Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is located at 33°51′25?S, 151°12′55?E in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the most distinctive and famous 20th century buildings, and one of the most famous performing arts venues in the world. Situated on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, with parkland to its south and close to the enormous Sydney Harbour Bridge, the building and its surroundings form an iconic Australian image. To some the spherical-sectioned shells are reminiscent of the flotilla of sailboats commonly cruising there. Tourists - mostly with little or no interest in opera - throng to the building in the thousands every week purely to see it.

As well as many touring theatre, ballet, and musical productions the Opera House is the home of Opera Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. It is administered by the Opera House Trust, under the New South Wales (NSW) Ministry of the Arts.

The roofs of the House are constructed of 1,056,000 glazed white granite tiles, imported from Sweden. Despite their self-cleaning nature, they are still subject to periodic maintenance and replacement.

Performance venues and facilities

The Sydney Opera House has about 1000 rooms, including five theatres, five rehearsal studios, two main halls, four restaurants, six bars and numerous souvenir shops.

The House interior is composed of pink granite mined from Tarana, NSW and wood and brush box plywood supplied from northern NSW.

The theatres are housed in a series of large shells, conceived by dissecting a hemisphere. The Concert Hall and Opera Theatre are contained in the largest shells, and the other theatres are located on the sides of the shells. The smallest building is home to the Bennelong Restaurant.

A much smaller set of shells set to one side of the Monumental steps houses one of the restaurants.

There are five theatres which make up the performance facilities of the Opera House:
The Concert Hall, with 2,679 seats, contains the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ, the largest mechanical tracker action organ in the world with over 10,000 pipes.
The Opera Theatre, with 1,547 seats, is the main performance space for Opera Australia.
The Drama Theatre, with 544 seats.
The Playhouse, with 398 seats.
The Studio Theatre, with 364 seats.

History

Origins

The Sydney Opera House can be said to have had its beginning during the late 1940s in the endeavours of Eugene Goossens, the Director of the NSW State Conservatorium of Music at the time, who lobbied to have a suitable venue for large theatrical productions built. At the time, the normal venue for such productions was the Sydney Town Hall, but this venue was simply not large enough. By 1954, Goossens succeeded in gaining the support of NSW Premier Joseph Cahill, who called for designs for a dedicated opera house.

It was also Goossens who insisted that Bennelong Point be the site for the Opera House. Cahill had wanted it to be on or near the Wynyard Railway Station, located in the north-western Sydney CBD.

The competition that Cahill organised received 233 entries. The basic design that was finally accepted in 1955 was submitted by Jørn Utzon, a Danish architect. Utzon arrived in Sydney in 1957 to help supervise the project.

Utzon and construction of the Opera House

The Fort Macquarie Tram Depot, occupying the site at the time of these plans, was demolished in 1958, and formal construction of the Opera House began in March, 1959. The project was built in three stages. Stage I (1959-1963) consisted of building the upper podium. Stage II (1963-1967) saw the construction of the outer shells. Stage III consisted of the interior design and construction (1967-73).

Stage I was started on December 5, 1958, and work commenced on the podium on May 5, 1959 by the firm of Civil and Civic. The government had pushed for work to begin so early because they were afraid funding, or public opinion, might turn against them. However major structural issues still plagued the design (most notably the sails, which were still parabolic at the time).

By January 23, 1961, work was running 47 weeks behind, mainly due to unexpected difficulties (wet weather, unexpected difficulty diverting stormwater, construction beginning before proper engineering drawings had been prepared, changes of original contract documents). Work on the podium was finally completed on August 31, 1962.

Stage II, the shells were originally designed as a series of parabolas, however engineers Ove Arup and partners had not been able to find an acceptable solution to constructing them. In mid 1961 Utzon handed the engineers his solution to the problem, the shells all being created as ribs from a sphere of the same radius. This not only satisfied the engineers, and cut down the project time drastically from what it could have been (it also allowed the roof tiles to be prefabricated in sheets on the ground, instead of being stuck on individually in mid-air), but also created the wonderful shapes so instantly recognisable today. Ove Arup and partners supervised the construction of the shells, estimating on April 6, 1962 that it would be completed between August 1964 and March 1965. By the end of 1965, the estimated finish for stage II was July 1967.

Stage III, the interiors, started with Utzon moving his entire office to Sydney in February 1963. However, there was a change of government in 1965, and the new Askin government declared that the project was now under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Works. In October 1965, Utzon gave the Minister for Public Works, Davis Hughes, a schedule setting out the completion dates of parts of his work for stage III. Significantly, Hughes withheld permission for the construction of plywood prototypes for the interiors (Utzon was at this time working closely with Ralph Symonds, an inventive and progressive manufacturer of plywood, based in Sydney). This eventually forced Utzon to leave the project on February 28, 1966. He said that Hughes’ refusal to pay Utzon any fees and the lack of collaboration caused his resignation, and later famously described the situation as “Malice in Blunderland”. In March 1966, Hughes offered him a reduced role as ‘design architect’, under a panel of executive architects, without any supervisory powers over the House’s construction but Utzon rejected this.

