Sydney Things to Do Tips by xuessium

Look down at the city from the highest point above the city for a breathtaking 360-degree panorama. On a good day, the view is well worth the visit up.

The tacky part of the visit is that the price of the ticket also includes "OzTrek", supposedly the largest simulated ride in the southern hemisphere, for a so-claimed thrilling virtual adventure across Australia. I think the kids may find this entertaining.

As from what I seen on the website, coming July 2005, there will also be a "skywalk" ala the one already offered by Macau Tower whereby guests can get all strap up and embark on an outdoor walk at 268 metres above Sydney.

GETTING THERE
Walking: Within the city, corner of Pitt & Market Street.
Bus: Sydney Explorer Bus Stop 14
Ferry: Ferries from Circular Quay
Monorail: City Centre Station
Train: Town Hall Station

OPENING HOURS
Sunday to Friday: 9:00am to 10:30pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 11:30pm

PRICING
Tickets include a visit to the Observation Deck at Sydney Tower and admission to OzTrek.

Adults $22.00*
Child (4-15 years) $13.20*
Under 4 years FREE
Seniors $15.00*
Concession $16.50*

Family Tickets Available
Family Ticket A 1 adult & 2 children $39.00*
Family Ticket B 2 adults & 1 child $45.90*
Family Ticket C 2 adults & 2 children $57.00*
Family Ticket D 2 adults & 3 children $67.00*

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Phone: 61-292231341
Address: Centrepoint Podium Level, 100 Market Street
Website: http://www.sydneyskytour.com.au/intro.html

You're in Sydney. Not go to Circular Quay? Then why are you in Sydney? Go to the home of two of Sydney's famous landmarks - the Sydney Opera House & the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Museum of Contemporary Art is also here, as well as The Rocks, where you can shop and dine in delight. Come here also, to simply catch the lovely sea breezes, watch the crowd go by and enjoy the occasional busking activities!

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Directions: There is a cityrail station here - and you guess it - it's called Circular Quay. Plenty of bus services also terminates here.

One of the 3 landmarks of Sydney - the omnipotent presence of the bridge dominates the harbour skyline. You can choose to admire from afar, or do one step better and climb up to the bridge level to experience the strong winds and enjoy the magnificent views of the Sydney Opera House and the city. If you think this is still too sedate for your satisfaction - conquer the Bridge Climb and climb to the apex of the bridge!

RATES:
Weekday (Mon-Fri, Day & Night)
Adults: A$160, Child: A$100
Weekends (Day & Night)
Adults: A$185, Child: A$125
Twilight
Adult: A$225, Child: A$175

Catch a ferry, bus or train to Circular Quay. BridgeClimb is a short walk along George Street, then up Argyle Street (take the Argyle Stairs) to Cumberland Street. By car, park at Harrington Street, George Street and Argyle Street car parks.

* Climbers should plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled Climb time to check-in, as Climbs cannot be held for late arrivals.

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Phone: 61-282747777 (Bridge Climb)
Directions: The booking office of the Bridge Climb is at:
5 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney.
Website: http://www.bridgeclimb.com/

When the Opera House was built in 1973, it wasn't readily accepted as a landmark. It was viled as ugly and hideous and support for its construction was not forthcoming. What a difference of 30 years made! Today, it is readily one of Sydney's most famous landmark and its architecture admired by many. Walking around the SOH is free and you get to enjoy the scenic harbour view, the sea breezes and its amazing architecture all at the same time. There are plenty of cafes sited along the boulevard and you can sit down, catch a coffee and a slice of cake and watch the Harbour Bridge on the other side of the bay. For those not contented to just see the exterior, there are guided tours into the SOH itself.

GUIDED TOUR OF THE HOUSE
The one hour tour leaves every half hour between 9am and 5pm and includes a complimentary soft drink, tea or coffee.
Cost:
Adult $23.00, Australian Seniors/Students/Children 16 and under $16.00, Family price: $63.25 (2 adults + 2 children under 16), Private Tour (price for 1-18 people) $432.00
NB: There are approximately 200 steps on this tour.
Book your tour at the SOH store on the lower concourse at Sydney Opera House or call + 61 2 9250 7250

BACKSTAGE TOUR
Only a maximum of eight people can take the exclusive Backstage Tour. It takes two hours and includes a light breakfast in the Greenroom – home to performers and staff. To give you access, the tour starts at 7am before the working day begins.

Cost:
$140 per person. Bookings essential.
For more information or to book a tour today call +61 2 9250 7250.

GETTING TO THE HOUSE
Public Transport: You can catch buses (http://www.sydneybuses.nsw.gov.au), trains (http://www.cityrail.info) and ferries (http://www.sydneyferries.nsw.gov.au) to Circular Quay.
The nearest train station is Circular Quay (5-10 minutes walk away).

