Discover

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Welcome to your free “Discover Sydney” city guide. We have put together a quick and easy guide to some of the best sites in Sydney, a guide to going out and shopping as well as information on how to get around and stay safe. Don’t miss the excellent guide by our expert local, Beckie Lee. Enjoy your visit to Sydney.

Visitor information...... Page 3

Sydney Harbour ()...... Page 6

Sydney Harbour Bridge...... Page 7

Sydney Opera House...... Page 9

Darling Harbour...... Page 10

The Rocks...... Page 12

Kings Cross...... Page 14

The Blue Mountains...... Page 15

Bondi and the Sydneys' other beaches...... Page 17

Sydney Tower Skywalk...... Page 19

Taronga Zoo...... Page 21

Manly...... Page 23

Adventure activities...... Page 25

Going out and shopping...... Page 28

A local’s guide to Sydney...... Page 29

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Visitor information

When you think of Australia you will probably picture the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, and among others. All of these things are in the beautiful .

The Eora tribe once occupied the land which is now known as Sydney and is now home to many people of different ethnicity including Chinese, Middle Eastern and Anglo- Mediterranean. Sydney can be divided into two distinctive parts, north and south of the bridge. North Sydney has its own CBD, which amazingly is the third largest CBD in Australia after Sydney central and Melbourne. However, most places of interest can be found in the city centre on the south side of the bridge. You have where you will see the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, as well as the Rocks. To the west is . Down or George Street from Circular Quay is the city centre as far as Central station. To the east are the Botanical Gardens and Hyde Park. The main suburbs would be Kings Cross, Darlinghurst, Paddington, Bondi and Coogee. The airport is to the south in Mascot.

Getting there

Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport is located in Botany Bay, around 10 km from the city centre. Sydney is connected by air with cities in New Zealand, China, Japan, The Middle East, Europe, USA and South America. In many cases you will have to get connecting flights due to the distances involved. International flights use Terminal 1. Terminal 2 is for domestic flights to Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane etc.

Trains go from Platform 1 to the centre and cost around $30 as there is a surcharge included. There are also local buses such as the 400 to Bondi Junction. Taxis cost around $40 to the centre and you can get a shuttle bus from around $20 per person.

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Getting around

Train

Sydney is well covered by its extensive train network. In the city centre the network runs underground. It can be a confusing network to get the hang of at first but well worth getting used to. We have included a train network map on the next page.

Bus

Sydney also has an extensive bus network. If you plan on using buses frequently you should print out a timetable from the Sydney Buses website.

Ferry

Ferries go from Circular Quay down at the harbour. Taking the ferry to Manly is a great way to see the Harbour. You can also take a ferry to Darling Harbour and this route takes you under The Harbour Bridge.

Taxi

Taxis are usually easy enough to flag down at the side of the street. The sign on tip will be illuminated if they are available. It can be trickier later at night as taxi drivers sometimes won’t accept your fare if you are not heading in the direction they are.

Safety/security

Sydney is quite safe but don't take risks. Don't walk alone at night, don't get drunk on your own, and don’t flaunt your money. Kings Cross is great fun but be aware when on a night out here. It is awash with drugs, prostitution, and some very dodgy people. Stay away from Redfern on , there has been riots there in the past and problems with the many native Australians who live there. The suburbs in western Sydney have many social problems and high crime rates. The message here, as anywhere, is to take care.

The emergency number is 000.

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Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson)

Catch a cruise around the harbour for around $20 - $50. It is truly a beautiful harbour and getting out on the water is definitely the best way to see it. Cruises leave Circular Quay and Darling Harbour. You could also get on the government run Sydney Ferries, which are a lot cheaper, though you won’t see as much as you would on a cruise. If you don’t fancy a boat trip it is possible to walk around much of the harbour as large parts of land around the harbour are public property. For example the Royal Botanical Gardens are right on the harbour. The gardens themselves are beautiful and the views over the harbour are spectacular.