The cost of the project, even in October of that year, was still only $22.9 million, less than a quarter of the final cost.

Construction after Utzon

The second stage of construction was still in process when Utzon was forced to resign. His position was principally taken over by Peter Hall, who became largely responsible for the interior design. Other persons appointed that same year to replace Utzon were E.H. Farmer as government architect, D.S. Littlemore and Lionel Todd.

The four significant changes to the design after Utzon left were:
The cladding to the podium and the paving (the podium was originally not to be clad down to the water, but left open. Also the paving chosen was different from what Utzon would have chosen)
The construction of the glass walls (Utzon was planning to use a system of prefabricated plywood mullions, and although eventually a quite inventive system was created to deal with the glass, it is different from Utzon’s design) (more…)

Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the major landmarks of Sydney, Australia, connecting the Sydney central business district (CBD) with the North Shore commercial and residential areas, both of which are located on Sydney Harbour. The dramatic water vista of the bridge together with the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of both Sydney and Australia. The bridge is also known as “the Coathanger” on account of its arch-based design, although that name is hardly referred to by locals.

The bridge was the city’s tallest structure until 1967. According to Guinness World Records, it is the widest long-span bridge in the world. It is the world’s largest single-arch bridge, but not the longest (as millions of Australian school children were erroneously taught). The Bayonne Bridge in the United States, opened four months earlier on 15 November 1931, is 2.3 feet (70 cm) longer.

The design bears a marked resemblance to that of the New York Hell Gate Bridge. Its design was later used as a basis for the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Description

The bridge’s two ends are located in at Dawes Point (in Sydney’s Rocks area) and Milsons Point (in Sydney’s lower North Shore area). It carries six lanes of road traffic on its main roadway, two lanes of road traffic (formerly two tram tracks) and a footpath on its eastern side, and two railway tracks and a bicycle path along its western side.

The road across the bridge is known as the Bradfield Highway and is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, making it one of the shortest highways in Australia. (The shortest, also called the Bradfield Highway, is found on the Story Bridge in Brisbane). At 151.3 feet (48.8 m) wide, it is the widest bridge in the world (Guinness World Records, 2004).

The bridge deck portion of the highway is 0.71 miles (1.1497 km) long. It is concrete and lies on trimmers (beams that run along the length of the bridge). The trimmers themselves rest on steel beams that run along the width of the bridge. The trimmers and beams are visible to boats that pass underneath the bridge.

The arch is composed of two 28-panel arch trusses. Their heights vary from 55.8 feet (18 m) at the center of the arch to 176.7 feet (57 m) (beside the pylons).

The arch span is 1,559 feet (503 m) and the weight of the steel arch is 39,000 tons. The arch’s summit is 415.4 feet (134 m) above mean sea level, though it can increase by as much as seven inches (180 mm) on hot days as the result of steel expanding in heat. Two large metal hinges at the base of the bridge accommodate these expansions and contractions and thereby prevent the arch from being damaged.

The two pairs of pylons at each end are about 276 feet (89 m) high and are made of concrete and granite. Abutments, which support the ends of the bridge, are contained at the base of the pylons. They prevent the bridge from stretching or compressing due to temperature variations. Otherwise, the pylons serve no structural purpose and are primarily to visually balance the bridge itself. They were originally not part of the design but were added later to allay concerns about structural integrity - ironically, as the pylons do not actually touch the bridge (except at road level). Although inserted into the designs for their aesthetic value all four pylons have now been put to use, a museum and tourist centre with a lookout of the harbour is contained in the south eastern pylon. The south western pylon is used by the New South Wales traffic authority as a base for their cctv cameras overlooking the bridge and the roads around that area. The two pylons on the north shore are now venting chimneys for fumes from the tunnel under the harbour.

The steel used for the bridge was largely imported. About 79% came from Redcar in the North East of Britain, the rest was Australian-made. The granite used was quarried in Moruya, New South Wales, and the concrete used was also Australian made.

The total weight of the bridge is 52,800 tonnes, and six million hand-driven rivets hold the bridge together.

Access

From the Sydney CBD side, motor vehicle access to the bridge is normally via Grosvenor Street, Clarence Street, Kent Street, the Cahill Expressway, or the Western Distributor. Drivers on the northern side will find themselves on the Warringah Freeway, though it is easy to turn off the freeway to drive westwards into North Sydney or eastwards to Neutral Bay and beyond upon arrival on the northern side.

Pedestrian access from the northern side involves climbing an easily-spotted flight of stairs at Milsons Point. Pedestrian access on the southern side is more complicated, but signposts in the Rocks area now direct pedestrians to the long and sheltered flight of stairs that leads to the bridge’s southern end. These stairs are located near Gloucester Street and Cumberland Street in the Sydney Rocks area.

