Sightseeing in Sydney

Overview

Who can argue with the claim that Sydney has the most magnificent harbor in the world? Its intricate coastal geography of headlands and secluded bays is the stunning setting for two of the modern world’s most ambitious architectural achievements – the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is therefore hardly surprising that much tourist attention is focused on the harbor, with the revived cobbled charm of The Rocks, the perpetual motion of people arriving and departing Circular Quay and the enduring awe that visitors experience at the steps of the Opera House.

But behind these modern monoliths, there is a wealth of history, culture and tradition. In inner-city Sydney, Macquarie Place and Macquarie Street are characterized by their imposing Victorian banking chambers and municipal buildings, while further afield, the areas of Kings Cross, Darlinghurst and Paddington are thriving cosmopolitan communities, each with their own distinct character. Kings Cross, renowned more for its red light district, has a bustling café society, while Darlinghurst comes alive every March for the world-famous Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. Paddington has a more genteel feel, with its fashionable restaurants, galleries, antique shops and restored Victorian terraces complete with wrought-iron lace verandahs.

Passes

The All Day Pass & Tower & Aquarium package from Captain Cook Cruises incorporates entry to Sydney Aquarium, Sydney Tower and a hop-on, hop-off harbor cruise departing from Circular Quay. Tickets are available from any of these attractions and cost A$59.

The Darling Harbour Super Ticket, costing A$62 and available at the Sydney Aquarium, includes entry to the Sydney Aquarium and the Chinese Garden, Matilda Rocket Harbour cruise, a monorail ride, a meal at the Aqua Bar and Grill, discount entry to the Powerhouse Museum and IMAX Theater and discount travel on the People Mover train.

Combined ferry and attraction admission passes are available from the Sydney Ferries ticket office at Circular Quay. For example, the A$33.50 Zoo Pass includes return ferry and bus transport to Taronga Zoo, entry to the zoo and an aerial cable ride.

Key Attractions:

Sydney Opera House

In April of 1966, the architect of the Sydney Opera House, Jørn Utzon, left Australia, never to return. His grand architectural vision was only half completed, but arguments with the State government over the spiralling cost of the project meant that the interior complex of auditoria, theaters, restaurants and bars was completed by other architects. In spite of its compromised genesis, the building instantly became a world icon on opening in 1973. Utzon has never seen the completed building but in recent years has collaborated on a A$70 million interior refurbishment that will bring the building closer to his original vision – including a 14-meter long tapestry that was installed in September 2004. The four main auditoria (the Concert Hall, the Playhouse, the Opera Theater and the Drama Theater) stage a total of 3,000 performances per year.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Not to be outdone by the imposing grandeur of the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is, in its own right, a feat of engineering genius. Affectionately known as ‘the Coathanger’, it took 1,400 workers (16 of whom perished in the process) eight years to complete the bridge, which opened in 1932. If the views from the Pylon Lookout across Sydney Harbour and over the Opera House are not spectacular enough, the Bridge Climb gives thrill-seekers the chance to walk to the top of the 50-story-high bridge (over the cars and trains rumbling across the deck below) and down the other side. Paul ‘Crocodile Dundee’ Hogan, a bridge-painter in a former lifetime, was one of the first to climb the bridge.

The Rocks

Nestled at the foot of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks (Sydney’s historical birthplace) is a neighborhood of winding streets, sandstone cottages and some of Sydney’s oldest pubs. The site of the first landing from Plymouth in England, in 1788, the area is now a busy tourist enclave, with cafés, restaurants, galleries, museums and countless souvenir shops.

Among the district’s historic buildings are the Hero of Waterloo inn (built over a tunnel that was originally used for smuggling), the Sydney Observatory (on the site of the colony’s first windmill), Cadman’s Cottage (Sydney’s oldest building, built in 1816) and Susannah Place (a museum of working-class life). Other attractions include the Museum of Contemporary Art and The Rocks Toy Museum.

The Rocks, Sydney Harbour
Transport: CityRail or ferry Circular Quay.