Getting to Sydney Harbour

By train

Circular Quay train station is situated at the harbour.

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Sydney Harbour Bridge

The 'coat hanger' connects central Sydney with North Sydney. The bridge, which was completed in 1932, has always been a favourite of the locals mainly because of the boost it gave to employment during the depression.

You can climb the bridge at Bridge Climb, 3 Cumberland Street, the Rocks. They will suit you up with jump suits, headphones, harness, handkerchiefs and baseball caps. If you are doing the climb at night you will have headlamps. In all it's a 1500 metre trek to the top. From the water to the road of the bridge is a massive 15 stories high. You will really feel the height from here as you will be walking under the road on steel walkways that you can see right through. And that's before you even climb the actual bridge. The views from the top are breathtaking, on a clear day, of which there is many in Sydney, you can see as far west as the Blue Mountains. The price starts at $198 depending on time of day and the time of the year. It is an expensive thing to do and you will have to pay extra for an individual photo (you get the group one free) but it is one of the most famous bridges in the Remember they will breathalyse you before you go up so go easy the night before.

If you're on a budget, you can climb inside the south-eastern pylon, up to the Pylon Lookout for under $10. There is also a museum housed there which details the incredible history of the bridge. Did you know a quick thinking Irishman was the only man to survive a fall from the bridge (although he did have to have his shoes surgically removed from his feet, which were up near his knees). He broke his fall by throwing his tool belt into the water before he hit. Some people think he actually jumped for a bet to make more money during the depression. He was back to work in 17 days.

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Getting to Sydney Harbour Bridge

By train

The closest railway station to the Sydney Harbour Bridge on the CBD side of the city is Circular Quay. Entrance to the Bridge is via Cumberland Street, The Rocks. You can walk across the bridge to Milsons Point.

On north side of the bridge is Milsons Point railway station. If you wish to walk across the bridge from the city you can take either a train or ferry back to Circular Quay from Milsons Point.

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Sydney Opera House

The Opera House is undoubtedly one of the most famous buildings in the world. It's a great place to hang out on the steps or in one of the cafes which are around that area. Opera tickets can be quite expensive but there are restricted view tickets available for much cheaper but keep in mind that it is exactly what you will get, a restricted view. There are also tours available. They operate from 8.30am to 5pm daily and last an hour. Prices range from $20 to $40.

Getting to Sydney Opera House

By train

Circular Quay is a five minute walk from the Sydney Opera House. You can catch buses, trains and ferries to Circular Quay.

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Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour offers so many activities and is a great place to while away a day. It's all here, shops, tacky fast food restaurants, classy restaurants and top nightclubs. You've also got the Chinese gardens, the Sydney Aquarium, Wildlife Centre, National Maritime Museum, IMAX cinema, and Star City, which has a casino, theatres, a volcano, a nightclub, a hotel and retail outlets. Take a water taxi, a cruise, or jump on the carousel.

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Getting to Darling Harbour

Bus

Get off at Market, Park, Druitt, Bathurst or Liverpool streets.

Ferry

Catch a ferry to Darling Harbour from Circular Quay and alight at , or Casino Bay Wharf.

Sydney light rail

The Light Rail travels between Central Station in the CBD and Lilyfield in the Inner West, stopping at a number of Darling Harbour stations.

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The Rocks

The Rocks are situated where the Harbour Bridge crosses to the north shore. It is the oldest settlement in Sydney and though it has been redeveloped, it has kept its historical feel.

Once upon a time it was home to convicts, prostitutes, and fishermen, but now it’s a delightful place to take stroll around. Pick up a self-guided tour map from the Sydney visitors centre in the old Sailors home at 106 George Street and have a wander around for yourself. Have a look at , the oldest house in Sydney (110 George Street), the Rocks Square (Playfair St), Rocks Centre, Rocks Markets, through to Millers Point and more. Enjoy a pint in the which has a rooftop beer garden overlooking the Opera House.