The bridge can also be accessed from the south by getting on Cahill Walk, which runs along the Cahill Expressway. Pedestrians can access this walkway from Circular Quay by a flight of stairs, or a lift, alternately it can be accessed from The Botanical Gardens.

Since 1998, BridgeClimb has made it possible for tourists to climb the southern half of the bridge. Tours run at dawn, throughout the day, and at twilight.

The bridge lies between Milsons Point and Wynyard railway stations, located on the north and south shores respectively, with two train lines running along the western side of the bridge. Both stations are part of the North Shore line.

Tolls

To travel across the bridge there is a toll for vehicles of AUD$3.00. This toll is only charged for traffic headed into the CBD (southbound). No toll is charged for any other northbound traffic.

There are toll plazas at the northern and southern ends. The eastern-most southbound lanes (which continue over the Cahill Expressway after leaving the bridge) have their tollbooths at the northern end of the bridge, with the remainder being at the southern end of the bridge.

The toll was originally placed on bridge travel, in both direction, to recoup the cost of its construction. This cost was recovered in the 1980’s but the toll has been kept (indeed increased) as the State Government’s main roads infrastructure department (the RTA) does not want to lose the significant amounts of revenue the bridge brings in.

When the decision to build the Sydney Harbour Tunnel was made in the early 80’s, the toll was increased from 20 cents to $1, $1.50 then $2 by the time the Tunnel opened, to pay for its construction. The Tunnel also had an initial toll of $2 southbound. After the increase to $1, the concrete barrier on the Bridge separating the Bradfield Highway from the Cahill Expressway was increased in height, due to the large numbers of drivers crossing it illegally from lane 7 to 6, so they could avoid the toll. The Toll was increased to $3 around 2004 to penalize drivers of SUVs (who mostly live north of the city) for the extra damage they inflict on Sydney’s roads. This was met with similar protests from communities north of the city as were earlier increases.

Use of the bridge by bicycle riders (provided that they use the cycleway) and pedestrians is free.

History

Planning

The building of the current bridge can be said to have started in 1890, when a royal commission determined that there was a heavy level of ferry traffic in the Sydney Harbour area, best relieved with the construction of a bridge. Vehicular access to the north shore was undertaken with a series of smaller bridges located further westwards in the harbour, but this was insufficient for the traffic in the Sydney/North Sydney area.

Designs and proposals were requested in 1900, but a formal proposal was not accepted until 1911. In 1912, John Bradfield was appointed chief engineer of the bridge project, which also had to include a railway. He completed a formal design - the now familiar single arch shape - in 1916, but plans to implement the design were postponed until 1922, primarily because of World War I.

In November 1922 the NSW parliament passed laws that allowed the bridge’s construction. Construction tenders for the bridge were requested the same year, and the British firm Dorman Long and Co Ltd, Middlesbrough won. To offset concerns about a foreign firm participating in the project, assurances were given by Bradfield that the workforce building the bridge would all be Australians.

The building of the bridge coincided with the construction of a system of underground railways in Sydney’s CBD, known today as the City Circle, and the bridge was designed with this in mind. The bridge was designed to carry six lanes of road traffic, flanked by two railway tracks and a footpath on each side. Both sets of rail tracks were linked into the underground Wynyard railway station, on the south side of the bridge, by symmetrical ramps and tunnels. The eastern-side railway tracks were intended for use by a planned rail link to the Northern Beaches; in the interim they were to be used to carry trams from the North Shore into a terminal within Wynyard station.

Construction

The building of the bridge was under the management of Bradfield. Three other persons were involved in the bridge’s design and construction: Laurence Ennis, the engineer-in-charge at Dorman Long and Co was the main supervisor (Bradfield visited occasionally throughout the project, and in particular at the many key stages of the project, to inspect progress and make managerial decisions); Edward Judge was Chief Technical Engineer of Dorman Long and later became President of the British Iron and Steel Federation; Sir Ralph Freeman was hired by the company to design the accepted model in further detail. Later a bitter disagreement broke out between Bradfield and Freeman as to who actually designed the bridge. Another name connected with the bridge’s design is that of Arthur Plunkett.

The construction project itself began in 1923, with the demolition of 800 homes. The owners of these homes received compensation, but their occupants did not.

The first stage of the bridge project was the building of two worksheds at Milson’s Point to assist in building the bridge - the light and heavy workshops. Their purpose was to build the bridge’s many parts.

The first sod for the bridge was turned that same year. In January 1925, the excavations to build the abutments and approach spans began. In October 1925, the building of the abutments and approach spans themselves began, and these were completed in September 1928. Construction of the bridge itself began in December 1928, with the construction of the bridge parts in the workshops.

Construction of the arch of the bridge began in 1929, with two separate teams building the arch on each side using creeper cranes. The first panel was erected on the southern side in March 1929. The southern end of the bridge was worked on a month ahead of the northern end, in order to detect any errors and to ensure that they did not happen on the northern side.

