Sydney's Best
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Sydney’s Best By Isla Curtis To 35 Colo Heights 84 88 87 66 32 48 15 77 86 44 36 123 78 81 62 65 63 68 61 83 122 96 100 82 12 25 29 16 52 27 To To Garie Beach Stanwell and 33 To Park and 70 and 21 ii iii Woodslane Press Pty Ltd Unit 7/5 Vuko Place Sydney’s Best Warriewood, NSW 2102 Australia Email: [email protected] Tel: (02) 9970 5111 Fax: (02) 9970 5002 www.travelandoutdoor.bookcentre.com.au First published in Australia in 2010 by Woodslane Press Copyright © 2010 Woodslane Press Pty Ltd; text © 2010 Isla Curtis; all cartography and photographs ©, see page 161 for credits All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of study, research or review, as permitted under Australian copyright law, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any other form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator”, at the address above. Every effort has been made to obtain permissions relating to information reproduced in this publication. The information in this publication is based upon the current state of commercial and industry practice and the general circumstances as at the date of publication. No person shall rely on any of the contents of this publication and the publisher and the author expressly exclude all liability for direct and indirect loss suffered by any person resulting in any way from the use or reliance on this publication or any part of it. Any opinions and advice are offered solely in pursuance of the author’s and publisher’s intention to provide information, and have not been specifically sought. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Author: Curtis, Isla. Title: Sydney’s best adventures : the guide to over 70 different ways to have a whole lot of fun by Isla Curtis. Edition: 1st ed. ISBN: 9781921683152 (pbk.) Notes: Includes index. Subjects: Tour guides (Manuals) Adventure and adventurers--New South Wales--Sydney. Sydney (N.S.W.)—Tours Dewey Number: 919.441 Printed in China Designed by Coral Lee : Contents ‘Be the first to the field and the last to the couch.’ Chinese proverb Key location map ............................................................................................ii-iii Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 Introduction Activities at a glance .........................................................................................4 Sydney is Australia’s largest city, home to more than 4.5 million people, Sydney’s Best Adventures and is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Natural bush Get Wet .............................................................................................................11 almost encircles the city, and includes some of the oldest and most beautiful national parks in the world, providing opportunities for all Get Back to Nature ....................................................................................37 kinds of adventures, including beach camping, bushwalking, canyoning, Get Out with the Kids ................................................................................51 climbing and more. Of course, not all adventures have to be physical Get Airborne ................................................................................................ 64 activities — Sydney is a city with a buzz and a nightlife to be reckoned Get Cultured ..................................................................................................79 with. The young, outward-looking population and constant flow of adventure seeking visitors demand a smorgasbord of experience – and Get Moving .................................................................................................... 89 Sydney does not fail them. With so many things to do, many people Get Out on the Town ..............................................................................105 create lifelong memories every day. Get Out and Help ......................................................................................129 Get Behind the Scenes ........................................................................... 137 Location maps Northern beaches and eastern suburbs ..........................................25 Sydney ...........................................................................................................146 City centre .................................................................................................... 147 Blue Mountains ..........................................................................................148 Central Coast ..............................................................................................150 Index ......................................................................................................... 152 Public transport ............................................................................................... 156 Sydney Ferries map ........................................................................................157 Cityrail map ..................................................................................................... 158 About the author and acknowledgements ...............................................160 Other books from Woodslane ..................................................................... 162 Feedback ......................................................................................................... 166 In Sydney’s Best Adventures you’ll find the crème de la crème of activities and experiences in this wonderful city. Sydney’s Best Adventures weeds out the magical from the mundane. There are adventures for the rich and the poor, locals and travellers, the sporty and the arty, the young and the old. This book aims to inspire anyone in Sydney to take a break and have some fun. vi 1 Introduction Introduction How to use this book Looking after yourself If you’re after something in particular, check out the introductory At a It’s a good idea to take food and especially water with you wherever you glance tables on pages 4-9. As well as a nutshell description this table go. This will make sure you don’t become fatigued or ill on any of your also indicates the likely adventures. Bringing food and water is also a great way to save time and budget required, plus money. suitability for children The sun, particularly in summer, can be fierce, even if the air feels cool and degree of ‘difficulty’. or it’s overcast. Always have a hat and 30+ suntan lotion to hand (and Each activity also has a use them), and we’d also recommend having a (light) long-sleeve top in smaller At a glance table, your backpack. so you can quickly see whether it really appeals Finally if you’re heading off into the bush on your own or in a small, and it’s within your independent group, ensure that someone knows where you are going timeframe. The numbers (as exactly as possible) and when you are due to return. next to each activity, If you’re really getting off the beaten track, it’s a good idea to take a basic operator or attraction first-aid kit. You can buy good kits correspond to those that from almost all outdoors stores, appear on the maps throughout the book. or make up your own. As a rule of thumb, your first aid kit should Wheelchair accessibility contain adhesive strip dressings, The accessibility of each adventure really depends on the individual’s antiseptic cream, a blister kit, an circumstance. It’s highly recommended that you contact the applicable elasticised bandage, a foil rescue operator or attraction to check whether the activity will be possible for blanket, matches, sterile non- you to do. adhesive pads, painkilling tablets, a roll of sticking plaster, safety Looking after Sydney pins, scissors, tweezers and insect Sydney is a rare city with vast natural beauty. Please don’t litter, light repellent. unauthorised fires or harm the bush. Emergencies Even when Australia is not in a period of drought water The main emergency number in Australia is 000. However, the international is a scarce commodity. It’s emergency number, 112, is also effective. 112 works from almost all mobile important to do what you can phones, and is particularly effective if you don’t have much reception to conserve water, and know as any network provider will put through a 112 call regardless of how full the current water restrictions. their capacity is or which network your phone is with. Check out www.waterforlife. If you find you don’t have enough reception to make a call, send a text nsw.gov.au to be sure. message to someone you know asking them to contact emergency Due to the harsh, dry climate services for you. Text messages require less reception and battery power, fires are common in and around and will usually go through if you try holding the phone on its side while Sydney. For this reason fire you send it. bans of varying degrees are If you do get lost in the bush, and you’ve briefed your ‘canary’, search regularly implemented, especially during summer. For more information parties will be out looking for you. Hang something brightly coloured visit www.nswfb.nsw.gov.au or www.rfs.nsw.gov.au. (like a sleeping bag, tent or a jacket) from a high point in a tree. 2 3 Activities a glance Activities a glance Activities a glance Map ref Activity Page