Sydney Travel Guide

Sydney Australia

The first European settlement in Australia was Sydney and today it is the largest metropolitan area with about four million residents. Sydney has a dynamic cultural center with a diverse economy that focuses on the service industries, tourism, manufacturing and international commerce. The port at Sydney is one of the leading ports for intercontinental trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sydney is located along the southeastern coast of Australia in a large, sheltered, deep-water inlet off the Tasman Sea. It enjoys a temperate, oceanic climate which means warm summers and cool winters. Rainfall occurs throughout the year. The weather is kept moderate because of the cities proximity to the ocean. The most extreme temperatures are recorded towards the inland western suburbs. The warmest month is January with an average temperature of 65 to 78 degrees. Winters are mildly cool with temperatures rarely going below 41 degrees.

The Sights of Sydney

Sydney Opera House

The locals who live in Sydney rely on outdoor activities and the city is perfect for this. When you travel to Sydney you will quickly notice that the city gives off an energy, vitality and physical beauty. The many harbors and ocean beaches this city offers are perfect for yachting, sailing, surfing, swimming and scuba diving. Two popular recreation areas are Bondi Beach to the east and Manly Beach to the north of Port Jackson. When it comes to ocean surfing the best beaches are Maroubra and Narrabeen. Surfing has long been a way of life for those in Sydney.

Sydney also has a ring of national parks that give you excellent settings for outdoor activities on land such as bushwalking or hiking. To the north you can find the Ku-ring-gar Chase National Park which has ancient Aboriginal sandstone engravings that you can observe. To the south there is the Royal National Park which is close to forty thousand acres of Sydney Basic sandstone country and also features a long stretch of coastline. Then there is the Blue Mountains National Park to the west which is a sanctuary for koala bears and other wildlife native to Australia. The area around Blue Mountains was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in November 2000.

Areas of original bush land have also been preserved throughout the metropolitan area in the Lane Cove and Garigal National Parks. There are also a number of smaller reserves. The Sydney Harbor National Park takes in most of the harbor islands and several headlands including the North Head. Then there is the Taronga Park Zoological Gardens which as outdoor habitat exhibits of endangered species animals and a number of Australian wildlife, all on a large site right by the Sydney Harbor shore. Lastly there is the Royal Botanic Gardens and Centennial Park which has more formal parklands. Most of these areas can be used for picnics and barbecues as well as other active outdoor pursuits.

Points of Interest in Sydney

A popular attraction is the Sydney Opera House. This architect of this building, Jorn Utzon, left Australia in April of 1966 and never returned. His architectural vision was only half completed, but due to the spiraling costs of the project the state government brought in other architects to complete the project. They worked to complete the interior complex that consists of the auditorium, theatres, restaurants and bars. Despite the problems the building quickly became a world icon once it opened in 1973. While Utzon never seen the completed results he did recently collaborate on a seventy million dollar interior refurbishment project that will be completed in 2009. This will help bring the building closer to its original vision include a 46 foot tapestry that was installed in September of 2004. The four main auditoriums include the Concert Hall, the Playhouse, the Opera Theatre and the Drama Theatre. Together these auditoriums host a total of three thousand performances per year.

Harbour Bridge

Another popular attraction with tourists traveling to Sydney is the Sydney Harbor Bridge. This has been known as the Coathanger by locals for some time. The bridge itself is a feat of modern engineering. Nearly 1400 workers to eight years to complete the bridge at a cost of twenty million and sixteen lives before it was completed in 1932. Climbing the bridge is the best way to experience it and the Bridge Climb also provides adventure seekers with a change to get to the top of the fifty story bridge while cars and trains roll across the deck below and then climb down the other side. The Discovery Climb is a second climb that recently opened which allows visitors to get a glimpse of the inner workings of the bridge by offering a tour through the heart of this huge steel structure.

Then there is The Rocks which is located at the foot of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The Rocks is the historical birthplace of Sydney. Today it is filled by a neighborhood with winding streets, sandstone cottages and some of the oldest pubs in the city. This was the original site of the first landing from Plymouth, England in 1788. Today it is a busy tourist spot filled with cafes, restaurants, galleries, museums and many souvenir shops. Some historic buildings in this neighborhood include the Hero of Waterloo Inn which was built over a tunnel originally used for smuggling. Then there is the Sydney Observatory which was built on the site of the colonies first windmill. Cadman's Cottage is the oldest building in Sydney, built in 1816. And then there is Susannah Place which is a museum dedicated to the working class life. Two excellent museums are the Museum of Contemporary Art and The Rocks Toy Museum.

One of the most famous beaches in the world is Bondi Beach. This a kilometer long crescent of sand located between two rocky headlands just fifteen minutes from downtown Sydney. In the summer months the beach fills with so many families, tourists, local and out-of-towners that it can be difficult to find space to lay down your towel. Nearby the Campbell Parade offers a mixture of bars, seaside cafes and the Sunday market. Topless sunbathing is allow and swimmers are encouraged to stay within the patrolled area marked by red and yellow flags. You can also take a coastal walk that starts at Bondi's southern end and goes along the coast to Coogee. This walk should be completed by everyone traveling to Sydney.

Lastly there is the Royal Botanic Gardens which is just a short walk from the famous Opera House. The Gardens sits on a slop that overlooks the harbor and cover 74 acres in the heart of Sydney. In 1816 the Gardens was established and today is the oldest scientific institution in Australia. It is home to nearly one million specimens. This area include the Sydney Tropical Centre and the Rose Garden. There is a trackless train that goes around the whole park to help you get around the area.

There are plenty of other historic sites and activities to take advantage of when you travel to Sydney. However, these are just a few of the most popular destinations for travelers to Sydney. Consider other out of the way places and activities that you might enjoy, especially if you want to get away from the crowds that always gather around the popular spots.

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