Over the years, thousands of workers have scoured, sanded and painted every centimetre of the 485,000 sq. m (about the size of 60 football fields) of steelwork that comprise the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Each coat of paint they applied to the ungalvanised steel to protect it from corrosion has become a part of Sydney’s history.

From their unusual office with a view of the iconic Sydney Opera House, painter Mirko Cerovac and RTA asset manager Peter Mann just above the Opera House) assess painting work being undertaken on the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s catwalks

Painter Mirko Cerovac assesses a freshly painted rivet on the Sydney Harbour Bridge with a small mirror. He supervises a team of 12 painters and inspects their work daily to ensure high standard.

Painters work from within a basket, suspended from one of the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s ‘arch maintenance units’ or cranes, as commuters stream across the major traffic artery below.

After a day of work, painters Mirko Cerovac, left, Romuald Karas, middle, and Scott Robertson, right, are crane-lifted to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Each evening, they walk down the 200 plus steps on the main arch, carrying all of their equipment with them.

Mirko Cerovac paints part of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is a day-in-day-out job that never ceases, due to the need to keep the bridge rust-free.

Mirko Cerovac and Romuald Karas descend from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.