . ▁The ▁bridge ▁has ▁been ▁an ▁important ▁factor ▁in ▁the ▁pattern ▁of ▁growth ▁of ▁metropol itan ▁Sydney , ▁particularly ▁in ▁resident ial ▁development ▁in ▁post ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁years . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁the ▁Central ▁Business ▁District ▁had ▁extended ▁to ▁the ▁northern ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁bridge ▁at ▁North ▁Sydney ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁due ▁in ▁part ▁to ▁the ▁easy ▁access ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁bridge ▁and ▁also ▁to ▁the ▁increasing ▁traffic ▁problems ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁bridge . ▁ ▁Sydney ▁Har bour ▁Bridge ▁was ▁listed ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁State ▁Heritage ▁Register ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁having ▁satisfied ▁the ▁following ▁criteria . ▁ ▁The ▁place ▁is ▁important ▁in ▁demonstr ating ▁the ▁course , ▁or ▁pattern , ▁of ▁cultural ▁or ▁natural ▁history ▁in ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁remarkable ▁fe ats ▁of ▁bridge ▁construction . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁construction ▁and ▁until ▁recently ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁longest ▁single ▁span ▁steel ▁arch ▁bridge ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁is ▁still ▁in ▁a ▁general ▁sense ▁the ▁largest . ▁