Enjoying Sydney

Sydney is a vast, sprawling multi-cultural city of over four million people. It is Australia’s oldest and largest city, covering a huge land area and stretching over 50km to the foot of the Blue Mountains Range. The Harbour is one of the best and most attractive in the world, and defines Sydney. The CBD is relatively small and bordered by the Rocks and Circular Quay on the harbour to the north, Central Railway station in the south, the Botanic Gardens and Hyde Park to the east and Darling Harbour to the West.

April in Sydney is early autumn. Weather is usually still quite warm and comfortable, with sunny days, a little cooler at night. Water temperatures still warm. Usually very pleasant to eat outdoors, a favourite Sydney occupation.

Sydney has a rail system, buses and harbour ferries.

Sydney Visitors Centre is located at 106 George Street, The Rocks (phone 1800 067 676, 9255 1788) Open 9am - 6pm daily. There is a second Visitors Centre at Darling Harbour next to the Imax Theatre (9286 0111)

The emergency number for Police, Ambulance or Fire is 000

Sydney Opera House - our most famous landmark. You can wander all around the outside and foyer freely, or take a one hour guided tour (9250 7250) between 8.30am and 5pm. At night, its worth a stroll around the harbour front area to see the lights on the harbour - truly beautiful.

Behind and next to the Opera House are the Royal Botanic Gardens. Enter the gardens from opposite the State Library in Macquarie Street, or from directly behind the Opera House. If you have time, you can follow the waterfront around Farm Cove to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair - for great views back to the Opera House and Bridge.

Sydney Harbour Bridge - you can admire the vista from Circular Quay/Opera House walk, walk across the bridge (enter pedestrian walkway from Cumberland St in the Rocks) and perhaps catch a ferry back, or for the more adventurous not deterred by heights, you can book in for Bridge Climb (8274 7777) a group guided walk up steps 1500m the top of the arch - breathtaking views!) Cost for Bridge climb is around $125 midweek, more expensive weekends or at night.

Art Gallery of NSW - located in the Domain, east of Macquarie Street. Ten minute walk from Hyde Park around St Mary’s Cathedral. Free admission -10am -5pm daily. Excellent displays of Aboriginal, Australian, European and Asian Art.

Museum of Contemporary Art - located on west side of Circular Quay -140 George St, The Rocks.

Australian Museum - 6 College Street, on eastern side of Hyde Park. Australian wildlife collection and gallery tracing Aboriginal history and dreamtime.

Museum of Sydney - 37 Phillip Street. Open 9.30 - 5pm daily. Brings Sydney’s early history to life.

The Rocks - one of the oldest areas in Sydney - lots of pubs and restaurants - at weekends there are arts and craft markets in George Street.

Darling Harbour
Covering a large area, this purpose built leisure park is linked to the city by footbridges from Market and Liverpool Streets, ferry (No 5 from circular Quay), monorail, and light rail to Central Station. Among its attractions are:

• Sydney Aquarium - a world class aquarium, near the eastern end of Pyrmont Bridge.
• Powerhouse Museum. Located behind the Sydney Exhibition Centre, this excellent museum covers decorative arts, social history, science and technology.
• Chinese Gardens - formal tranquillity.
• National Maritime Museum.
• Imax Theatre.

Views over Sydney - AMP Tower - enter from Centrepoint, Market Street. Take lift to podium level to buy ticket. Offers spectacular 360 degree panoramic views of the city from atop the 305 metre high tower.

Beaches - Sydney is blessed with a string of great beaches north and south of the city all along the coast. Two are especially famous.

• Manly Beach -Take a ferry to Many from Circular Quay. Trip itself takes 35mins across the harbour. You’ll pass by the Heads, towering cliffs which are the entrance to this great harbour. When you disembark at Manly, there are small harbourside beaches each side of the wharf. To get to the main surf beach cross the street out front of the Wharf and stroll through the Corso, a pedestrian mall leading to one of Sydney’s best and prettiest surf beaches. Swim, paddle, enjoy fish and chips under the pines, grab a coffee at one of the many cafes/coffee shops. You could then turn right, walk past Manly Surf club and follow the footpath round the water’s edge to picturesque Shelley Beach. (15mins) Great views up the coast. As you are returning to the city, the views as the ferry rounds the Opera House and comes into the Quay are stunning
• Sydney’s other famous beach is Bondi. You can catch a bus from the city (380, 382 bus leaves outside Circular Quay, or you could catch it near Hyde Park, just along form the entrance to St James Station). Lots of cafes, restaurants along the beachfront. On Sundays there are markets at one end of the beachfront.

Taronga Zoo
Ferries to the zoo depart from Circular Quay half hourly. As the zoo is situated on a steep hillside, take the bus from the wharf to the entrance or take the Aerial Safari cable car to the top and then wend your way through the exhibits back down the hill to the ferry. A ZooPass available from Circular Quay wharf includes ferry trip, bus to entrance and admission price.

Shopping in the CBD - In the city centre you’ll find the grand old department store, David Jones, and also Myer department store. An under ground mall leads to The Queen Victoria Building, a grand restored Victorian building housing many specialty stores (next to Town Hall) There are numerous shopping areas such as the Pitt Street Mall, Strand Arcade, Skygardens. Shops are generally open seven days a week, from 9am to 6pm Mon - Fri, and 9am to 5pm Sat and Sun. Late night shopping is Thursday night - shops open till 9pm.

Food. Sydney is famed for the variety of its food and its quality. You will find almost every cuisine in Sydney, a reflection of our multi-cultural heritage. Seafood is plentiful. A cooked breakfast in a café should cost around $10-$15. Coffee around $3.50