, ▁f les hing ▁out ▁the ▁details ▁of ▁the ▁specific ations ▁and ▁finan cing ▁for ▁his ▁cant ile ver ▁bridge ▁proposal , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁he ▁travel led ▁over se as ▁to ▁investigate ▁tend ers . ▁On ▁return ▁from ▁his ▁travel s ▁Brad field ▁decided ▁that ▁an ▁arch ▁design ▁would ▁also ▁be ▁suitable ▁and ▁he ▁and ▁officers ▁of ▁the ▁NS W ▁Department ▁of ▁Public ▁Works ▁prepared ▁a ▁general ▁design ▁for ▁a ▁single - arch ▁bridge ▁based ▁upon ▁New ▁York ▁City ' s ▁Hell ▁Gate ▁Bridge . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁the ▁government ▁passed ▁the ▁Sydney ▁Har bour ▁Bridge ▁Act ▁No . ▁ 2 8 , ▁specifying ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁high - level ▁cant ile ver ▁or ▁arch ▁bridge ▁across ▁the ▁har bour ▁between ▁Daw es ▁Point ▁and ▁M ils ons ▁Point , ▁along ▁with ▁construction ▁of ▁necessary ▁approaches ▁and ▁electric ▁railway ▁lines , ▁and ▁world wide ▁tend ers ▁were ▁invited ▁for ▁the ▁project . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁tender ing ▁process , ▁the ▁government ▁received ▁twenty ▁propos als ▁from ▁six ▁companies ; ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁March ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁the ▁contract ▁was ▁awarded ▁to ▁British ▁firm ▁D orm an ▁Long ▁and ▁Co ▁Ltd , ▁of ▁M idd les br ough ▁well ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁contract ors ▁who ▁later ▁built ▁the ▁similar ▁Ty ne ▁Bridge ▁of ▁New castle ▁Upon ▁Ty ne , ▁for ▁an ▁arch ▁bridge ▁at ▁a ▁quoted ▁price ▁of ▁A U £ 4 , 2 1 7 , 7 2