The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the most easily recognisable Australian icons. Affectionately dubbed the coat hanger, the bridge, along with the Sydney Harbour and the Opera House are instantly recognized images of Australia to anyone around the world.
The harbour bridge was first designed by the convict architect Francis Greenway in 1815 to link the northern and southern shores of the harbour.
However, it was over a hundred years later that construction of the bridge actually began, in July 1923. During the years of the Great Depression the bridge became known as the iron lung, providing much needed employment to thousands of Australians.
The official opening of the Harbour Bridge took place on 19 March 1932. The opening ceremony included a 21-gun salute, an RAAF fly past, a parade across the bridge, a Venetian Carnival, and an upset when Francis de Groot rode a borrowed horse out of the crowd to slash the ceremonial ribbon with his sword.
Now, tucked away among the crowd that day, watching the ceremony and marching across the new bridge with the hundreds of other people was young nine-year-old Lennie Gwyther.
Lennie was the son of a former Australian war veteran who owned and operated a small farm in Leongatha, a town in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges in South Gippsland, Victoria.
A hardworking lad who took on more than his fair share of the work around the farm, Lennie was also a dreamer. His bedroom walls were plastered with Australian icons that inspired him. Don Bradman swinging his cricket bat, Phar Lap racing to a finish, Charles Kingsford Smith conquering the skies.
And alongside all of these was the newest Australian icon slowly taking shape; the Sydney Harbour Bridge. And it was this engineering marvel that captured Lennie’s attention the most. His biggest dream was to go and see the bridge in person.
Join us this week as we follow the incredible journey of a young boy chasing an almost impossible dream. The quintessential tale of the underdog, defying the odds, braving the challenges and achieving his goals despite it all.
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TOUGH TIMES
When the New York Stock exchange crashed in October 1929, Wall Street plunged into chaos. The event created ripples around the world leading to severe economic depression. Millions of people lost their jobs and families found themselves in dire straits.
When the depression swept across Australia, scores of companies, factories and shops were forced to close their doors. Almost overnight roughly a third of the Australian workforce lost their jobs.
Families were evicted from their homes, unable to pay rent or meet their mortgage. In the cities people began living in shanty towns that had sprung up in public parks; or the men wandered the country looking for odd jobs on farms.
During the depression the Gwyther family fared somewhat better than most folks. Leo Gwyther was born in 1892 in Leongatha and enlisted in the army the day war was declared in August 1914.
He served overseas at Gallipoli and the Somme on the Western Front, alongside his three brothers. But the war left behind an indelible impression on Captain Gwyther.
He was awarded the Military Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace, and when Leo Gwyther came back home after the war he was hailed as a wartime hero.
Leo Gwyther married Clara Simon and together they had four children. Their first child, a son named Lennie, was born in April 1922. The Gywthers owned a farm just outside Leongatha and managed to survive the depression, though life was hard.
LENNIE’S REWARD
When Lennie was about nine his father was injured while ploughing a field and had to spend more than a month in hospital in Melbourne. During that time, Lennie, as the eldest, took on a large share of farm chores, including ploughing a 24-acre field all on his own.
When his father returned from the hospital and heard about Lennie’s hard work and diligence, he offered the lad a reward. Lennie was told that he could choose whatever he wanted. Without hesitation, Lennie declared that he wanted permission to ride to Sydney on his horse, Ginger Mick, to see the opening of the Sydney Harbour bridge.
His mother’s first reaction was to veto the idea. After all, Lennie was just nine years old and the nearly 1000 km journey to Sydney covered rough terrain, and would potentially leave him exposed to bushrangers and a host of other dangers.
But Captain Leo Gwyther, a man accustomed to courage and boldness in the face of danger, was willing to give his son permission to embark on this exciting adventure. Once the initial excitement had died down the Captain pulled out some maps and helped his son plot a course.
GRAND ADVENTURE BEGINS
When Lennie was finally ready to set out on his adventure, he packed himself a small backpack with the most basic necessities: toothbrush, pyjamas, a spare set of clothes, some food, a water bottle and additional supplies. He then saddled Ginger Mick and swung up on his trusty steed, ready for the adventures ahead.
The town of Leongatha was buzzing when the news about Lennie’s planned grand adventure made its way around town. When the day of his departure finally arrived a small group of townsfolk gathered to say farewell.
