The ▁Australian " ▁newspaper ▁stating ▁that ▁such ▁a ▁bridge ▁would ▁" g ive ▁an ▁idea ▁of ▁strength ▁and ▁magnific ence ▁that ▁would ▁reflect ▁credit ▁and ▁glory ▁on ▁the ▁col ony ▁and ▁the ▁Mother ▁Country ". ▁ ▁Nothing ▁came ▁of ▁Green way ' s ▁suggestions , ▁but ▁the ▁idea ▁remained ▁alive , ▁and ▁many ▁further ▁suggestions ▁were ▁made ▁during ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 0 , ▁naval ▁architect ▁Robert ▁Br ind ley ▁proposed ▁that ▁a ▁floating ▁bridge ▁be ▁built . ▁Engine er ▁Peter ▁Hend erson ▁produced ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁earliest ▁known ▁draw ings ▁of ▁a ▁bridge ▁across ▁the ▁har bour ▁around ▁ 1 8 5 7 . ▁A ▁suggestion ▁for ▁a ▁tr uss ▁bridge ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 9 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁a ▁high - level ▁bridge ▁estimated ▁at ▁$ 8 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁was ▁proposed . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁the ▁Ly ne ▁government ▁committed ▁to ▁building ▁a ▁new ▁Central ▁railway ▁station ▁and ▁organ ised ▁a ▁world wide ▁competition ▁for ▁the ▁design ▁and ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁har bour ▁bridge . ▁Local ▁engineer ▁Norman ▁Self e ▁submitted ▁a ▁design ▁for ▁a ▁susp ension ▁bridge ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁second ▁prize ▁of ▁£ 5 0 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁when ▁the ▁outcome ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁competition ▁became ▁m ired ▁in ▁controvers y , ▁Self e ▁won ▁a ▁second ▁competition ▁out right , ▁with ▁a ▁design ▁for ▁a ▁steel ▁cant ile