Sydney

 

Founded in 1788, Sydney was the birthplace of the nation. Used initially as a penal colony, the city grew to become one of the largest in area in the world and one of the most popular amongst tourists.

 

Today, Sydney’s population is over 4.2 million and is the financial centre of Australia. Each year, millions of tourists flock to Sydney to enjoy the diverse attractions the city has to offer. From the world renown beaches, the bustling city and harbour foreshores to the majestic blue mountains and the stunning scenery of the north and southern coastal regions. There is something for everyone including the Rocks area, The Opera House, Harbour Bridge Tours, the culinary delights of the many restaurants and eateries, and great entertainment venues.
 

Climate 
Sydney has a temperate climate with an average of 340 sunshine days each year. Being bordered by the ocean in the east and the Blue Mountains in the west, the Hawkesbury River in the north and the Woronora Plateau to the south, Sydney enjoys warm summers days with balmy evenings and very mild winters. Average daytime temperatures during summer are about 28C and in winter 17C.

 

Getting around 
Sydney has an extensive public transport system, serviced by bus, train and ferry. Run by Cityrail, the train service covers the entire city, suburban areas and links with country trains for regional services. All train lines in the central business district are underground and form a loop known as city circle before branching out to the suburbs. There is also a light railsystem known as the around the CBD known as the Metro Light Rail and the Monorail which services shopping district in the city and Darling Harbour.

 

The metropolitan area of Sydney is serviced by the state owned Sydney Buses and many routes follow the old tram routes which last ran in 1961. Many bus and train services, especially those in the city and suburbs run 24 hours a day. Most of the outer suburbs are serviced by private bus companies. The extensive waterways of Sydney are services by the state owned Sydney Ferries which runs commuter and tourist services around the harbour and the Parramatta River. There are numerous Taxi Cab companies serving the entire Sydney, suburban and regional areas.

 

For those hiring a car, Sydney’s freeways may travel easy and most major destinations are well signposted.

 

Sydney’s main airport is Kingsford Smith Airport which is the oldest continuously operating commercial airport in the world. And located a short trip from the city at Mascot. Bankstown Airport is smaller and is used for both general and private aircraft.

 

There is bound to be some accommodation to suite your needs and budget. There is an abundance of Backpacker hostels in and around the city, guesthouses, single rooms, pub accommodation, motels, caravan parks etc. See our list for a few ideas.

 

Things to Do 

You will never be short of things to see and do in Sydney. Naturally a visit the famous Bondi Beach will be on any agenda but there are many other beach along

 

Sydney’s coast worthy of your attention, such as Palm, Manly and Collaroy on the northern side and Bronte, Coogee, Cronulla on the southern side just to mention a few. There are some amazing National Parks close to the city where you can sightsee, picnic, swim and canoe. There are many walking trails in these National Parks with some spectacular lookouts.

 

A trip to Taronga Park Zoo is always a favourite.

 

There are any amount of sporting venues both for spectator and participant sports.

 

The headquarters of the Australian Rugby League is in Sydney along with many of the National Rugby League Teams. Telstra Stadium is the venue for the Grand Final. Each club has a home field and during the football season you can nearly always catch a game at a venue near you. Australian Rules, Rugby Union, Soccer, basketball and netball are all played during the winter season with the game of Cricket taking centre stage during the Australian summer.

 

Sydney is also famous for its yacht racing including the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and the 18ft skiffs. The Harbour is often an array of colour as boating enthusiasts take to the water especially on weekends.

 

For those who want to be more than a spectator there are numerous sporting activities available with golf course, tennis courts, bowling alleys, skate parks dotted around the suburbs. For water sports, there are excellent fishing spots around the harbour and nearby beaches, fishing tours and charters are easily organised at local bait and tackle shops as can snorkelling and scuba adventures. Water skiing on the many rivers and other waterways is popular as is jet skiing

 

There are many hire places to help you with your needs.

 

Thrill seekers might enjoy Climbing the Harbour Bridge. A company called Bridgeclimb organises climbs on most days every ten minutes from sunrise to sunset and also some night climbs. These bridge climbs offer a tremendous view of the city and surrounding areas.

 

Another great vantage point is the top of Centrepoint Tower, from here you can get a bird’s eye view of sprawling city. But if speeding around Sydney Harbour at around 80 kpm is more you idea of fun then Ozjetboating offers all the thrills. Then again if being scared out of your wits appeals then The Rocks Ghost Tours is an experience not to be missed. Take a guided tour through the haunted areas of the rocks for a night of fear. These tours are by booking only as are the tours

of the old Quarantine Station at North Head.