The president of the local shire addressed the crowd and then presented Lennie with a letter to deliver to the Lord Mayor of Sydney on behalf of the people of Leongatha. Tucking the letter safely into his pocket, Lennie hugged his family, mounted his horse and with a final grin and wave set out on his journey.
His first stop was Mirboo North, a timber town about 25 kms away. That night Lennie managed to find a spot to camp on the outskirts of town. He ate the cheese and vegemite sandwiches his mum had packed for him and settled in for the night.
HORSE THIEF
During the night Lennie was jolted awake by loud rustling in the bush around him, followed by his horse’s distressed whiny. Jumping to his feet, Lennie shot off in the direction of the noise, only to hear the grunts of an angry man berating his horse.
Someone slammed past Lennie, knocking him to the ground and then running off into the darkness. Lennie scrambled to his feet, stumbling around in the darkness, desperately searching for Ginger Mick.
Lennie was so relieved the thief hadn’t been able to steal his horse. He kept searching until he eventually found Ginger Mick and the two of them had a restless sleep, now more aware of the dangers that awaited them on this journey to Sydney.
The next day they set out from Mirboo North and made their way to Traralgon, where they were welcomed by Mr and Mrs Philipps, who were friends of Lennie’s father.
By the time Lennie settled for the night in Traralgon he learned that his little trip to Sydney had begun to generate considerable interest. A reporter from the local newspaper called to interview him, but Lennie was wary of the interest and only managed one-word answers.
BUSHFIRE ESCAPE
The next day Lennie and Ginger Mick were on the road again. It was a hot day and he soon saw smoke in the air. Lennie and Ginger Mick trudged through the area and before long realised that they had walked right into the heart of a bushfire.
Terrified of the falling ash and the crimson haze that shaded the sky around them, Ginger Mick the old horse, refused to keep going. Lennie knew that if they didn’t keep going they would most likely get swallowed up in the flames.
Petrified, Lennie began to cry, wishing he had never set out on this journey in the first place, and desperately wanting the comforting presence of his mother, but the boy and the horse managed to gather up their courage and race through the growing inferno that was encroaching on them.
Soot-stained and parched, Lennie and his horse staggered into the small settlement of Kilmany as the afternoon shadows were lengthening. The Leslies, who lived in Kilmany and were hosting Lennie that night, found him sobbing and exhausted.
Mr Leslie lifted the crying boy from his saddle, and his wife tended to him and saw that he was fed. Lennie fell asleep in the middle of dinner and had to be carted off to bed by the kindly farmer who was giving him shelter for the night.
From Kilmany, Lennie and Ginger Mick made their way to Sale and then on to Bairnsdale where they were given a room at the Main Hotel in town. While he was in Bairnsdale, Lennie was once more approached by a reporter from the Bairnsdale Advertiser.
Lennie was reluctant to talk to the reporter, but the man cleverly began to ask him questions about Ginger Mick and the Harbour Bridge, two of Lennie’s favourite topics. The second newspaper interview was more of a success than the first.
SURPRISE!
After leaving Bairnsdale, Lennie and Ginger Mick made their way through Lakes Entrance and Orbost, winding up into the hills and then towards Cann River. When they reached Cann River they were met with a huge surprise. There, flanked by one of his friends and a Model A Ford, was Captain Leo Gwyther!
Lennie was ecstatic to see his father and he jumped off Ginger Mick to give his dad an excited welcome. The next morning the Captain and his friend Major Duffey, rode behind Lennie and Ginger Mick on the Cann Valley Road towards Canberra.
They crossed the border into New South Wales and then walked through Snowy River country and on up to Bombala, where Lennie was greeted by a horde of excited students at the Bombala Public School.
ROYAL ESCORT
Lennie introduced Ginger Mick to the enthusiastic students, who informed him that he was now famous. For the next leg of his journey from Bombala to Sydney Lennie was joined by an escort from the Royal Agricultural Society. His father left him in their capable hands and made his way back home.
From Bombala, Lennie travelled into Nimmitabel, across the vast expanse of the Monaro Plains and then into Cooma, where Lennie was hosted at the Prince of Wales Hotel and treated to afternoon tea by the owner.
Lennie was greeted by a group of enthusiastic hotel guests who had already heard of his adventure. They dubbed him ‘Lennie the Legend’..
Four days after leaving Cooma, Lennie and Ginger Mick arrived in Canberra. Lennie was met by a group of young men from Canberra Grammar School who escorted him to their school where Lennie would be staying for the weekend. Among them was a young Gough Whitlam, who would one day become the Prime Minister of Australia.
