| Capital of New
South Wales, Sydney is the largest of the eight state capitals
and has a population of 4 million. Founded in 1788, Sydney is the
oldest European settlement in Australia.
NATURAL WORLD
Sydney is located on Port Jackson, commonly known as Sydney Harbour.
The harbor is dotted with small islands.
The Rails Trails
campaign establishes nature reserves and hiking and biking tracks
along railway lines.
PARKS
What are the most interesting city parks to visit? Check this discussion
from the Sydney
Flickr Group.
The Royal Botanical Gardens
is an an oasis of 30 hectares in the central business district.
Wrapped around Farm Cove at the edge of Sydney Harbour, the gardens
were established in 1816. A cultural and educational garden -- Cadi
Jam Ora - First Encounters -- captures the first years of contact
among the British colonists and the Gadigal peoples.
Botany
Bay National Park is the site of first contact between the crew
of James Cook's Endeavour and the Aboriginal people of Australia
in 1770. The park falls within the traditional lands of the Dharawal
people. View more information on the Where
cultures meet website.
BIKING
Spring Cycle, organised by Bicycle
New South Wales, is the city's largest bike ride.
CULTURAL WORLD
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the most famous structures
in the world, and today visitors can climb
it. The bridge has connected Sydney with the harbour's Norh Shore
since 1932. It is the world's largest (but not longest) steel-arch
bridge. It was beaten in length by 70 centimeters by New York's
Bayonne Bridge, which opened just four months earlier.
Parramatta is the economical capital of western Sydney.
SYDNEY OPERA
HOUSE
The iconic Sydney
Opera House is one of the world's most famous structures and
is located on the traditional land of the Eora people. It was funded
by the sale of lottery tickets. Local plants on the grounds of the
Opera House include grovillia and banksia.
Museum
of Sydney, Center Bridge and Phillip Street
POWERHOUSE MUSEUM
The Powerhouse Museum,
500 Harris Street, is close to Darling Harbour, Chinatown, Central
Station (Sydney Terminal), Broadway bus station (Railway Square),
and Paddy's Markets Monorail Station. The museum has vast galleries
of diverse exhibitions on themes including space, design, transport,
technology, fashion, music, social history, and much much more.
This is one of the largest museums in Australia with a diverse collection
and a strong commitment to public access. Free
Radicals is a monthly series of sustainability talks. Also check
out the Sydney Observatory.
AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PARK
The Australian Reptile
Park was established in 1948 by the late great Eric Worrell,
Australia's first naturalist. The zoo has a venom-milking program
responsible for saving more than 300 lives each year. The park is
located in Somersby on NSW's Central Coast. The park is five minutes
from the Gosford exit on the Sydney-Newcastle freeway.
MARKETS
Sydney's market scene provides shoppers with a number of options.
SPORTS
Sydney hosted the 2000 Olympic Games at Olympic
Park. Local rugby clubs include the Waratahs
and Sydney
Roosters.
FOOD
Sydney and Melbourne
compete for the title of culinary capital of the country.
HISTORY
Founded in 1788, Sydney is the oldest European settlement in Australia.
Sydney began as a penal colony. Captain Arthur Phillip, leader of
the First Fleet from Britain landed. Phillip named Sydney after
the British Home secretary, Thomas Townshend, Lord Sydney. The first
European inhabitants were convicts and soldiers.
TOURISM INDUSTRY
FYI, approximately half of all international travellers arrive
first in Australia in Sydney.
BUSINESS TRAVEL
Sydney is Australia's financial hub.
UPGRADE YOUR WORLD
Sydney has a number of universities, including the Macquarie
Graduate School of Management.
VISAS
All foreigners except New Zealanders require visas for all visits
to Australia. Details
NEARBY
In 1994, a strange tree was discovered only 100 kilometers from
Sydney in the Blue Mountains
(Katoomba). The tree turned out to be a living fossil, a tree thought
to have become extinct millions of years ago. Only 40 specimens
existed in the wild. The incredible discovery is documented in James
Woodford's The Wollemi Pine. Penrith is the gateway to the magical
Blue Mountains.
Those interested in aboriginal tourism should visit the Muru
Mittigar Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
Wollongong is Australia's ninth largest city and is located 80
kilometers south of Sydney and is bordered by the Royal National
Park.
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