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Website: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

Quite honestly, I have never entered this museum. Not a big fan of contemporary art. What I remembered most instead is the imposing presence of the architecture. You just could not ignore its presence.

If you like contemporary arts, well, here's a possible spot for you to wear a slow afternoon in Sydney away.

Open 10AM - 5PM Daily
(closed Christmas Day)

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Phone: +61 2 9241 5892
Address: 140 George Street, The Rocks, Sydney
Directions: Circular Quay
Website: http://www.mca.com.au

Possibly most rewarding for architecture buffs though you will be hard-pressed to ignore Town Hall's presence. I made a stop here partly to meet up with a friend, and partly to take in the architectural details. (Plus, it was raining outside)

extracted from the website below:
..."For more than a century it has been the city’s major public and civic building, its clock a popular landmark and the marble steps leading up to the entrance one of Sydney’s favourite meeting places.

The Town Hall is the seat of the city's government and the venue for meetings of the City of Sydney Council.

Built in the grand Victorian manner from local sandstone, the building has been beautifully restored to its original form.

One of the finest examples of High Victorian architecture and decoration in Australia, it features a magnificent wood-lined concert hall, an 8000 pipe grand organ and exquisitely crafted stained glass windows.

The Sydney Town Hall is an impressive centre for civic and cultural events and its state of the art facilities make it one of Sydney’s most exciting venues"...

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Address: 483 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Directions: Nearest Cityrail station: Town Hall
Website: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Business/VenuesForHire/SydneyTownHall/default.asp
Other Contact: council@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Bondi Beach is definitely one of Australia's most famous beaches. The beach is roughly a kilometre long and is patrolled by lifesavers who make swimmers stay between the yellow and red flags.

It has fine sand and the waters beautifully blue with plenty of surfers dude and gals having a go at the waves. This place is packed tight on the weekends with plenty of beautiful blonzed (and baked) bodies.

How to get there:
Bus numbers 380, 381, 382 and 389 serves Bondi Beach from Sydney. Bus fares are calculated according to the number of sections you travel. It's all a bit complex for tourists but briefly it's A$1.60 from Bondi Junction, A$2.70 from Paddington and Darlinghurst and A$3.60 from Circular Quay.

There is a train service from the city (via Town Hall) to Bondi Junction. The Sydney train system finishes around midnight. There are a couple of later trains on Friday and Saturday nights at 12:09 and 12:39. At weekends, the trains run every 15 minutes on 10, 25, 40 and 55 from Bondi Junction to the city.

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Possibly the most visited site in the Blue Mountains! The view is just spectacular on a good sunny day! Come and see how blue are the Blue Mountains! (The bluish mist is caused by fine mists of eucalytus oil floating in the air which distort sunlight into a bluish hue)

Extracted from website below:
THE LEGEND OF THE THREE SISTERS

The Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe.
These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry.
The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle.
As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witchdoctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witchdoctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come.

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Directions: Stop at Stop No.14 on the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus trail.
Website: http://www.bluemts.com.au/tourist/thingsToDo/threeSisters.asp

Port Stephens is 220 kilometres from Sydney, essentially a 2.5 hours drive north from Sydney via the F3 Freeway.

I came here via day tour, which is always on any day tour itinerary brochure in Sydney. It's a little pricey at almost A$150 per pax (including Hunter Valley).

The blue waters of Port Stephen boast black dolphins (and humpback whales during the winter months) and you are usually rewarded with exciting sights of these playful black dolphins. They are not tamed, but their curiosity brings them close to the barges and boats and in turn, bring you and me, the over curious humans, pretty pumped up at their presence. Watch them play hide-&-seek with you as they duck swiftly back into the waves just when you think you have sighted one and watch them dance around your boat/barge.

Nothing beats seeing nature right in front of your very eyes.

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Website: http://www.portstephens.org.au/NaturalBeauty/i3.shtml

Port Stephens is 220 kilometres from Sydney, essentially a 2.5 hours drive north from Sydney via the F3 Freeway.

I came here via day tour, which is always on any day tour itinerary brochure in Sydney. It's a little pricey at almost A$150 per pax (including Hunter Valley).

The wind-blown sand dunes of Stockton Beach comprise the largest continuous mobile sand mass in New South Wales. The yellow grains have been washed in from the sea and blown ashore to form dunes up to thirty metres high. Most of the sand was deposited about six thousand years ago.

As the sand moves about, it exposes sections of barbed-wire entanglements left over from World War II. The wire had been hung from several rows of star pickets along the length of the beach. Running across the beach into the farmland for several kilometres was a line of heavy concrete pyramids designed to slow down tank movements. Many of these tank traps are still where they were placed all those years ago. Some of the blocks have been moved to line the beach car park at Birubi Point.

A day or annual permit allows four-wheel-drive vehicles on to the beach for most of its length to enjoy the wonders of this inspiring sandy landscape.

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Website: http://www.portstephens.org.au/NaturalBeauty/i10.shtml