Norton Rose Fulbright advises owners of Scenic World on Sydney Harbour Bridge tourism climb business

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised the Hammon Family on their successful tender to operate the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge’s tourism climb business under a 20 year concession arrangement with Roads and Maritime Services (RMS). The Hammon Family fought off competing bids from other high profile attractions operators to win this landmark tender.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge tourism activities currently include climbs on the arches of the bridge, a bridge experience centre and a pylon lookout. The Hammon Family have an exciting vision for the future of tourism activities on Sydney Harbour Bridge, including new and improved experiences.

Trip Advisor ranks the experience of climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge as one of Sydney’s top attractions, with approximately 3.4 million people having made the climb over the last 18 years.

RMS asked for expressions of interest in the operation of Sydney Harbour Bridge tourism activities in June last year. The Hammon Family will commence operation of those activities from October 1 this year.

The Hammon Family own Scenic World in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney (which is the most visited privately owned tourism attraction in Australia), and are cornerstone investors in the new Sydney Zoo located in Western Sydney, which is scheduled to open in early 2019.

The Norton Rose Fulbright team advised the Hammon Family on the concession agreement which governs the obligations of running the tourism activities, as well as related advice.

Norton Rose Fulbright corporate partner Stephen Iu commented:

"We have an excellent track record working with government agencies, and this really helped to guide our client through the RFP process and negotiations with RMS. It is exciting to be involved in a process like this for a long standing client of the firm and for such an iconic Sydney landmark.”

Norton Rose Fulbright banking and projects partner Rob White commented:

"I am delighted that we have been able to assist the Hammon Family, a local NSW family business, in pulling together such a strong proposal and helping them to close out this transaction with RMS. Our work on this deal was a real team effort – both with the client, other professional advisers and utilising the expertise of a multidisciplinary team at Norton Rose Fulbright including project, corporate, banking, IT/IP and employment specialists. Sydneysiders are understandably proud of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and should be excited by the Hammon Family’s vision for this world-renowned tourist attraction.”

David Hammon commented:

“Norton Rose Fulbright were the ideal legal advisers to engage on this matter which is of significant importance to the Hammon Family. We were impressed with their professionalism, commercial approach and experience.”

The team was co-led by corporate partner Stephen Iu, and banking and finance, and projects partner Rob White, It was supported by partners Bernard O'Shea, Frances Drummond, Alex Whiteside and Katherine Morris; senior consultant Karel Potgieter; senior associate Annika Martz; associates Alice Winter-Irving, Katherine Ashbolt, Alyson Poole and Kirsty Farmer; and lawyers Dean Zinn, Hugo Gotterson and Davor Tocakovic.