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Sydney is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of over 4.2 million people. Sydney is state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia‘s south-east coast. It is built around Port Jackson, which includes Sydney Harbour, and has been called the "Harbour City".

It is Australia‘s largest financial centre and a major international tourist destination, notable for its beaches and twin landmarks: the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Sydney has also played host to numerous sporting events, including the 1938 British Empire Games, 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Sydney is the site of the first European colony in Australia, established in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, leader of the First Fleet from Britain. It has been speculated that the Sydney region has been populated by indigenous Australians for at least 40,000 years. Sydney is in a coastal basin bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north and the Woronora Plateau to the south. Sydney lies on a submergent coastline, where the ocean level has risen to flood deep river valleys carved in the sandstone. One of these drowned valleys, Port Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is the largest natural harbour in the world.

There are more than 70 harbour and ocean beaches, including the famous Bondi Beach, in the urban area. Sydney has an oceanic climate with warm summers and mild winters, with rainfall spread throughout the year. The largest economic sectors in Sydney, measured by numbers of people employed, include property and business services, retail, manufacturing, and health and community services. Sydney is the largest corporate and financial centre in Australia and is also an important financial centre in the Asia Pacific. The Australian Stock Exchange and the Reserve Bank of Australia are located in Sydney, as are the headquarters of 90 banks and more than half of Australia‘s top companies, and the regional headquarters for around 500 multinational corporations.

Tourism plays an important role in Sydney‘s economy, with 7.8 million domestic visitors and 2.5 million international visitors only in 2004. Sydney has a wide variety of cultural sites and institutions. Sydney‘s iconic Opera House has five theatres capable of hosting a range of performance styles; it is the home of Opera Australia—the third busiest opera company in the world, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Other venues include the Sydney Town Hall, City Recital Hall, the State Theatre and the Wharf Theatre. Sydney has several museums. The biggest are the Australian Museum (natural history and anthropology), the Powerhouse Museum (Science, Technology and Design), the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Australian National Maritime Museum. Sydney is well endowed with open spaces, and has many natural areas even within the city centre.

Within the Sydney central business district are the Chinese Garden of Friendship and Hyde Park, and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The metropolitan area contains several national parks, including the Royal National Park, the second oldest national park in the world.

GO THERE FOR

The Food
20 years ago, Australian cuisine didn’t look far beyond meat and three vegstodge, with “barbies”, meat pies and vegemite being the most famous fare. But with an influx of immigrants from the Mediterranean and Asia, a food revolution has taken place, helped along by ready availability of fresh ingredients and Aussie flair for adventure. Modern Australian ranks amongst the most exciting in the world, reinventing old world traditions and the flavours of the East. Purists will also find much to love in eateries preserving authentic culinary traditions – Sydney-siders thrive on “yum cha”, sushi, Thai curries, pho, Lebanese couscous, Greek meze and more.

Historical Interest
Founded as a penal colony in 1788, Sydney’s development in to a modern metropolis has left behind some traces of its past from the heritage listed buildings in The Rocks district, the Town Hall, the Sydney Mint and Fort Denison. But actually Sydney’s history goes back far deeper in time – Aboriginal peoples have been in the area for at least 30,000 years. While not much trace remains of the tribes that inhabited the region, Aboriginal artifacts can be seen at the Australian Museum in Hyde Park.

The Skyline
Don’t just admire it from a distance. Get up close and personal with a Harbour Bridge Climb and get tickets for the show at the world famous Opera House.

Sun ‘n’ Surf
Buff and beautiful Bondi bodies are something of an Australian icon, though these days they’re also watching their sunscreen application. Other famous beaches include Balmoral Beach in the harbour, Palm and Whale in the far north, Manly’s many beaches about a half hour ferry ride from the CBD, and Coogee in the south. If you have time – and a large capacity for humiliation – learn to surf via one of the many surf schools.

Day Trips
The pretty northern beaches of Whale Beach and Palm Beach offer a sun and sand holiday just an hour’s drive from town, or quickie flight by seaplane (stay at Barrenjoey House or Jonah’s). Or travel inland to the Blue Mountains, where heritage railways, luxury B&Bs and geological formations make for a memorable low-key retreat. Wine lovers head down to the Hunter Valley wine region for a tour of the vineyards.

DON’T MISS

Dinner with a View
Sydney is bursting with delicious dining, but if you only have time or cash for one fancy meal, make sure you get a table with fabulous view. Aria, Quay and Aqua Dining are amongst those famed for their high-glam harbour locations, while Catalina and Bather’s Pavillion offer chilled out beach-side dining further afield. Bondi Beach offers a plethora of great dining, notably Icebergs, Bondi North Italian and Sean’s Panorama.  

The Rocks
Bona fide history right near the Sydney’s CBD. Once a slum threatened with demolition, the government gave in to massive community protest and began a programme of restoration and gentrification. Today the area is home to a mélange of craft shops, boutiques, quaint old pubs and small museums.

Backstage Tour at the Opera House
You may not have the time or inclination for the show, but it’s not the only way of experiencing Jørn Utzon’s distinctive building. The backstage tour takes you into the realms normally exclusive to the artists and crew – pretend you’re an opera star on the concert hall stage, or a world renowned conductor in the orchestra pit. The AU$150 fee also includes breakfast in the Green Room (except on matinee days when an alternative venue will be arranged).

WHEN TO GO

The city is at its best in the 'winter' months of October to March, while the 'summer' months of June and July see colder temperatures. There is occasional rain, but no snowfall has been recorded in the city for nearly 200 years.

BASICS

Country +61
City code: 02
Emergency: 000
Directory Enquiries: 12455

Currency: Australian Dollars (AUD)
Exchange rate: AUD 1/GBP 0.47 (GBP 1/AUD 2.12)
Electricity: 240V/3 flat blades
Language: English

GETTING AROUND

Around Town...
Transportation around Sydney is relatively simple. To see the city's attractions, you can take either a City Circle train or it is entirely possible to walk. The ferries are excellent and an enjoyable way to get from one side of the harbour to the other. Buses are also a very popular method of getting around town.