Sydney Region Information
To help you enjoy your Sydney vacation we have information on accommodation across the different suburbs of this fabulous city. If you are looking for anything from luxury resorts to satisfactory hotels or for information on The Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The Sydney Visitors Bureau will help you.
While
the central city area of Sydney falls comfortably within an area about
1 kilometre wide by 3 kilometres long, it is a sprawling metropolis
with seaside suburbs stretching more than 30 kms (19 miles) to the north
and 24 kms (15 miles) to the south.
It extends
west in a broad sweep about 60 kms (38 miles) to the foothills of the
Blue Mountains, taking in historic Parramatta, which is a city in its
own right about 20 kms (12 miles) west of the city centre. More than
3.3 million people live in this entire area.
Sydney
is more or less cut in half by Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson) and the
Parramatta River which flows into it from Parramatta.
To the north Sydney comes to an end at Broken Bay (Palm Beach) which leads into Pittwater and the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, a huge tract of bushland of about 150 square kms, bisected by the very large and deep Cowan Creek and parts of the Hawkesbury River. Along with Pittwater, these waterways are popular, sheltered boating and fishing areas.
Port Hacking, a large inlet from the sea, forms the southern border of the city and marks the start of the Royal National Park, a large tract of National bushland and the rugged coastal scenery of Audley, Wattamolla and Garie.
Just north of Port Hacking lies Botany Bay into which flows the Georges River. The river is another popular boating spot, but Botany Bay is open and quite shallow, quickly becoming rough in windy weather and not recommended for visitors without local knowledge.
On the north-western shore of Botany Bay, and with runways extending into it on reclaimed land, is Sydney Airport, 9 kms from the city centre.
The Regions of Sydney
Sydney divides logically into several major areas which are a must for visitors to see. They have been chosen for their variety and concentration of things to see and do so visitors can get a real feel for Sydney's history and lifestyle.
The Airport
For short stay visitors. The main access road, General Holmes Drive, passes under the runway and becomes The Grand Parade. It then runs along the beach past Brighton-Le-Sands and Monterey to Dolls Point.
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The City
Includes The Rocks, Darling Harbour and Chinatown.
The City takes in the central business district, the Sydney
Opera House, Town Hall, Sydney
Harbour Bridge and the restored Queen Victoria Building, Hyde Park,
and the Australian Museum. Visit Macquarie
Street and Queens Square to take in Sydney's important public buildings
and walk through The Domain to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Mrs
Macquarie's Point and the Royal Botanical Gardens. Visit the major department
stores and fashion boutiques in the centre of town, and get an eagle's
eye view from the AMP Tower.
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The Rocks
Has more historical buildings
than anywhere else in Sydney as well as shopping, cafes, restaurants,
pubs and entertainment. Above it towers the Sydney Harbour Bridge and
Observatory Hill.
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Darling Harbour
Sydney's modern convention and exhibition heartland
includes the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, the
Chinese Garden, Imax Theatre and a choice of restaurants and cafes.
It is close to Sydney's only legal casino, Star City. Chinatown
is packed with restaurants and shops selling Chinese goods from embroidery
to jade carvings. It is right next to the Sydney Entertainment Centre
and close to Darling Harbour.
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Darlinghurst
Darlinghurst is peppered with restaurants which welcome
everybody. Many feature Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. The area
around Taylor Square, is the main entertainment area for the gay and
lesbian community in Sydney. It too has bars, discos, restaurants, cafes
and boutiques.
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Kings Cross
Kings Cross is probably the next best known tourist attraction in Sydney after the
Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Ten
minutes from the city in light traffic, it is Sydney's main nightspot
for visitors who enjoy the fleshier side of life.
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The Eastern Suburbs
Stretching from the city along the southern
foreshore of Sydney Harbour to Watsons Bay near the headland guarding
the southern entrance to the harbour, South Head. The Eastern
Suburbs include the entertainment hotspots of Kings Cross, Darlinghurst
and Paddington [video]. Call at trendy Double Bay [video]and enjoy the spectacular
views of Sydney Harbour on the way to Watson Bay. The world-famous Bondi Beach [video] is where the
Eastern Suburbs meet the Southern Beaches.