During construction the two halves of the arch were held up by numerous support cables. Once the arch halves were completed the cables were slowly released to bring the two halves of the arch together. This was finalised on the afternoon of 19 August 1930. Ennis and four associates personally witnessed this whilst standing on top of the bridge. Following a parting that occurred due to the contracting of metal in the evening, the ends were rejoined at 10 pm, and have remained joined since then. The support cables were then surplus to the design and removed. They were subsequently used to provide the support cables for the Walter Taylor Bridge, over the Brisbane River in the western suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland.

The road and the two sets of tram and railway tracks were completed in 1931. Power and telephone lines, and water, gas and drainage pipes were also all added to the bridge in that year. On 19 January 1932, the first test train, a steam locomotive, safely crossed the bridge. About 90 others also crossed the bridge in the months that followed as part of a series of tests to ensure the bridge’s safety.

The construction worksheds were demolished after the bridge was completed, and the land that they were on is now occupied by Luna Park and the North Sydney swimming pool.

The standards of industrial safety during construction were poor by today’s standards. Sixteen workers died during construction, mainly from falling off the bridge. Several more were injured from unsafe working practices undertaken whilst heating and constructing its rivets, and deafness experienced by many of the workers in later years was blamed on the project.

The total financial cost of the bridge was £10,057,170 7 shillings and 9 pence (double the original quote). This was not paid off in full until 1988.
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Visa for Sydney

General visa requirements

Anyone who is not an Australian citizen needs a valid visa to enter and spend time in Australia.

Before travelling to Australia
With the exception of New Zealand citizens travelling on New Zealand passports, all foreign nationals must obtain a visa before travelling to Australia. (New Zealand citizens are issued with a visa on arrival in Australia.)

Visas are available from Australian visa offices such as Australian Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates. They are also available from travel agents and airlines in certain countries.

Please note that: airlines may refuse to allow travellers without valid visas and passports to board their aircraft; it is recommended that intending visitors first obtain a visa before purchasing airline tickets, Olympic and Paralympic tickets, or entering into any other financial commitments dependent upon entry to Australia; visitors are subject to visa requirements while in Australia; and tourists are not allowed to work during their visit to Australia.

People who want to work need to apply to an Australian visa office for a temporary residence visa. Penalties apply for people who breach work conditions.

Types of visas
The type of visa you will need depends on how long you wish to stay in Australia and what you want to do during your stay.

For example, you may want to make a visit as a tourist, or business person, or you may want to live temporarily in Australia to play sport, train or work.

Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)
An ETA is an electronically stored authority to travel to Australia for a short stay.

ETAs are generally available to passport holders from 31 countries in Europe, Asia and North America, through participating airlines and travel agents. The Australian Government does not charge external service providers to offer this service to travellers.

ETAs are available for tourism and business purposes. Tourist ETAs are free of any Government charge, but credit card payments are required for long validity business entry ETAs.

Tourist visas

Normally valid for 12 months, during which time you may make as many visits as you like for up to 3 months stay at a time.

It is possible to obtain tourist visas which allow you to stay for more than 3 months at a time, or which are valid for travel longer than 12 months.

Note that a fee is charged for tourist visas.

Business visas

For people wishing to undertake business in Australia for short periods. The length of stay in Australia, number of journeys permitted and period of validity of the visa should be discussed with an Australian visa office.

In some circumstances, the visa can be valid for at least five years (or the life of the passport - whichever is the longer) and allow any number of business visits of up to 3 months each during the five years. There is a fee for all business visas.

Temporary residence visas

For those who intend to come to Australia temporarily to undertake specific activities. People involved in a range of activities such as employment, study, amateur and professional sporting, entertainment or cultural activities can use this type of visa.

Those seeking temporary residence may need to be sponsored by an Australian organisation or prospective employer in Australia.

If you are making a number of visits to Australia, apply for a long-term validity multiple entry visa.
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Beaches in Sydney

Sydney’s two types of beach (harbour and Ocean) are some of its greatest assets. They’re hugely popular on warm weekends but Sydneysiders also swim before or after (or instead of) going to work. The beaches are easily accessible and usually good, although some post warnings that swimming is inadvisable after heavy rains because of stormwater run-off.

Swimming is generally safe, but at the ocean beaches you’re only allowed to swim within the ‘flagged’ areas patrolled by the famed surf life-savers. Efforts are made to keep surfers separate from swimmers.

Shark patrols operate during the summer, and ocean beaches are generally netted. Many of Sydney’s beaches are ‘topless’, but check to see what the locals are doing first. There are also a couple of nude beaches.

Harbour Beaches - South

Lady Bay Beach There are great views of the harbour for the nudists who frequent this little beach.

Camp Cove Near Lady Bay, this is a quiet family-friendly beach.

Shark Beach Despite the name, this beach is perfectly safe, as it’s been netted. It’s popular for picnics and family groups.