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Getting to The Rocks

Train

Take the train to Circular Quay. If you’re coming from Wynyard station, walk north down George Street towards the harbour.

Bus

Get the bus to Bridge Street and head north to The Rocks.

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Kings Cross

You'll see all kinds of people in the Cross, from fellow backpackers to prostitutes, junkies, sailors and trendies. There are the expected strip joints and brothels mixed with upper class restaurants and hotels. The Cross is a great place for backpackers to swap information, get work, and buy/sell a car. Look for the “coke” sign, the Coca Cola billboard which is visible from William Street, the main street to Kings Cross from the city centre. You should check Kings Cross out at least once.

Getting to Kings Cross

Trains and buses stop at King’s Cross station.

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The Blue Mountains

Follow the Great Western Highway out of Sydney or get a train (2hrs) to Katoomba. If you're camping, Katoomba Falls Caravan Park is 2km south of the highway. There's also the Blue Mountains YHA if you fancy a hostel (207 Katoomba St). Also there's the Blue Mountains Backpackers (190 Bathurst St).

There's an amazing amount of activities to keep you busy in the Mountains. There's rock climbing, abseiling, caving and canyoning among others.

Opening hours

Blue Mountains National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. Some parts of the park close overnight; details are provided for specific attractions.

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Getting to the Blue Mountains

Car

The entrance to the Blue Mountains at Glenbrook/Lapstone is only around 50 minutes drive from Sydney. From the city, follow the signs to . The starts at Strathfield and takes you through to Lapstone in the Blue Mountains.

Train

Take the Blue Mountains line from Central Station.

You will probably stay in Katoomba which is the main accommodation centre. The visitor centre is at Echo Point, which is about 2km from the train station. To the west of Echo Point are the scenic railway and scenic skyway.

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Bondi and Sydneys' other beaches

Bondi is undoubtedly Australia’s most famous beach. Is it the best? Probably not, but it's still worth heading down if you're in Sydney. Bondi is big and very busy. It's a great place to go for a swim or surf or just to sunbathe with all the beautiful people; you might even see some famous people. Campbell Rd is the ocean road and is jam-packed with cafés, shops and hotels.

South of Bondi are Tamarama, Bronté, Clovelly, and Coogee beaches which are all worth a look. All these beaches are reachable by bus. Alternatively get a bus to Bondi and do the Bondi to Coogee walk, which is a must do in Sydney. The scenery is breathtaking and you can always stop at one of the above mentioned beaches if you get tired. It takes roughly 2 - 3 hours.

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Getting to Bondi

From the city centre

From Central station, take a suburban train on the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line bound for Bondi Junction and get off at the terminus. At Bondi Junction, get to the A3 stand of the connecting bus terminal and hop on the 333 (or the slightly slower 380 or 389) bus which connects with the suburban trains. It takes around half an hour from Central Station.

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Sydney Tower Skywalk

Walk around the edge of the Skytower on a moving glass floored viewing platform. Prices vary so check out their website for deals. The views are very good especially at dusk or dawn.

Opening hours

Monday to Sunday 9:00 am – 10:00 pm

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Getting to Sydney Tower

Light Rail

Exit the light rail at Capitol Square and head along Pitt Street.

Train

Get the train to Town Hall or St James stations.

Bus

Any service along George Street (alight at the ), or Elizabeth Street (alight at St James Station or Hyde Park).

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Taronga Zoo

Possibly the best setting and views of any zoo in the world, looking out over Sydney Harbour, Taronga Zoo is well worth a visit. There are 4000 animals, including all the native species. Get the ferry from Circular Quay, then ride the cable car to the top and make your way down. Put aside a whole day for this. Costs around $44 for adults and $22 for children

Opening hours

Monday to Sunday 9:30 am – 5:00 pm

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Getting to Taronga Zoo

Ferry

Catch a train to Circular Quay, and then take a ferry to Taronga Zoo wharf. Ferries depart from Circular Quay every quarter-past and quarter-to the hour. Or take a train to Wynyard Station to connect with the 247 bus from Stand A.

