Overview
As of September, BridgeClimb will be no more. The company released a statement on its website today stating that it would be ceasing all operations as of later this year.
The statement says BridgeClimb's application to win a new 20-year contract to operate tours on the Harbour Bridge was unsuccessful. BridgeClimb was first launched on October 1, 1998 by Founder and Chairman Paul Cave, and has seen over four million climbers safely scale the monument since.
The Roads and Maritime Services put the Sydney Harbour Bridge Tourist Climb Business, which also includes the Bridge Museum within the South Eastern Pylon, out to tender last year.
The company that has won the 20-year tender — out of a total 13 applicants — is another NSW tourism stalwart, Scenic World Blue Mountains. The company is the largest privately owned tourist attraction in Australia and has been operating for 73 years.
The family-run owner of Scenic World, Hammons Holdings, also released a statement saying, "returning Sydney Harbour Bridge to the people will be a priority" and that the company will be exploring ways to safely expand access to new areas of the Bridge.
And what does these all mean for the common folk? At the moment, we're not sure. But it could see changes made to tours run and (hopefully) pricing.
BridgeClimb will run as normal until September 30, 2018. Scenic World Blue Mountain will commence as operators of Sydney Harbour Bridge Tourism Activities from October 1.