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The Southern Beaches
From Bondi to Cronulla, which sits on the
Kurnell Peninsula at Botany Bay where Lieutenant James Cook claimed the
east coast of Australia for England in 1770. Call at La Perouse where
a French expedition arrived in 1788 to find ships of the First Fleet already
at anchor. A few days earlier and Australia might have been a French colony.
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The Inner West
Has three great areas for restaurants, cafes,
pubs and people watching. Take a short ferry ride to the historic Balmain,
or a bus or taxi to Glebe and Newtown.
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Parramatta/Outer West
Parramatta was founded just after Sydney itself in
1788 as a place to graze animals and grow food for the fledgling colony.
Parramatta, though considered a 'suburb', is a city in its own right
and is actually the geographic centre of the Sydney Metropolitan Area. Parramatta
is the business centre of the Outer Western Suburbs, and has a smattering
of historically very important buildings.
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North Sydney
Sydney's satellite commercial centre just across
the Harbour Bridge is the gateway to the Lower North Shore. Enjoy great
views of the city and try the cafes, pubs and clubs at Kirribilli, Milsons
Point and McMahons Point. Visit Neutral
Bay for a vast selection of good food, or take a drive to Mosman with
its quality boutiques. Do not miss Taronga Park Zoo [video]with its fine collection
of animals on spectacular location. Drop into Balmoral for a swim and
try the clubs and restaurants at The Spit and watch the yachts go by.
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Manly
Offer endless opportunities to get wet. They
are the finest stretch of golden sand surfing beach in the world for swimmers,
board riders and wind surfers. Manly is a real seaside holiday town with
a big choice of places to eat and enjoy a drink. Take a drive to Palm
Beach and enjoy superb ocean views.
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The Northern Beaches
Visit Newport
and Church Point on Pittwater and see for yourself why it is irresistible
to yachting and boating fanatics. Drive into the Ku-ring-gai Chase National
Park and smell the gum trees which are the hallmark of the Australian
bush.
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Sydney is not all about sightseeing. It is a friendly city where you can slip easily into the lifestyle and enjoy yourself.
The Hunter Valley
The
Hunter Valley is Australia's oldest and one of its greatest wine areas,
though it produces only a tiny proportion of its wines - about 2 per
cent.
First established more than 150 years ago, it is home to some 80 wineries ranging from famous labels to very small 'boutique' winemakers. The Hunter is renowned for its full-bodied white wines, 'medium weight reds' and some excellent ports.
As the Hunter Valley is only a 1½-2½ hour drive north from Sydney and
its 3 million inhabitants, it is an extremely popular getaway for Sydneysiders.
It offers a quiet taste of the country with intimate guest houses and
cosy inns, many converted from old mansions and cottages.
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The Blue Mountains
The
Blue Mountains are part of the Great Dividing Range, which stretches
from Gippsland region of Victoria in the south to the tropical rainforests
of north Queensland. The foothills are only 60 kms from the Sydney CBD.
They are clad in vast forests of eucalypts (commonly called gum trees), which in the hot sun discharge a fine mist of eucalyptus oil from their leaves. The mist refracts light, which makes the haze look blue at a distance - hence the name.
The rugged terrain of the Blue Mountains with its tree clad slopes and sheer sandstone cliffs attracts tens of thousands of visitors to its scenic beauty. Scores of walking tracks lead along the ridges and down into its gorges.
Mountain biking (cycling) has become very popular, and abseiling and canyoning with expert guides are also big attractions for novices and the experienced. The areas is dotted with waterfalls, and there is great variety in the vegetation as you descend into the valleys.
As winter in the mountains is quite cold with light to medium falls of snow, Sydneysiders
relish the opportunity to enjoy roaring log fires, eggnog, good food and
wine, and outside winter walks and activities.
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