Harbour Beaches - North

Manly Cove A good suburban beach, with netting.

Reef Beach On the Scenic Walkway, this beach is not nudist, despite what you may have heard.

Clontarf Another popular and pretty beach for families.

Chinaman’s Beach Gorgeous, peaceful and serene.

Balmoral Lovely, but the crowds can be a little too much.

Ocean Beaches - South

Bondi Beach Maybe not the biggest, nor the best, but there’s something about Bondi that keeps thousands flocking here on a hot day.

Tamarama Also known as ‘Glamarama’. Popular with models and the generically gorgeous. Watch out for the infamously strong rips here.

Bronte A fantastic beach, with lots of room for picnics and a good stretch of nearby cafes.

Clovelly Safe for swimming and a great spot for snorkelling.

Maroubra A large beach with good surf breaks, although the locals can be fierce about out-of towners dropping in on their waves.

Ocean Beaches - North

Freshwater This is a nice beach, not too rough, and popular with local teenagers.
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Getting in Sydney

Most visitors to Sydney arrive at Kingsford Smith airport. Airfares to Australia are expensive - it’s a long way from anywhere and flights are often heavily booked. On the upside, you can get to Australia from just about anywhere. Both of Australia’s domestic airlines offer discount flight passes which can be used once you’re in the country - if you’ve only got a short time here, it’s worth flying, because Australia’s a mighty big place.

All the major bus lines run services into and out of Sydney. Most lines offer discounts for students, and Greyhound has a good bus pass deal. There are also a number of specialised bus tours running out of Sydney. Interstate and regional trains run from Central Station, and will take you to all the other state capitals, as well as cities and towns throughout NSW. Major roads from Sydney go north to Newcastle, west to the Blue Mountains, south to Melbourne and Canberra and down the south coast to Wollongong.

Driving

Much work has been done to the Pacific Highway making for a more enjoyable drive from the north and the Hume Highway and the Federal Highway to the south are excellent roads. Driving from Canberra takes just over 3 hours and from Melbourne it takes just under 10 hours. Whenever driving long distances, driver fatigue should be avoided by sharing the driving and taking rest breaks every 2 hours.

Cars are available for rent throughout Sydney and the suburbs with a concentration of rental agencies along along William Street near Kings Cross.

Busses

Busses arrive in Sydney regularly at the Bus Depot located at Central Station and can offer a convenient, budget way of getting to Sydney from other centres within Australia. Most bus companies have ticketing offices located at the Bus Depot at Central Station.

Trains

interstate and intercity trains arrive regularly at Central Station. A note to international visitors, in Australia, for one reason or another, the train tracks in NSW are a different size to those in Queensland, as such there is no train service from Queensland (without changing to a bus as you approach the border).

Planes

Sydney’s main airport is located 15 minutes south of the CBD at Botany Bay. A secondary airport for light commercial and private use is located at Bankstown (40 mins from CBD).

Airport transfers are readily available from the airport and there is a regular train service straight to the city.

Festivals and Events in Sydney

January

Sydney Festival - Presents the very best international and national performing and visual arts. Performing in theatres, galleries and concert halls across Sydney.

Twilight at Taronga Series - Three months of regular twilight performance at the Taronga Zoo.

February

Chinese New Year Festival - A festival of variety and colour for the Chinese community.

Mardi Gras - A highlight of the Sydney festival scene.

Tamworth Country Music Festival - Australia’s premier country music festival

Twilight at Taronga Series

March

Greek Festival of Sydney - Join with the Greeks of Sydney in this one month celebration of Hellenic culture and history.

Twilight at Taronga Series

April

The Royal Easter Show - Designed to present the best in Australian agriculture and has been held annually for over 80 years.

Hunter Valley Harvest Festival - Presents not only wine and wine making but feasts, olives, cheeses, horse racing and festivities.

May

Yalumba Thredbo Jazz Festival - Three day celebration of Jazz music, food and wine set in the heart of the spectacular Snowy Mountains

Scone and Upper Hunter Horse Festival - Over two weeks of horse shows, stockman’s events, rodeos, dancing, craft shows and community events on the edge of the Hunter Valley wine region.

June

Sydney Film Festival - Fifteen days of movies from the four corners of the globe.

The Henry Lawson Festival of Arts - A festival to present young and aspiring writers to the world.

July

Good Food and Wine Show - explore new tastes and the latest culinary trends.
Biennale of Sydney - International festival of contemporary art, next in 2006.

August
City to Surf - Join is with tens of thousands of others to run in the 35th City to Surf

The Sydney Garden and Flower Show - This annual horticultural show will educate, impress and amaze.

September

Festival of the Winds - Australian’s largest and most exciting colourful kite flying festival held off Bondi Beach

Cronulla Spring Festival - Sydney’s third largest outdoor festival and to celebrate the commencement of Spring downunder.

October

Bathurst 1000 - This is a “not-to-be-missed” event for petrol heads. Raced on the Mt Panorama circuit, Bathurst.

