Repainting the bridge - Technology & maintenance - Sydney Harbour Bridge precinct

Regular repainting of the steelwork is an essential and ongoing part of maintaining the Sydney Harbour Bridge. New lead-free paint applied to steel on the bridge protects it from the atmosphere and limits rust from forming.

Approximately 485,000 square metres of steelwork – which is equivalent to about 60 football fields – needs to be painted, with 30,000 litres of paint required to give the bridge just one coat. Inspection of the steel work is necessary, and a variety of tradespeople help maintain the bridge. These trades include ironworkers, boilermakers, fitters, electricians, carpenters, riggers and painters.

To repaint the bridge, both temporary (such as scaffold) and permanent access platforms are used. These work zones provide safe areas for our workers and ensure the safety of bridge users.

We also use containment methodologies to enclose environments where we are working and ensure lead particles from old paint on the bridge are captured and disposed of safely. If you're nearby during blasting activities, you may hear some noise associated with this process. 

For safety reasons, there may be changes to the surrounding areas, including exclusion zones and traffic and pedestrian controls or diversions. 

Painting is currently underway at multiple locations across the bridge, including beneath the northern and southern approaches, as well as above the road deck on the bridge arches.

For more information, please contact us using the details below. 

Learn more about our other work to maintain the bridge.

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