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Sydney
One of the great Australian cities. Home of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, two of the most iconic structures on the planet. Sydney is the largest, oldest and most culturally diverse city in Australia, which makes for delicious food and interesting people. There are park loads of parks, miles of sandy coastline and epic mountain wilderness right on your doorstep. You will never get bored in one of the most livable cities in the world an essential stop on your Oz adventure..
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Overview of this wild giant of awesomeness
Top see and do's in WA
Melbourne City Guide
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Getting In and around
Sydney Central
By Air
Getting from Sydney's Kingsford Smith International Airport to the city is easy. There are many options, rail, bus, taxi and shuttle buses.
The shuttle bus can be booked online in advance saving a few dollars
By Rail
I love travelling my train so if i have the time this is how i'l travel. You will arrive in Sydney Central, just south of the CBD. Once you peel yourself off your seat you will need to get to where you are going. There are trains and buses going everywhere from here
Getting around
Currently New South Wales are rolling out a new ticketing system called the 'Opal Car' similar to Melbourne's Myki or London's Oyster Card. A reusable smartcard similar in size to a credit card that will allow you to pay for your travel on ferries, trains, buses and light rail. The Opal card is not yet fully rolled out so at the moment buying the old paper tickets as you go is the norm. More on Opal Cards. Sydney has a well developed rail and bus network making it easy to get around the city and suburbs.
Rail
The City Circle is a two way train loop of five stations.
Bus
There is a free CBD shuttle bus. The air-conditioned green and white-coloured bus number 555, runs a continuous loop in both directions around the central city area, But if you are staying in the cbd most places are walkable.
Getting from Sydney's Kingsford Smith International Airport to the city is easy. There are many options, rail, bus, taxi and shuttle buses.
The shuttle bus can be booked online in advance saving a few dollars
By Rail
I love travelling my train so if i have the time this is how i'l travel. You will arrive in Sydney Central, just south of the CBD. Once you peel yourself off your seat you will need to get to where you are going. There are trains and buses going everywhere from here
Getting around
Currently New South Wales are rolling out a new ticketing system called the 'Opal Car' similar to Melbourne's Myki or London's Oyster Card. A reusable smartcard similar in size to a credit card that will allow you to pay for your travel on ferries, trains, buses and light rail. The Opal card is not yet fully rolled out so at the moment buying the old paper tickets as you go is the norm. More on Opal Cards. Sydney has a well developed rail and bus network making it easy to get around the city and suburbs.
Rail
The City Circle is a two way train loop of five stations.
- Town Hall. Centrally located. Best for shopping, Pitt St Mall, Queen Victoria Building, Sydney Tower.
- Wynyard
- Circular Quay. Opera House, Ferries, Harbour Foreshore, Botanic Gardens
- St James. Hyde Park, St Mary's Cathedral, State Library, Art Gallery
- Museum. Hyde Park War Memorial
Bus
There is a free CBD shuttle bus. The air-conditioned green and white-coloured bus number 555, runs a continuous loop in both directions around the central city area, But if you are staying in the cbd most places are walkable.
Sydney Rail Map
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Sleeping!
There are loads of hostels in Sydney, there are a couple near Sydney Central towards the CBD and loads around Potts Point. Victoria street in Potts point is pretty much a hostel street, cafe-hostel-hostel-mini mart-hostel-bar and so on. A popular area as its near enough to walk to the CBD and harbour but also has its own nightlife scene, a once notorious red light district with the navy base nearby the place has mellowed a bit but i think perhaps the light is a little bit still on..either area is perfect to stay in though. Check hostel reviews before booking, some hostels here are shocking with equally shocking high prices! One place i stayed in, I may as well have slept on a bag of potatoes in a dirty shed. Super uncomfortable, old and dirty. They did provide a tiny 20mb of free wifi though... yes thats 20mb! so anyway check ahead, prices and quality very immensely.
Check out Hostelworld.com
Check out Hostelworld.com
I want to see stuff!
