Visitor's Information for Sydney

At the heart of Sydney - Australia’s oldest, largest and most diverse city - is the outrageously good-looking Sydney Harbour. Vast, vibrant Sydney is the epitome of the Australian surf, sand and sun cliché. Carved out of sandstone headlands with golden beaches and world-class surf, this sun-soaked city offers the ultimate in outdoor living. At the heart of the city is the harbour, arguably one of the most beautiful waterways in the world, where the curves of the Sydney Opera House shimmer in the sunlight and dozens of white sails float beneath the Harbour Bridge.

The state capital of New South Wales, Sydney is Australia’s oldest and largest city and is regarded by many (particularly Sydneysiders) as the country’s capital in all but name. It’s a thriving centre for both business and the arts with a buzzing cafe culture, a vibrant nightlife, and a restaurant scene fit to rival the most gastronomic destinations.

The Sydney experience is essentially a physical one. Semitropical summers and mild winters mean that days spent indoors are rare. Take a dip in the ocean at Bondi Beach or stretch your legs along the coastal walk to Coogee. Learn to surf at Manly, swim laps at Icebergs pool, kayak around the harbour, catch some rays along the northern beaches or go bush in one of the national parks.

But despite what its neighbours might tell you, there is more to Sydney than it’s good-looking exterior. The museums, galleries, theatres and concert venues should satisfy those seeking more cerebral pursuits. History buffs will enjoy The Rocks, where Sydney’s sordid beginnings as a British penal colony remain, and further downtown grand Victorian structures sit side by side modern monoliths in glass and steel.

Sydney’s Aboriginal heritage has, for the most part, been eclipsed by Australia’s white history. Although Sydney has the highest Aboriginal population of any Australia city, a stroll around the city streets offers little evidence of their existence and they remain very much an invisible minority.

The city’s busy social calendar means that at almost any time of year, a festival is underway. The summer months host numerous sporting events as well as film, art and theatre festivals but pick any month of the year and you’re almost guaranteed to witness some sort of celebration.

Locals have long argued that Sydney is the city that has it all but it was only following the triumphant hosting of the 2000 Olympic Games that the rest of the world sat up and took notice. Now Sydney is a ‘must see’ on many a traveller’s itinerary and once you’ve visited, you’ll understand exactly why.

People

Sydney is one of the most cosmopolitan cities on the planet, with one third of its population born overseas. European settlement largely displaced the Aboriginal peoples, and over the years, with the earliest colonists largely coming from England, Ireland and Scotland. The Australian goldrush attracted more immigrants, including a significant number of Chinese; with about one in four Australians with convict descent also having some Chinese ancestry. In the 20th century, Sydney has continued to attract immigrants from all over the world - mostly from the U.K. and Ireland, as the White Australia Policy prevented non-European peoples (and even Southern Europeans) from entering the country.

Australia's immigration patterns, and subsequently, that of Sydney, changed significantly after WWII, when migrants began to arrive from countries as diverse as Italy, Greece, Germany, Holland, China, New Zealand, India, the Phillipines, Poland, Lebanon, Iraq, Vietnam, Thailand, South Africa and the Pacific Islands. Sydney's culture, food and general outlook well reflect these contributions to the majority Anglo-Celtic institutions and social establishment.

Sydney is recognised worldwide for its vibrant gay community. Every year, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is celebrated at the end of February, drawing people from all over Australia and the world for the celebrations.

Sydney became the center of the world's attention in September 2000 when the city hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics - officially announced by the IOC Chairman at the closing Ceremony to be the "the best games ever"! The Olympics saw a major building and renovation program take hold of Sydney, positioning it as one of the great world cities of the 21st century and will continue to hold its world city status.

Climate

Sydney is generally comfortable for travellers to visit any time of year. The city enjoys over 300 sunny days each year.