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Manly

Check out the beach or the aquarium (Oceanworld). You can watch the divers feed the sharks or you can get in with them yourself. It’s around $245 for an intro dive, and $180 if you're already certified. The beach in Manly has an ocean swimming pool. There are many restaurants and cafes nearby as well. Manly is a famous surfing beach, and is great for beginners and more experienced surfers.

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Getting to Manly

Ferry

Take the Manly Ferry from Circular Quay.

Water Taxis

There are also water taxis operating between Circular Quay or Darling Harbour and Manly.

Bus Services

Bus services connect Manly with the City, the Northern Beaches and to the west, St Leonards and Epping and Manly Hospital.

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Adventure activities

If you are looking for an adrenaline rush then there are plenty of options in Sydney.

Skydive

Try a tandem skydive from 14,000ft from around $279. Skydive The Beach operate over North Wollongong, an hour south of Sydney.

Jetboating

If you find a cruise too tame, try a jetboat from either Circular Quay or Darling Harbour. See the harbour at 130km/hr. Price is roughly $55.

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Surfing

Get lessons at Manly, Bondi or Cronnulla or take a tour up to Byron Bay with a surf school such as Waves. It's a tour that takes up to 5 days and you will learn to surf at a succession of beaches up the coast. It costs around $550 for the 5 day but there are shorter tours.

Diving

Learn to dive in Sydney harbour. It may sound dirty but you'll be amazed at the visibility and the myriad of marine life here.

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White water rafting

Check out the purpose built white water river in Penrith. Originally built for the 2000 Olympics, it's well worth a go. Around $94

Opening hours

Monday to Sunday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

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Going out

Sydney has many great areas in Sydney for having a drink. The weather is generally very good in Sydney so the areas of Bondi and Coogee are popular places to go out in. Bondi Junction is also a busy spot with a couple of Irish bars, the Cock and Bull and the Tea Gardens, which are very popular with backpackers. The Rocks near Sydney Harbour have some great pubs. Darlinghurst and Surry Hills have some really trendy bars. King’s Cross is popular for nightclubbing. It also has its fair share of strip clubs. Oxford Street is home to a vibrant gay scene. For backpackers around Central Station you have bars such as Scubar and Side Bar. Also Scruffy Murphys on Goulbourn Street is good fun. There really is something for everyone in Sydney.

Shopping

Pitt Street Mall in the city centre is one of the most popular shopping spots in Sydney. It covers two city blocks in which there is the Westfield Mall, Myer, David Jones and many more. There is also a Westfield Mall in Bondi Junction. Head to in the centre for big brands such as Armani, Burberry and Chanel. For boutiques head to Oxford Street in Paddington. Central in Broadway is also an excellent shopping precinct. There are some really good markets in Paddington, Bondi, Glebe and Surry Hills.

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Local Guide to Sydney

Sydney is a city filled with many places for visitors to explore. There are lots of places to eat, to go out and hidden gems as well. You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out and experiencing the nightlife in Sydney!

Places to Eat

Sydney offers a diverse culinary experience when it comes to places to eat. All the cuisines you can think of can be found in Sydney as the city is made up of many different nationalities. Asian cuisine, in particular, is widely featured when eating out in the city. Visitors to Sydney will have an endless range of choices when it comes to fine dining, casual dining and cheap eats.

Fine dining experiences including Tetsuya’s, Aria, Rockpool, Quay and the Bridge Room. These restaurants are run by well known chefs and offer a truly gastronomy experience. Many of the high end restaurants are ‘hatted’ which means they have been reviewed by food critics and are the best of the best.