Luckily for you there is loads of great stuff to see and do in Sydney. Obviously first on many peoples to do list is Sydney's incredible Opera House and its neighbouring Harbour Bridge. Both beautiful day and night, but possibly more so at night when everything is magnificently lit up
Sydney Opera House
Completed ten years late and more than fourteen times over budget. This is one of the worlds most well known and iconic buildings. The Opera house became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. No visit to Sydney would be complete with seeing the Opera house. I am yet to be able to afford to go inside and see a performance but im sure it would be a magical experience! Guided tours of the inside are available for $28 and leave every 30 min and take about one hour. There is a wide range of bars and restaurants lining the esplanade to keep you fed and watered. There is also a free water refill point located near the ferries! Stay hydrated people! |
Sydney Harbour Bridge
One of Australia's and the worlds most well known landmarks. Photographed by millions of people every year. The bridge is huge up close, though not the longest steel arch bridge in the world, it is the biggest! If you are into heights or being terrified you can do the Bridge Climb tour which will see you climbing in a couple of ladders and walking the arch of the bridge side to side. You will get amazing 360 degree views of Sydney. They will provide protective clothing and rain gear if needed. Expect to pay $200- $300 depending on peak times and weekends. At least your wallet will be much lighter for climbing all those steps.
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Royal Botanic Gardens
A large and historically significant oasis in the heart of Sydney. The site of Australia's first farm. The land is home to many species of rare and beautiful plants and trees from all over Australia, Asia and the Pacific. A great place to see loads of local birds, like Kookaburras, Cockatoo's, Rainbow Lorikeet's and Crimson Rosella's. Not to mention flying foxes, reptiles and spiders!
Open 9-5.30
A large and historically significant oasis in the heart of Sydney. The site of Australia's first farm. The land is home to many species of rare and beautiful plants and trees from all over Australia, Asia and the Pacific. A great place to see loads of local birds, like Kookaburras, Cockatoo's, Rainbow Lorikeet's and Crimson Rosella's. Not to mention flying foxes, reptiles and spiders!
Open 9-5.30
Colorful flowers in the Botanic Gardens
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Cockatoo's!
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Botanic Pathways
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Beaches
Bondi
Everyone has heard of Bondi beach! A landmark and symbol of Australia known the world over. Sun, sand, blue sea, the smell of sun lotion in the air, beach babes and surfer dudes its all here, and only 7km from the city. During the summer months the beach gets quite full, like a sandy summer people jam with a scent of sun cream spread all over the beach. The white sandy arched bay is backed by Cambell Parade. A typical seaside town street full of tasty fresh fish and chips, cafes, and shops.DO bring suncream, me being Irish i was there about five seconds and got burnt to a fine shade of burgundy. The sea is usually quite wavy suitable for surfers and confident swimmers. The beach, and you are well looked after by the highly trained and world famous Bondi Lifeguards.
A perfect day trip from Sydney or better yet stay here a couple of days. There is a good few hostels to choose from just book ahead, can get quite busy. To get here catch a train from Sydney Central to Bondi Junction. Once there, catch route 333 at Bondi Junction Interchange stand A3 Or alternatively, routes 380, 381, 382 and X81 depart from Bondi Junction Interchange stand A1.
A perfect day trip from Sydney or better yet stay here a couple of days. There is a good few hostels to choose from just book ahead, can get quite busy. To get here catch a train from Sydney Central to Bondi Junction. Once there, catch route 333 at Bondi Junction Interchange stand A3 Or alternatively, routes 380, 381, 382 and X81 depart from Bondi Junction Interchange stand A1.
Palm Beach
If you are a fan of the Tv soap 'Home and Away' you may be thinking of making your way up here. Palm beach is the setting for 'Summer Bay' in 'Home & Away' but even if you dont give a damn about that, the beach and scenery here are still really nice, and well worth a visit, also way less crowded than other beaches closer to Sydney. The somewhat isolated beach stretches about 3kms and is Inhabited by some fairly wealthy locals. A quiet spot without all the touristy bits. There are plenty of walks to do and some pretty decent swells if you can surf. To get here catch the L88 or L90 to/from Sydney CBD. Taking about an hour and a half
Check times HERE |
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Blue Mountains
An area of unspoiled natural beauty on the cusp of the Sydney metropolitan area. Perfect for day trippers and overnighters alike. The Blue Mountains has many trips and tours to suit all peoples interests and abilities. With spectacular scenery and wildlife this accessible it makes the Blue Mountains a must do if you are in Sydney!
Getting there
For day trippers..