  • Summer (December to February) is the best time to enjoy Sydney's beachside outdoor lifestyle. Temperatures usually reach around 26°C but can be very hot, with temperatures climbing to over 40°C for a few days each summer. Summer days can be humid, and sometimes have searing dry winds. Hot summer days frequently end with a "southerly buster", a cold front sweeping up from the south, bringing a clearly noticeable drop in temperature. Within hours, the storm can pass and the evening continues cooler. Hot windy days can close national parks, walking trails, and ban fires because of the fire risk. Rain is usually in the form of afternoon thunderstorms, that can be intense but usually pass quickly. Occasionally low pressure systems drift down from the tropics, giving periods of more unstable weather. You won't need to pack much more than T-shirts to visit Sydney in summer, but remember your hat and sunglasses.
  • Autumn (March to May) March and April, especially, tend to have clear, warm days with mild nights. There can be good days for the beach in March, but you can't count on it. Good time for visiting attractions, going to the zoo, catching ferries around the harbor without the summer crowds. You may need a jumper for the evenings, especially for May.
  • Winter (June to August) is cool, not cold. Average July maximum temperatures are 17°C. Daytime temperatures rarely drop below 14°C, but night-time temperatures can fall to below 10°C. Most rain falls as a result of a few off-shore low pressure systems, which usually result in two or three rainy weeks during winter. The Icebergs will be in the ocean doing their morning laps, but most of Sydney will be well away from the beach. It does not snow in Sydney, and unless you intend spending long periods outside, you can usually get by with just a sweater. Sydney is a year-round city, and very few attractions outside of outdoor water-parks close for the winter. If the beach isn't your scene, and you don't like the heat, winter may be your time to visit.
  • Spring (September to November). September is Sydney's driest month, and Spring days are great for exploring Sydney's attractions, bushwalking, cycling, and the outdoors. Beaches are generally patrolled from the end of October, and Sydneysiders start flocking to the beaches in November.

Sydney's Western Suburbs that lie away from the coast tend to be hotter during the day and a little cooler during the night. They miss the afternoon sea breezes, and the nighttime warming effect of the ocean.

Sydney has air conditioning in public buildings, and on some, but not all, public transport. Carry water during summer. Remember sun protection year round, as the UV exposure risk can be extreme at any time of year.

Sydney Climate and Weather information is available online at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Tours

There are tours around Sydney offered by bus, hike, walking, motorcycle, and in a variety of other forms. See the district articles for listings.

Landmarks

  • The Sydney Harbour Bridge crosses the harbour from the city to North Sydney. You can walk or cycle across the Harbour Bridge free of charge. You can climb the arch with BridgeClimb or fly over it with Red Baron Adventures
  • The Sydney Opera House. Located in the city, millions of tourists a year throng the building just to see it, even if they have little or no interest in Opera. The Sydney Opera House is easily one of the most famous structures ever built.
  • Darling Harbour is a large tourist precinct and includes a range of activities, restaurants, museums and shopping facilities.
  • Sydney Olympic Park. Home of the 2000 Olympics and now parklands and sporting facilities.
  • Luna Park, 1 Olympic Dr, Milson's Point. Is a large theme park situated near the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It's mouth-shaped entrance can be seen from many areas of Sydney as well as the large Ferris Wheel.
  • Sydney Tower also called Centrepoint Tower. The tallest structure in Sydney, the tower contains a buffet, cafe and a rather large restaurant and attracts many visitors a year. You can stand over the city on a transparent platform, over the edge of the top of the tower with Skywalk.
  • St Mary's Cathedral. Sydney's main catholic cathedral. Corner of St Mary's Road and College St.

Historical areas

  • The Rocks has sites preserved from Sydney's early settlement.
  • Parramatta to the west of Sydney is the site of many of Sydney's oldest buildings from colonial times.
  • Sydney Hospital on Macquarie Street in the City was the first hospital in the colony. Known as "The Rum Hospital", it was the first major building established in the colony.
  • La Perouse, near Botany Bay, in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs contains the grave of an early French explorer, museum, and old fort.
  • The walk from Manly to The Spit passes many coastal artillery fortifications built into the cliffs of Sydney Harbour during the late nineteenth century.
  • Mrs Macquarie's Chair near the Botanical Gardens in the City

Museums and galleries
Museums and galleries are concentrated in the city and in Darling Harbour. Highlights include:

  • The Australian Museum in the city.
  • The Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray Street in Darling Harbour.
  • The Art Gallery of NSW in the city.
  • The Powerhouse Museum in Darling Harbour.
  • The Museum of Contemporary Art in the city.
  • The Museum of Sydney in the city.

Wildlife

  • Taronga Zoo on the North Shore.
  • The Koala Park Sanctuary in the Outer West.
  • Sydney Aquarium in Darling Harbour.
  • Sydney Wildlife World' in Darling Harbour.
  • Featherdale Wildlife Park in Western Sydney.
  • Australian Reptile Park, about an hour north of Sydney, has much more than just reptiles.
  • Whale Watching see whales migrating the Pacific coast. There are boats from Darling Harbour or Circular Quay .

 


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