Australian International Motor Show - October is the month for the car enthusiast.

Granny Smith Festival - celebrate the accidental discovery of the Granny Smith apple.

December
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race - See the action at the start of this world class yachting event on Sydney Harbour.

Getting around in Sydney

Sydney has a very good and functional mass transportation system ranging from ferries, buses, taxies and trains. Ferries are the most efficient and economical way to get around Sydney harbour. Make your way to Circular Quay ( get on any of the City Circle trains or any bus heading for the Opera House on Elizabeth Street or George Street). No trip to Sydney is complete without a ferry ride to Manly Beach, Taronga Park Zoo and Watsons Bay in fact it will probaly be the cheapest day trip you can make.

Trains service all of Sydney City. All trains leave from Central Station and the City Circle is the best link to get around the the City Center. Although it does not seem to be the preferred choice for travellers, a regular train service is avaliable from the Domestic and International Airports to the city (the cheap door to door transfer service seems to be a more popular option). The train network is easy to understand and all the information you will need is avaliable at www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au.

Most trains are double-deckers with plenty of space for comfortacle travel. Taxies are easily found everywhere and they are not very expensive, while not the most economical way of getting around. Taxies are clean, modern and confortable and taxi drivers are of the usual type that you find in most big cities - politicaly opionated imigrants that is.

Buses are without a doubt the best and cheapest way to get around Sydney and in fact one of the only way if you dont have your own vehicle to get to some parts of the city such as the Sydney Northern Beaches. You can get all the timetable information at www.sydneybuses.info or head towards Wynard (Harbour Bridge end of York Street) as most buses depart and terminate from there.

If you have the time take a bus trip to Palm Beach make sure you sit on the right hand side for some of the most spectacular beaches this country has to offer, just make sure you plan ahead as the return bus service to the city is not as regular. Private Car Hire services are avaliable for all major companies from the Domestic or the International Airport terminal and most hotels.

Cost of Living in Sydney

One-liter bottle of mineral water: A$1.50
33cl bottle of beer: A$2
Financial Times newspaper: A$8.50
36-exposure color film: A$5.95
City-center bus ticket: A$1.60
Adult football ticket: A$21.50
Three-course meal with wine/beer: A$77

1 Australian Dollar (A$1) = £0.43; US$0.76; C$0.88; €0.63
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005

Shopping in Sydney

Food and Dining in Sydney

The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.

Sydney has a Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10%. It is highly unlikely that the GST would be added to the bill as an extra at the end and menus will usually state: ‘Prices include GST’. However, on public holidays, many establishments add a 15% service charge to the bill. Tipping is still far from obligatory in Sydney but good service should be rewarded with a gratuity of up to 10%. If the service has been unsatisfactory, it is not necessary for diners to tip.

The prices quoted below are for an average three-course meal for one and a bottle of house wine or equivalent; they include the GST but do not include a service charge or tip. Many restaurants in Sydney are unlicensed but operate a BYO (Bring Your Own) policy. This, including the relevant corkage fee, is listed below.

Gourmet

Catalina Rose Bay

Catalina Rose Bay is a must for lovers of seafood and ocean views - every year, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race begins under the very noses of its patrons. The wrap-around glass windows compliment a fresh, nautical decor. Japanese and Spanish influences alternate over a range of fish and shellfish creations that melt in the mouth, such as crepinette of crab and snapper and sea scallops with smoked quail. Sydney’s current fascination with pork is represented in a terrine of roast pork with crackling served on diced mango. The food’s presentation rivals the architectural elegance of this terrific restaurant. Closed Sunday night.

Guillaume at Bennelong

The only Sydney restaurant that is also a world architectural icon, Guillaume at Bennelong is the smallest of the three soaring structures making up the Opera House. Jørn Utzon’s vision has been fulfilled in this vaulted room, with exposed concrete rafters or ‘ribs’. Chocolate tones and amber lighting create a warm and sensual space. Under the direction of Guillaume Brahini, a three-Michelin-starred chef, the restaurant’s menu embraces local produce cooked with French techniques, such as ballotine of ocean trout, roasted Glenloth chicken on ravioli of duck foie gras, and his signature dish, basil-infused tuna with mustard seed vinaigrette. Local dining doesn’t get much more glamorous than this, although booking well ahead is essential. Closed Sunday. A three-course pre-theater menu, available from 1730-1900, is good value at A$65.

Quay

Quay won the Sydney Morning Herald’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’ award for the second year in 2004. Tastefully decorated in a sombre palette of pastels and greys, it’s famous for world-beating views of both the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge - diners should try to reserve a table in the Tower section, which has 320° harbor views. Noted for his geometric presentation, chef Peter Gilmore’s offerings include mud crab stuffed zucchini flower and ravioli of braised quail. Patrons should be sure to leave room for dessert, as the five-textured Valrhona chocolate cake is heavenly.