Lennie didn’t expect to see sheep grazing in front of Parliament House in the nation’s capital. He was given a special invitation to attend an afternoon tea at Parliament house where he met senators, politicians and even the Prime Minister of Australia, Joseph Lyons. Lennie was once again photographed and interviewed by an enthusiastic press corps.
FINAL DESTINATION
The journey continued on through Goulburn, and then after five weeks on the road Lennie and Ginger Mick finally rode into Liverpool, on the outskirts of Sydney. After spending the night there, Lennie was escorted by his chaperones from the Royal Agricultural Society into the heart of Sydney, where he got his first glimpse of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Walking down busy George Street in the heart of the city, people on the street recognised him, and he was soon circled by a crowd who called out for autographs and asked him questions.
Lennie was overwhelmed by all the attention he was getting. He couldn’t understand what all the excitement was about; all he had done was travel 1000 km on horseback and fulfill his most cherished dream.
In many ways the attention that Lennie’s journey garnered had a lot to do with the times he lived in. Australia was in the middle of a terrible economic depression. Dreams were few and far between and everyone was simply trying to survive.
Lennie’s courage and determination were a much longed for slither of hope in an otherwise bleak time. For a nine-year-old boy to have the grit to climb on his horse and make his way to Sydney was inspirational. It captured people’s imagination and gave them hope. It carried the message that the nation as a whole, and each individual citizen, could survive the depression and make their own hard-fought journey to success.
Hope and courage in the face of challenges and trials are as essential to the human spirit as oxygen is to the human body. It is hope that keeps us going even when we’re struggling under a heavy burden.
During his first day in Sydney, Lennie was taken on a tour of the city by reporters from The Sun newspaper. They took him to see the city centre, and then finally to see the Sydney Harbour Bridge once more.
Lennie was fascinated by the close-up view of the bridge, marvelling at how it had been constructed and thrilled by the sight of the harbour with its blue surface and scores of boats and yachts gliding across it.
Over the next few days Lennie took in the most prominent sights in Sydney; he rode on a tram to Bondi Beach, boarded a ferry at Circular Quay, headed for Taronga Zoo where he rode an elephant, and was given a tour of the Parliament House on Macquarie Street. Then, at a match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Lennie met his cricketing hero, Don Bradman, who gave him a signed cricket bat.
DREAM HIGHLIGHTS
But the highlight of Lennie’s visit to the harbour city was when he met the mayor of Sydney at the Town Hall and was invited to be a part of the bridge’s opening ceremony. Lennie Gwyther and Ginger Mick would be among those who had the special privilege of walking across the harbour bridge on foot during the opening parade.
The official opening ceremony of the Sydney Harbour Bridge began at 10am on Saturday the 19 March 1932. People turned up in droves to watch the excitement.
On the south side of the bridge the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Philip Game read a message from King George V and then the Premier of New South Wales, Jack Lang, officially declared the bridge to be open.
However, just as Premier Lang stepped forward with a bejewelled pair of scissors to cut the blue ribbon, a military man mounted on a horse, rode forward.
Drawing his sword, he reached around the Premier and slashed the ribbon, shouting “I declare this bridge open in the name of the decent and respectable people of New South Wales”
In the ensuing commotion the man, Captain Francis de Groot, was pulled off his horse and arrested. A new ribbon was quickly produced and put in place across the roadway and the Premier stepped forward to cut it, declaring the bridge officially open.
Lennie enjoyed the excitement of the opening parade and proudly rode among the crowds who walked across the bridge. After spending such an exciting time in Sydney, Lennie began to make plans to return home.
RETURN TRIP
His father had come to Sydney to escort him on a steamship for the return trip to Melbourne. But Lennie managed to convince him to let him ride back home instead. So, on 11 April 1932, Lennie and Ginger Mick began their long 1000 km return journey back home. This time they travelled along the inland Hume Highway track.
A week later Lennie celebrated his tenth birthday in the village of Gunning, near Goulburn in New South Wales. The local council even presented him with a one-pound note as a gift.
Lennie’s return trip home was marked by happy groups of well-wishers who flocked to see him. All wanted to greet Lennie the Legend and his horse. Four months after he left home, Lennie Gwyther arrived back in Leongatha, a hero.
