They gaze at the spectacle of cows grazing on 10,000 square yards of turfed grass that had been laid over the tarmac. ‘It’s the most extraordinary sight,’ said Rhonda Williams, 21, a backpacker from Bath, Somerset. ‘I’ve been taking pictures all around Sydney in the past couple of weeks and like everyone else I’ve taken dozens of photos of the bridge. It was such a historic event that local man Sid Elias used the occasion to propose to his girlfriend. And they have agreed that if the ‘Breakfast on the Bridge’ became an annual event they’ll return each time. The cows had been transported in from an outlying agricultural college and seemed unperturbed by their lofty surroundings over the harbour as they tucked into the grass and hay.
To add to the occasion, musicians strolled among the families – who included one couple who brought their four-week-old baby along – playing accordions and trumpets, while a honky-tonk piano player bashed out happy melodies. New South Wales government officials estimated the cost of laying on the unique event cost around £400,000 – but agreed it was worth it. The state’s premier, Mr Nathan Rees, said Breakfast on the Bridge was likely to become an annual event. ‘It’s worth a great deal in tourism dollars,’ he said.’Everyone’s been having a ball.’
Strolling across the grass, commuter Don Fuchs said: ‘It’s amazing to see the bridge in this perspective. ‘Usually you sit in the car, you cross the bridge and that’s it.’ The breakfast was part of the Crave festival, one month of food, art, comedy and outdoor fun, which runs until next Saturday