Salt

A fugue of white plastic and metal, Salt contrasts severity of design with sumptuousness of menu. Imaginative combinations are chef Luke Mangan’s forte: roasted venison with corn custard and chocolate sauce is a recent talking point. Game, such as tempura of quail or roasted rabbit loin, is another specialty in a venue that has attracted gourmands and serious business folk (as well as the achingly hip) since opening in 1999. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Tetsuya’s

Tetsuya Wakuda’s name is the alpha and omega of Australian haute cuisine and his 12-course degustation menu of Japanese/French delights is something no serious gourmand can visit the continent without trying (bookings must be made well in advance). His beautiful restaurant, ranked 13th best in the world by Restaurant magazine, is done up in a modern Japanese style with dark wood and chocolate carpet, Arne Jacobsen chairs and calming glimpses of a Japanese garden. The set menu consists of small dishes, such as the now famous confit of Tasmanian ocean trout with ocean trout roe, as well as lobster ravioli with seaweed vinaigrette and shellfish essence or double-cooked deboned spatchcock with braised daikon (a variety of radish) and bread sauce. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Business

Bayswater Brasserie

More than one ex-Prime Minister has been spotted at this Kings Cross stalwart which for 22 years has kept abreast of Sydney dining trends without losing its friendly, elegant atmosphere. The menu is modern Mediterranean with highlights such as roast fig and prosciutto tartlet, braised lamb shanks, and a decadent blue swimmer crab lasagne. Features include a leafy outdoor dining area, an oyster bar and cocktail bar, where the imbibing continues well into the early hours on weekends.

Edna’s Table

When the craving for emu tartare, crocodile sushi or kangaroo fillet gets too much, Edna’s Table beckons. Comfortable modern decor, Aboriginal artworks and authentic bush ingredients, including bunya nuts, Kakadu plum and eucalyptus oil, contribute to Edna’s truly unique style. A Native Australian degustation menu is also offered with a selection of Australian wines for A$135. Located in the CBD, this restaurant is perfect for visiting business folks who want to try something a bit different, and sample native meats (and atmosphere).

Longrain

A meal at Longrain is like a visit to the halls of Valhalla - its converted warehouse space has long wooden dining tables, polished floorboards and a Scandinavian ambience, despite the modern Thai menu. The food is fit for demigods - betel leaves topped with trout roe and crispy Barossa chicken are two of the highlights. Lunch is served Monday to Friday 1200-0230 but dinner bookings are not taken, so arrival before 1930 is advised. However, the bar is a stylish place in which to wait and the ’stick drinks’ (crushed fruit cocktails) go down a treat.

The Summit

Claiming to be the world’s largest revolving restaurant, The Summit has 360-degree views of Sydney, retro-futuristic design based on the space station in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, and a good-times atmosphere. The menu is more than adequate, if a tad overpriced, with such dishes as grilled snapper fillet, venison loin baked in pastry and seafood risotto. A seafood buffet is available for Sunday lunch and dinner, costing A$62.

Sushi e

Do not be fooled into believing the ubiquitous conveyor belt sushi bars are all that Sydney has to offer in the raw fish department. Part of The Establishment complex (see Bars), Sushi e is a world-class sushi bar ideal for both a quick business lunch or a protracted gourmet evening. The 28-seat bar is contemporary in design with marble-top counters and a warm dark wood ambience. Chef Shaun Presland offers a constantly evolving menu but there are must-haves such as the soft shell crab rolls and the wafer-thin snapper sashimi topped with a lime and sea salt dressing. A rich Balmain bug (crayfish) tempura is another highlight.

Trendy

Bill’s

There’s no better start to a Sydney day than a Bill’s breakfast - ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb butter, famously creamy scrambled eggs (acclaimed by the New York Times), towering muffins and fresh fruit platters. A large communal table is covered with magazines and, thanks to recent renovations, there are enough extra tables for everyone. Lunch is also available, with items ranging from a spicy squid salad to a fillet steak sandwich, and in 2004 Bill’s finally opened for dinner as well (Monday to Saturday): try the crisp free-range chicken with sauteed cavolo nero.

Fratelli Paradiso

Be sure to brush up your Italian and dress in your best La Dolce Vita blacks. Fratelli Paradiso is where the smart inner-city set converge for cucina Italiana the way it’s meant to be. The risotto is plain and perfectly al dente; rings of calamari Sant’Andrea are lightly fried and superbly tender; and there’s a luscious lasagne al forno with parmigiano. Featuring a mural of Rolling Stones lips eating pasta, the restaurant encompasses a pasticceria, and the cakes and pastries are every bit as lip-smacking as the savouries.