There are many day tours leaving from Sydney, they will pick you up at your hotel around 7am bring you on a tour around the area, give you lunch, stop at a gift shop or chocolate factory and deliver you back to the city in the evening. Perhaps suitable of the oldies, prices start around $70 and rise
Getting there yourself i think is best, cheapest, and gives you the freedom to enjoy the different walks and sights at your own pace. Its easy to get there, catch a train to Katoomba from Sydney Central ($11) taking around 2 hrs. There are plenty of trains stopping at Katoomba but i would suggest catching the 7.23am train to make the most of your day, but there is earlier or later ones! The view points and walks are just over 2km walk from the train station. You can buy a ticket for the Xplorer hop on hop off bus ($38) just outside the train station, which does a loop around the whole area from 9am -5.30pm. The bus stops at all sights, view points and areas of interest. We bought some tickets and after just catching the bus for 5mins then walking a few hours i started to think..hmmm i could have just walked here, but then after completing one or two walks, i could hop on the bus, to another, instead of walking loops i could just go one way, and at the end of a glorious sunny day it started raining so emerging from the thick forests up many steps it was good to catch the bus. Altogether $49 for your own independent tour, well worth it!
For day trippers..
There are many day tours leaving from Sydney, they will pick you up at your hotel around 7am bring you on a tour around the area, give you lunch, stop at a gift shop or chocolate factory and deliver you back to the city in the evening. Perhaps suitable of the oldies, prices start around $70 and rise
Getting there yourself i think is best, cheapest, and gives you the freedom to enjoy the different walks and sights at your own pace. Its easy to get there, catch a train to Katoomba from Sydney Central ($11) taking around 2 hrs. There are plenty of trains stopping at Katoomba but i would suggest catching the 7.23am train to make the most of your day, but there is earlier or later ones! The view points and walks are just over 2km walk from the train station. You can buy a ticket for the Xplorer hop on hop off bus ($38) just outside the train station, which does a loop around the whole area from 9am -5.30pm. The bus stops at all sights, view points and areas of interest. We bought some tickets and after just catching the bus for 5mins then walking a few hours i started to think..hmmm i could have just walked here, but then after completing one or two walks, i could hop on the bus, to another, instead of walking loops i could just go one way, and at the end of a glorious sunny day it started raining so emerging from the thick forests up many steps it was good to catch the bus. Altogether $49 for your own independent tour, well worth it!
Epic Blue Mountain Scenery
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Katoomba Falls
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Most walks take around 1hr 30mins each so your can see a lot on a day trip, you can link them all up and walk your brains out, heres som of the main sights.
Kiah Lookout, Cliff Top Walk, Three Sisters & Echo Point
Leura Cascades, Bridal Veil & Gordon Falls
The Three Sisters, Rainforest and Waterfalls
2Hrs
If you want your legs to feel like jelly, and the next day have a funny yet painful walk this is the walk for you!
Plunging into the Jamison Valley behind the Three Sisters, the Giant Stairway of almost one thousand steps takes you down a sheer cliff face. The stairs and paths are all well maintained and safe with all necessary handrails in place.
From the Visitor Information Centre at Echo Point, walk towards the three sisters, be sure to walk out onto the bridge connecting to one of the sisters for amazing views, from there take the 998 steps down the cliff face to the thick forest floor.
Once down you can either turn left towards Leura or right toward Scenic World. Heading left will bring you across Federal pass through the thick forest, waterfalls and lots of birds, and more steps! Making your way to Leura Cascades you will pass through thick unspoiled forest, packed with amazing wild birds, like Cockatoo's, Crimson Rosella's keep and eye on the forest floor for some Lyres, a large bird with a long tail, usually scraping up leaves looking for some insect snacks, a great walk your that legs will hate you for.
Kiah Lookout, Cliff Top Walk, Three Sisters & Echo Point
Leura Cascades, Bridal Veil & Gordon Falls
The Three Sisters, Rainforest and Waterfalls
2Hrs
If you want your legs to feel like jelly, and the next day have a funny yet painful walk this is the walk for you!
Plunging into the Jamison Valley behind the Three Sisters, the Giant Stairway of almost one thousand steps takes you down a sheer cliff face. The stairs and paths are all well maintained and safe with all necessary handrails in place.
From the Visitor Information Centre at Echo Point, walk towards the three sisters, be sure to walk out onto the bridge connecting to one of the sisters for amazing views, from there take the 998 steps down the cliff face to the thick forest floor.
Once down you can either turn left towards Leura or right toward Scenic World. Heading left will bring you across Federal pass through the thick forest, waterfalls and lots of birds, and more steps! Making your way to Leura Cascades you will pass through thick unspoiled forest, packed with amazing wild birds, like Cockatoo's, Crimson Rosella's keep and eye on the forest floor for some Lyres, a large bird with a long tail, usually scraping up leaves looking for some insect snacks, a great walk your that legs will hate you for.