Casual dining experiences are widespread throughout the city. If you enjoy seafood, the Pyrmont Fish Markets is a great place to visit with different seafood platters to try. Nick’s Seafood restaurant in Darling Harbour is also renowned for delicious seafood. Restaurants that offer an Asian experience include Din Tai Fung, a restaurant with tasty dumplings and Chef’s Gallery which is an Asian fusion restaurant. Many restaurants located in Darling Harbour have a diverse casual dining experience at a lovely waterfront location.

Darling Harbour (Image courtesy of darlingharbour.com)

Cheap eats in Sydney means you can still enjoy a tasty meal whilst saving your pennies. Many of the cheap eats tend to lean towards Asian cuisine. Chat Thai, Mamak and the Chicken Institute are well known for their delicious Asian styled food. Mary’s Burgers in Newtown and Chur Burger are institutions when it comes to burgers.

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Places to Go Out

The nightlife in Sydney is lots of fun with different parts of Sydney giving you a unique experience. There is something for everyone when it comes to going out and having a good time in the evening. Small bars in the city centre, Newtown and Surry Hills are the places to go out in Sydney. For those wanting to party, there are definitely options there as well!

Small bars have popped up in droves and are popular with people wanting some cozy and funky places to go out. Scattered throughout the city, popular small bars in the centre of the city include Baxter Inn, Frankie’s Pizza, Ramblin’ Rascal, Button Bar and The Swinging Cat. Some small bars can be difficult to find as they are not marked however once you find them, you won’t want to leave!

Baxter Inn (Image courtesy of lifeandthecreativeheart.com)

Newtown is an area of Sydney only just outside the perimeter of the city. Very popular with locals, King Street is the place to go out if you want to drink your way down one street. Not as mainstream as the city, Newtown is known for being hip and funky with great restaurants as well as bars and pubs. Popular pubs to check out include Newtown Hotel, Courthouse Hotel and Marlborough Hotel. Bars that a must visit include Earl Juke’s Joint, Zanzibar and Bloodwood.

Surry Hills is a place where many locals also like to go out to with many drinking and eating venues on offer. Located near Central, the main train station in town, it is an inner city suburb of Sydney. Button bar, Playbar, The Wild Rover , Shady Pines and Pocket Bar are some great small bars to have a drink. Popular pubs include Trinity Pub, Forresters, Dolphin and the Clock.

For those wanting to go out dancing and partying, Ivy, The Argyle and Marquee at Star Casino are the places to go if you want to dress up and been seen. Oxford St and Kings Cross are areas where a big night is to be had if that is what you are after!

In February 2014, the NSW State Government introduced lock out laws to minimise the violence caused by drunken behaviour. This means people cannot enter venues after 1.30am and 3am is last

Sydney Page 30 drinks (there are exemptions to certain venues). The area covers sections of Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, The Rocks, Kings Cross and Cockle Bay. Visitors to Sydney should be aware of this law when going out in Sydney.

Hidden Gems

Kensington St is a laneway, newly opened in September 2015, that has undergone a transformation of 16 heritage listed terraces that were originally built in the 1840s. Located within walking distance of Central Train Station, it is a new hub for restaurants, cafes, small bars, markets, artists, galleries and creative types. Mixing the old with the new, there is an Asian hawker styled lane with food eats, funky shops and just a cool place to hang out!

Parramatta was the second place settled in Australia after landing in Sydney. Situated 30km from the centre of Sydney, it offers a historical experience with Old Government House (Australia’s oldest public dwelling) and (Australia’s oldest European private dwelling) open to visitors. A popular experience is to take a ferry from Circular Quay in the city to Parramatta which takes almost one and a half hours however offers a leisurely ferry experience. Eat Street on Church Street is a hive of activity during the day and night with a row of restaurants available for visitors to dine and sample some great food!

By Beckie Lee

Beckie Lee works for CPD Conferencing, organising international conferences. She is a freelance writer specialising in destination and travel guides.

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