Icebergs Dining Room and Bar

Icebergs caused a sensation when it opened in Bondi in late 2002. Built on top of the old Bondi Icebergs swimming club, the venue raised the bar for drinking and dining in the beachside suburb. Offerings include neo-Mediterranean dishes, such as the signature warm salad of King Island crayfish with kipfler potatoes and fresh peas, or Umbrian truffles with hand-cut tagliatelle. Icebergs is also a feast for the eye, from the blue banquette seating and polished aluminum screens designed by renowned Australian architect Carl Pickering, to the jaw-dropping views straight across the famous beach and out over the Pacific. Closed Monday.

XO

Chef Neil Perry is renowned for simple but perfectly executed Asian cuisine and his moderately priced venture, XO, is no exception. The fried salt squid is crunchy and spicy, the duck in tamarind sauce tender and sweet and the combination omelette falls open to reveal crisp sprouts and fresh prawns. There’s also an ever-changing sashimi menu. The restaurant reopened in 2004 in premises formerly occupied by MG Garage, with a fresh contemporary design and a private dining room for up to 30 people. No bookings are taken, except for groups of over six, but the stylish bar serves a mean Beetroot Martini and smiling staff will look after patrons until a table is free. Closed Sunday.

Yellow

In the early 1970s the ‘Yellow House’ was a bohemian hangout for hippies, celebrities and artists such as Brett Whiteley. Relaunched in 2003 as apartments and a gallery, the premises are also home to this top-flight bistro where an unpretentiously great fish and chips can be enjoyed alongside a superb confit of duck leg with sweet potato puree. Pastrycook Lorraine Godsmark’s date tart comes highly recommended.

Budget

Arthur’s Pizza

Nothing satiates the hunger after a day’s shopping in the chi-chi boutiques of Paddington like a big traditional pizza or pasta at Arthur’s Pizza. All the classics are served here, along with unusual combinations such as duck sausage with provolone and potato. If the place is full (and it often is) staff are prepared to come and fetch patrons from the pub next door when a table becomes free. Jim Jarmusch film posters fittingly adorn a restaurant that is dark but cheery.

BBQ King

Peking duck hangs in the window and it is Peking duck that attracts the crowds to the authentic if slightly tatty BBQ King on the northeastern border of Chinatown. Open until 0200, the menu includes a superb suckling pig and plenty of out-there Chinese delicacies. Frills are not to be expected, although a great meal can.

Bill and Toni’s

The word ‘institution’ doesn’t really cut it for this cheery East Sydney trattoria that has been offering pasta, schnitzel, meatballs and not a whole lot else for a quarter of a century. Big baskets of bread and orange cordial are free, while coffee in the downstairs cafe is probably the best and most potent in Sydney.

Chinta Ria The Temple of Love

A gigantic Buddha forms the centerpiece to this large-scale Malaysian eating experience in Cockle Bay Wharf. A shrine to good, inexpensive laksa (a spicy sour soup) and noodles, the restaurant serves them up in a carnival atmosphere of chattering diners and steaming woks.

Harry’s Cafe de Wheels

Not a restaurant but a waterfront meat pie stand, Harry’s has been serving the Aussie staple of pies with peas, mash and gravy to sailors, hoodlums and late-night party casualties since 1945. Consequently, it has become a tourist attraction, decorated with photographs of famous visitors - including, oddly enough, Colonel Sanders. And the pies? Bloody good tucker, mate. Harry’s is open until 0400 Friday and Saturday.

Personal Recommendations

Manna

Sometimes you want the vaunted Sydney cuisine without the Sydney attitude. That’s when a trip down Parramatta Road to this cosy bistro is a welcome respite. A former corner shop opposite a sleepy park, decked out with a mish-mash of old chairs, Manna has adept staff whose laid-back welcome puts you in exactly the right mood for a quartet of lightly seared scallops topped with crunchy string chips. Follow it up with a classic prawn, garlic and chilli linguini and round it off with a tangy ice-cream terrine and you’ll likely agree that Manna is a godsend. Closed Monday.

Oh! Calcutta!

Despite the vaudevillean name, Oh! Calcutta! won the Sydney Morning Herald’s ‘Best Indian Restaurant’ award, eight years in a row (1995-2003). Why? A captivating menu of unusual dishes from North India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwestern China; the best local produce and exotic meats from camel and goat to kangaroo and crab; stylish mosque-meets-minimalism design; and a charming host.

Oscillate Wildly

Oscillate Wildly offers a high-quality dining experience at absurdly cheap prices. Tucked away just off the boho bustle of King Street, Newtown, this tiny art deco dining room serves up modern Australian fare, such as wild barramundi with pancetta and red wine butter, and some of the best value desserts in town. The service is expert, even if the one waiter is rushed off his feet at times.

Thai Pothong

King Street, Newtown seems to have more Thai restaurants than Bangkok does but Thai Pothong is the biggest and the best for value. Standards, such as chicken cashew nut and tom yung soup, are as good as they come, the service is swift and attentive and the restaurant is filled with the constant buzz of people who know they are eating well at a very reasonable price. The restaurant has a graceful East Asian style, with soft lighting complimenting a collection of Thai antiques, pretty parasols and flower arrangements.

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