He was escorted into town by the local Boy Scout troop and three of the oldest horsemen in the district including his grandfather, Charlie Simon, who had given Lennie his horse, Ginger Mick, way back on his second birthday. Lennie and Ginger Mick were inseparable, they had actually been born on the very same day, and now they had travelled all the way to Sydney and back together!
Lennie’s amazing journey is commemorated by this bronze statue that was unveiled in Leongatha in 2017. It depicts Lennie and his horse Ginger Mick setting out on their epic 1000 km journey to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
A CHRISTIAN’S JOURNEY
In many ways, Lennie’s journey is reminiscent of John Bunyan’s epic allegorical narrative The Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan wrote the book in 1678 while he was imprisoned in the Bedfordshire County Prison for holding religious services that were independent of the approved state church.
The book was written as a dream sequence in which the main character, Christian, chooses to leave his hometown, the City of Destruction, which represents the world, in order to make his way to the Celestial City, which represents heaven – a journey from here to eternity
When Christian begins his journey, he is weighed down by a terribly heavy burden that he’s carrying, the weight of his sin and guilt. Along the way Christian meets a host of characters who help or hinder him on his journey to the celestial city.
One of the main focal points of the story is the moment that Christian arrives at the place of deliverance and feels his burden rolling away. He reaches the Wall of Salvation where there’s a large cross.
Once he reaches the foot of the cross his terrible burden miraculously falls away and disappears, and he is set free. That moment is an illustration of how Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross offers us the opportunity to be free from the burden of sin.
Once Christian is free from his burden he continues on his way and meets various challenges and obstacles. The story ends when Christian finally makes it through the gates of the Celestial City.
Christian’s journey in Pilgrim’s Progress reflects every Christian’s journey through life. It’s a journey of discovery, and the first point on this journey is to recognise our need for something better. We’re also reminded that there’s only one path to heaven and it’s not always an easy one.
It’s filled with trials and temptations. But even in the difficult times God watches over us and helps us along the way. With each trial that He brings us through, our faith is strengthened. Meanwhile, we must stay on the right course, leaving our burden, our sins, at the foot of the cross where Jesus has set us free. We’re all on the same journey. But the big question is this: are you on the right path?
The Bible teaches us that there is something better in life that God has to offer us. Something beyond the daily routine of the world around us, something beyond the suffering and pain we all encounter. The Bible tells us that we can look forward to a better country, a better land.
THE RACE TO WIN
The Bible then goes on to help us understand how we can travel to that better country. Describing the journey Paul uses the illustration of a marathon. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul lays out some key points for us to remember. In verse 24 he says,
“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it”
- The first key to successfully running the Christian race is this: Run the race to win.
If you’re running to win that means you are focused and purposeful. That means you are in it for the long haul. That means you have a clear goal set before you. The Christian’s goal is eternity with Jesus, and the Bible asks us to run the race with our eyes on the prize.
- Now, the second key to running a successful race is that when we’re striving to achieve a goal discipline and self-control are essential.
During Paul’s day the Olympiad was a common occurrence throughout the cities of Greece, and the town of Marathon in particular was the highlight of the games. The winner of the long race was considered to be the best athlete in the entire group.
A journey, whether it is a race or a trek, needs a few components; a clear goal, a sense of direction, a commitment to finish the course and the discipline to go the distance. The Christian journey is the same.
It’s a race that we can all win if we choose to run it with Jesus. A race that will be more than worth it in the end. A good life, a life well lived, is a life of purpose. A life that has a clear sense of direction and a good compass to lead the way.
Jesus offers us both. He offers us purpose and a compass through His word. It’s through the Bible that we can find not only a clear direction for our lives, but also the motivation, power and perseverance we need to go the distance.
Are you looking for purpose in your life today? Are you looking for a life with meaning? Jesus says in John 10:10,
“I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.’”
SPECIAL OFFER AND CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus offers us the opportunity to embark on the journey of a lifetime, an incredible journey, filled with challenges and a prize at the end that is well worth the effort. If you would like to set out on that journey today, then I’d like to recommend the free gift we have for all our Incredible Journey viewers today.
It’s the booklet, Finding Meaning and Purpose in Your Life. I guarantee there are no costs or obligations whatsoever. So, make the most of this wonderful opportunity to receive your free gift today.
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Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for your many promises to guide us and strengthen us as we make our way along the journey of life. We desperately need your leading as we make important decisions and choices. May they always be in accordance with your will. Please bless us and our families and draw us close to you. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
