John was born on boxing day in 1867 

Fourth son of Maria and John who was a Crimean War veteran 

 
 

John worked hard at his studies, making him a brilliant student 

Being dux of Ipswich Grammar, then, was not an accident 

 
 

At Sydney University he got a civil engineering degree 

Where he won the university medal, continuing his education pedigree 

 
 

In 1889 he got his first job in Brisbane 

Working for the Railways as a graduate draftsman  

 
 

In 1891 he married Edith who was his passion 

After losing his job they moved to Sydney for his profession.  

 
 

Bradfield was a visionary who never gave up and was a man before his time 

With many grand ideas for Sydney, he was an engineer in his prime 

 
 

In 1912 he was promoted to chief engineer 

to continue developing Sydney with all his great ideas 

 
 

Bradfield helped Sydney and its transport integration 

By designing the city circle system and some of the stations 

 
 

One of his big plans was to link Sydney’s north and south 

He made his ideas public and told what they were about 

 
 

The Sydney Harbour Bridge, which opened in 1932, was his crowing glory some would say 

It is now a cultural icon of Australia today 

 
 

But Sydney was not the only place that he made look pretty 

Bradfield also designed the Story Bridge that is in Brisbane city 

 
 

And he also helped build some dams, which are engineering feats 

Bradfield was the top engineer, and his designs were hard to beat 

 
 

Bradfield was a man who engineered great structures for a living 

And he turned all his ideas real by always persevering 

 
 

Bradfield died in Gordon in September 1943 

He now has a suburb named after him and an everlasting legacy