 

Returning to something a little more cultural, The Sydney Opera House is home to Opera Australia, the third biggest opera company in the world and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The opera House also has 5 theatres. Other buildings of interest include the Sydney Town Hall, City Recital Hall and the Wharf Theatre. The National Institute of Dramatic Art, NIDA, is situated at Kensington and some famous ex students include Mel Gibson and Baz Luhrmann.

 

Opening in 1998 on the site of the old Agricultural Society Showgrounds is Fox Studios. Many scenes from major films such as Mission Impossible ll, Star Wars ll and lll,Superman Returns, The Matrix and Moulin Rouge have been shot here and around the city. Sydney hosts many festivals with some of the more well known ones being The Sydney Film Festival, The Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, The Big Day Out and The Sydney Festival. Sydney’s Museums include The Australian Museum, the Powerhouse, the Art Gallery of NSW, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Australian National Maritime Museum. Dotted around the city are beautiful gardens and parks. There is the Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney’s Hyde Park and the Chinese Garden of Friendship.

 

There is plenty to keep you entertained in Sydney with many pubs, clubs and bars offering live entertainment whilst you partake in some cold refreshments! You can always find some music to your taste whether that be rock, country, jazz, heavy metal or hip hop. It is sure to be found. Many restaurants and bars also have live entertainment with a few still offering the old piano bar. Live shows and comedy acts are found at a number of venues and live theatre is alive and well in Sydney. Finding a cinema to catch the latest block buster is no harder than a walk to the bigger shopping centres or a quick scan through the daily newspapers for times and locations.

 

Shopping 

The Central Business District of Sydney offers everything the shopper could want –supermarkets, chain stores, boutique stores, sporting goods and some great markets and stalls. There are also major shopping centres dotted strategically around the suburbs which means no one is far from one stop shopping. Larger supermarkets are open 24 hours on most days but close earlier on Sundays. Local grocery stores generally operated 7 days a week and often have the same hours as retails stores There are many local shopping centres as well where consumers can buy their basic essential items daily.

 

After all the excitement, sightseeing and shopping it is time to find a great restaurant where you can enjoy a meal and Sydney has them all. Be it in the city itself, in the suburbs or by the ocean the choices of food are limitless – Asian, Greek, Indian, Italian, Mexican, you can find old fashioned home cooked meals, seafood, steakhouses, etc. There are formal restaurants, family restaurants, cafe style, take away, home delivery and of course the big multinationals.

 

What’s Outside 

The Illawarra region stats at the Royal National Park and stretches down the coast to just north of the Shoalhaven River and takes in the City of Wollongong. Wollongong is a large city and known for industry. There are some beautiful beaches right along the coast near towns where you can get everything you need. Lake Illawarra is a favourite holiday destination for tourist and locals alike. From the high cliffs at Stanwell Park there are breathtaking views and the area is well known for Hang Gliding. This area is serviced by train from Sydney and the Journey takes about an hour. A little further south is the Jervis Bay, a protected area of extreme beauty and environmental importance. The townships of this area swell to capacity size during tourist seasons and school holidays with pristine beaches and bays, wonderful accommodation by way of caravan parks, camp sites, and guest houses and low rise motels. North from Sydney the central coast is an aquatic playground within easy reach of the city by car, train or bus. The main centre here is Gosford which offers all the amenities of a larger city and there are numerous smaller towns dotted around the area offering safe bays and beaches for swimming, holiday accommodation of your choice and the peaceful tranquillity of the hinterland beyond.

 

Heading due west from Sydney is the beautiful Blue Mountains Katoomba is home to the Three Sisters, a formation of three rocks silhouetted against a backdrop of wooded mountain and the sky. The three Sisters are best viewed from Echo Point Lookout. Take a ride on the famous Katoomba Scenic Railway. There are some great old world places to stay and get a feel of the grandeur of yesteryear.

 

Travelling further afieldthe Lithgow/Oberon area is home the World heritage Listed Jenolan Caves. Guided tours of the limestone cave take about two hours. At the Abercrombie River National Park you can fish for trout or canoe the lakes and waterways. Dubbo is home to The Western Plains Zoo which is home to over a thousand animals from all over the world. You can drive through this park in your car, but don’t get out or even roll down you windows – you may end up as lunch! The regional areas around Sydney are dotted with many fascinating things to see and do including the bush walking, visiting wineries, old gold mining towns, and Observatories to name a few.