Every morning, Nuno Nunes catches the 5:30am bus from his home in Sydney's north to work at Barangaroo.
But instead of sitting at an office desk, he spends six days a week an eye-watering 290 metres above ground, driving the construction crane at Crown Sydney.
He's hard at work on the most recognisable new addition to Sydney's skyline, part of the $2.4 billion Crown casino development.
About 1,300 workers are onsite every day, but just three are lucky enough to share in the job of crane operator — which means he is suspended high above the ground, helping construct the final storeys.
The stunning view is one of the perks that make it the most coveted job in the business.
Everything is small from the highest point in Sydney, including the Harbour Bridge and the cruise ships that used to dock in the harbour.
"We can see the whole city from the top. We can see the Blue Mountains, we can see over the top to Brisbane Waters [on the Central Coast]," Nuno said.
"The view is something else, especially on a clear day — it's amazing you can see the ridges on the mountains."
On the most sparkling days, the father-of-two sends a snap of the view to his sons — and he's always got something to talk about with other parents at school pickup.
To reach his unusual office space, Nuno, 43, takes a lift to the top of the tower then uses an access ramp that leads to four ladders up to the cabin.
It's always windy on the climb, but he has become used to it.
He has worked on cranes for 20 years and his first job was working on a seven-storey building in Double Bay.
But that's dwarfed by Crown Sydney, which is 75 floors high and soon to be Sydney's tallest hotel.
"I fell into it … I'm very lucky I was at the right place at the right time, and I had the drive to do it," he said.
"I jumped on cranes and never looked back."
Nuno said cranes were at the heart of every project.
"We've got to get all the materials up for all the trades — it's our job to make sure they've got enough gear to get the job going," he said.
Nuno is proud that his current crane's winch is the fastest in the world, hoisting at up to 300 metres per minute.
While he's directing the crane, Nuno likes to listen to classical music on the radio in the cabin, which also holds a fridge and a microwave, and is roomy enough for him to stretch his legs.
The project is due to be finished by the end of the year, and the crane will be needed for only two more months.
While leaving his perch above Barangaroo will be bittersweet, Nuno said he hoped one day he would be able to work on a building 100 storeys high.
"I think we'll see higher buildings more and more in Sydney," he said.