Darling Harbour

A former dockside area, this small harbor has been transformed into a major tourist site. The vast, paved and landscaped recreation ground is packed with restaurants and shops, as well as a number of tourist attractions. These include the Powerhouse Museum, Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, IMAX Theater and the Chinese Garden of Friendship, a gift to Sydney from its sister city of Guangdong in China.

Bondi Beach

Bondi is one of the world’s most perfect beaches, a white crescent of sand strung between two rocky headlands, situated just 15 minutes from the city center. The waterfront scene, with its street musicians, surf shops and bars is ideal for a summer evening’s prowl or a lazy saunter past Campbell Parade’s restaurants, cafés and Sunday markets. Topless sunbathing is tolerated and swimmers should stick to the patrolled areas of North Bondi or Bondi Baths, on the southern rocks. The coastal walk takes in the whole gamut of beach cultures, from the wild surf and gleaming bodies at Tamarama to the palm-fringed views of Bronte and the soothing sea pools at Coogee.

Art Gallery of New South Wales

Featuring the Yiribana Gallery, the world’s largest permanent exhibition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of Australia’s foremost art museums. Among its most impressive exhibitions is its Australian art collection, extending from the early colonial period to the mid-20th century. The recently completed Asian Galleries showcase the gallery’s significant Asian collection and touring exhibitions. Shortlisted portraits in the Archibald Prize (Australia’s most prestigious art award) are exhibited here annually.

Sydney Tower

Standing 250m (820ft) above Market Street, Sydney Tower is the city’s tallest building, with views over the city, the Harbour, the Olympic Park and as far as Terrigal Beach, 100km (62 miles) to the north. Entry to the observation deck includes the Skytour – a 35-minute virtual tour/ride on the podium level.

Royal Botanic Gardens

A short walk from the Opera House, the Royal Botanic Gardens sits on a slope overlooking the harbor and covers 30 hectares (74 acres) in the heart of the city. Established in 1816, it is Australia’s oldest scientific institution and home to over one million specimens. Highlights include the Sydney Tropical Center and the Rose Garden; there is a hop-on hop-off trackless train to get around them all.

Sydney Olympic Park

Built on the site of an old rubbish tip, the focal point of the ‘best ever Olympics’ in 2000 is now an attraction in its own right, comprising 15 architecturally magnificent venues as well as extensive parks and wetlands. Separate guided tours of the venues are given and a self-guided tour brochure is available from the Visitor Gateway or from the website.

Taronga Zoo

The most desirable residence in Sydney is inhabited not by the upper echelons of society but by a collection of seals, snow leopards, koalas, kangaroos and wallabies. Taronga Zoo’s location, on Bradley’s Head, at Mosman, is one of the most beautiful vantage points on Sydney Harbour, situated on elevated land along the waterfront.

The zoo is home to over 350 different species of animals, ranging from old time favorites such as elephants, gorillas, giraffes, orangutans and so on, to more bizarre representatives of the animal kingdom such as the platypus (an animal so odd-looking that when settlers first came across it, they thought it was a hoax) and the echidna. There are keepers’ talks and shows throughout the day, and the sky safari (little cable cars going over the zoo to give a bird’s eye perspective) is extremely popular.

Fox Studios Australia

Fox Studios generated the principal photography of The Matrix Trilogy (1999/2003), Moulin Rouge (2001), Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005). The adjoining entertainment precinct includes shops, markets, cinemas, restaurants, mini golf, bungy trampoline and an indoor children’s playground.

Further Distractions:

Rose Seidler House

The designs for Australia’s first modernist home, Rose Seidler House, so appalled local residents they almost succeeded in preventing the building’s construction. Created by the great Canadian/Australian architect Harry Seidler for his parents, the concrete house has glass walls, a sun-filled deck and panoramic views of Ku-ring-gai National Park. The house has been restored to its original scheme, with 1950s furnishings and objects.

Centennial Parklands

A grand park in the European tradition, the Centennial Parklands features landscaped gardens, statues, historic monuments and houses, ponds, formal gardens, wildlife habitat areas and grand avenues. There is a restaurant, café and facilities for every active pursuit under the sun.