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By Kristy Annely

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Travel Guide Sydney

City Guide Sydney

The first British settlers arrived in Australia on January 26, 1788, on the western side of Circular Quay in Sydney, an area now known as 'The Rocks'.

Much has changed here since that day over 200 years ago. Long populated by convicts and prostitutes, the cobblestone streets have evolved into a quaint historical shopping and dining area. Like many other downtown dock areas worldwide, the 1970s saw rapid development of The Rocks as a chic tourist attraction. George Street is the main artery through the area, and these few city blocks, adjacent to the Sydney Opera House, will provide you with dozens of things to see and do. This is a good spot to begin your Sydney sightseeing excursion.

Cadman Cottage is the oldest house in Sydney, built in 1816. You will find the National Park Information Centre, The Old Police Station, Bond Store, Coachhouse and Puppet Cottage, all within a leisurely walk from one another. Also in the neighborhood is the Art Deco building housing the Museum of Contemporary Art, along with the 19th century Sydney Observatory, not far from the Sydney Dance Company and the Sydney Theatre.

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Garrison Church was built in 1840 for the soldiers to attend church, and is still in use today. It houses an historical and military museum inside.

When you have walked your feet off and are in need of rest and refreshment, find the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel. Built in 1836, they still brew their beer on the premises and continue to be a welcome oasis for many a tired traveler.

History buffs will delight in Susannah Place from 54-68 Gloucester Street, for the chance to see how middle class families lived in the mid-1800s. Wander through these houses and find a local neighborhood store, re-created from 1915.

You will find the Sydney Visitors Centre inside the old Sailors' Home, which dates from 1864. It was once a sanctuary where poor sailors could get a bed and a meal for little or no money.

Restaurants abound throughout The Rocks. Pick one to suit your budget. Pancakes on the Rocks, serving pancakes to hungry Aussies since 1975 is a bargain meal for a few dollars. At the other end of the spectrum, more formal and pricier, you’ll find great ambience and gourmet fare at establishments like Altitude and Rockpool. For a fine meal, bring your hearty appetite to the Löwenbräu Keller, an authentic Bavarian restaurant located in what was once an authentic beer cellar.

The Rocks Market at the far northern end of George Street is open every weekend. There are over 150 canopy-covered stalls laden with jewelry, arts and crafts, souvenirs and treasures for collectors and visitors alike to take home. Come back often because you won't see it all in one day.
 

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One of the big sightseeing highlights for every visitor to Sydney is the famous Sydney Haror Bridge. Officially known as Port Jackson, the actual Sydney Harbor stretches 20km (12mi) inland, where it joins the mouth of the Parramatta River. However, it is on the ocean side of the harbor that a much grander sight captures imaginations, as tourists and vacationers from all over the world gaze at the Sydney Harbor Bridge. A wonder of aesthetic beauty and technical ingenuity, the bridge was completed in 1932, replacing at that time a 20km drive from the city center in the south to the outlying suburbs in the north, over five other bridges.

Known locally by some as 'the coat hanger', this elegantly simple bridge is a double-arch style, anchored on both sides of the harbor, with the road running beneath the arches. The Arches are tied together with short trusses, forming a strong and attractive web. Among its many clever aspects is a hinging mechanism at each end that allows the steel structure to expand and flex without cracking. Due to thermal expansion the peak of the arch can change by as much as 18cm/7in.

The structure includes a lookout point, called Pylon Lookout, from which visitors can see the magnificent harbor, including the much newer Sydney Opera House. If you’re up for a bit of a workout, consider joining the Bridge Club for a stroll. Thanks to the Bridge Club, founded in 1998, visitors can don suitable clothing and, tied to a safety line, actually walk over the arch above the roadway. The view, along with the altitude, is breathtaking. For the truly bold, there are even night climbs. Entry is via the pedestrian walkway, reached via stairs from Cumberland Street at the edge of The Rocks. There are some 200 steps to the lookout, so it's a healthy climb. For many tourists, this adventure becomes one of the top ten highlights of their Australian vacation.
 

Sydney Harbor

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Boat Rides in Sydney Harbor

Add spice and an uncommon dimension to your tour of Sydney by spending some time afloat in Sydney harbor. There are a dozen or more companies that offer boat rides here, and a variety of experiences to be had when you embark.

Take a leisurely sail boat trip where the gentle sea breezes ruffle your hair while you sip gin and chat about the weather. Relax, take it all in … see how closely the sails on the ship match the curves of the Sydney Opera House. Too sedate for your adventurous travel plans?

