Sydney Harbour Bridge million, which was not paid off in full until 1988. The bridge was formally opened on Saturday, 19 March 1932. Amongst those who attended and gave speeches were the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Philip Game, and the Minister for Public Works, Lawrence Ennis. The Premier of New South Wales, Jack Lang, was to open the bridge by cutting a ribbon at its southern end. However, just as Lang was about to cut the ribbon, a man in military uniform rode up on a horse, slashing the ribbon with his sword and opening the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the
Sydney Harbour Bridge been used several times since as a framework from which to hang static fireworks, especially during the elaborate New Year's Eve displays. In 2005 Mark Webber drove a Williams-BMW Formula One car across the bridge. In 2007, the 75th anniversary of its opening was commemorated with an exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, called "Bridging Sydney". An initiative of the Historic Houses Trust, the exhibition featured dramatic photographs and paintings with rare and previously unseen alternative bridge and tunnel proposals, plans and sketches. On 18 March 2007, the Sydney Harbour Bridge celebrated its 75th anniversary. The occasion was marked with