How about a high speed chase around and under Sydney Harbor Bridge? Let the spray wet your face as the boat dances over waves, bouncing until you're nearly tossed out. Tighten up your safety vest and put your face to the sun to dry off. Not all companies require life vests, since the boats themselves are equipped with seat belts and safety bars. For the brave and the braver, there are 700 horsepower diesels that will take you screaming across the harbor at up to 80km/hr. Fish-tails, power brake stops (in which the boat stops dead within two boat lengths), spins and other heart stopping maneuvers beat any theme park ride by a mile, say the locals. Rides last up to 30 minutes and some hold as many as 23 passengers.

Take a fishing cruise and discover why the Sydney estuary and the local reefs off the New South Wales coast are considered by anglers to be one of the best fishing spots in the world. Whether you're interested in just a couple of hours of relaxing pole dipping or want an all-day excursion, Sydney's fishing cruise companies have what you're looking for. And if catching fish isn't your idea of vacation time well spent, there are variety of scenic cruises that offer whale watching, along with views of Fairy penguins, seals, dolphins and many of the birds native to the area.

Depart from the Opera House, the Taronga Zoo or Darling harbor to catch any one of a dozen different boating excursions. Four leave from Circular Quay every two hours. Spend a couple of hours and cruise up the southern shore to Watsons Bay, cross to the north shore to explore Middle harbor, then return to Circular Quay.

Lunch, dinner or sunset cruises are offered, too. There are afternoon cruises that last 2.5 hours and take a scenic tour of the eastern suburbs and the upscale Middle harbor. The 1.5 hour evening cruise takes vacationers into Darling harbor, where you get an excellent nighttime view of Sydney. The ship passes Garden Island naval base for a stunning view of the Opera House with all lights blazing. Don't forget the camera.

Fully crewed yachts and captained charters are available for those with a higher budget. One company offers a 45-foot sailing catamaran, fully equipped with TV/DVD, CD/radio, air-conditioning, refrigerator and even a BBQ. There are even day or evening gondola rides for the romantically inclined which set off from Cockle Bay and glide gently around the inner western area of Sydney Harbor.

Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House
No Sydney guidebook is complete without a word or two about the iconic Sydney Opera House, as identifiable to Sydney as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. It was a hard won achievement whose construction spanned the decade from 1963-1973 and went a staggering ninety three million dollars (Australian) over its original estimated budget. While the project engendered much criticism and controversy at the time, the years have mellowed those involved and the impressive result has been acknowledged around the globe.

After quitting in frustration decades ago, the original architect has in recent years been invited back to supervise renovations, and some of the interior has been re-worked to his original plans. The distinctive series of overlapping 'sails' that form its basic shape are an architectural marvel. Inspired by palm fronds, they are technically sections of a sphere, erected onto a series of ribbed arches. The white granite surface is covered by over a million tiles, which are 'self-cleaning'… a relatively recent innovation, they're made of a stone that extrudes dirt which then blows off, though they still require some maintenance.

The structure contains five theaters, five rehearsal studios, the two main concert halls, and four restaurants, plus shops and other facilities. Annually, 200,000 people tour the opera house, an adventure which includes a walk across the stage. Performances in the complex are attended by two million every year. Have lunch in the Green Room then take a stroll around the steps outside. Marvel at the wonderful way in which the very high-tech looking buildings complement the natural scenery in perfect harmony.
 

Taronga Zoo Sydney

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The Taronga Zoo
All of us who take family vacations know there's nothing more exciting for the kids than a visit to a big city zoo. In Sydney, that's the Taronga... an evocative name whose exotic sounding inhabitants only heighten the anticipation of an already thrilling experience. Along with the more traditional chimpanzees and giraffes, you’ll see kookaburras, koalas, wombats, wallabies, Tasmanian Devils… the world's largest carnivorous marsupials, and all manner of unique native Australian species.

A new addition at Taronga is Wild Asia, containing an entire Asian Village in a Tropical Rain Forest environment, with statues, stone carvings and the Taronga Food Market. Wild Asia also encompasses the new Elephant Habitat... all mod cons for the residents including a massive heated barn, swimming pool deep enough for the elephants to completely submerge, mud wallows, waterfalls, a 2.3km walk and huge paddock. This luxury pad is now home to five new, extremely fortunate, Asian Elephants who will be part of an important breeding and conservation program.

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