Sydney

State

New South Wales

Country

Australia

Continent

Australia

Size

12,368 KM²

Population

5,310,000

Spending Budget

$70 - $150

Famous For

Sydney Opera House
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Bondi Beach
Seafood Centre
Outer City Wonders

Best Time to Visit

January
March
April
October
November

History

Once a penal colony , Sydney is now of the most beautiful location to reside in. It was established in 1788 , when the first British fleets of 1000 settlers ( most of whom were convicts) docked on Australia's shores and laid the foundation of a British penal colony. Sydney is named after Lord Sydney, who was British home secretary when Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet arrived in January 1788. In a letter, Phillip described the colony in Sydney Cove as having “the finest harbour in the world” in which “a thousand sail of the line may ride in the most perfect security". At the time more than 1,500 Aborigines were living on the foreshore.The colony’s early years were harsh. After four governors and a military revolt, known as the Rum Rebellion, governor Lachlan Macquarie was put in charge. He restored order and charted a new course for NSW, Australia’s first state, as a free society. Macquarie was a great builder and visionary. Rivers and lakes, a bank, a university, even a dictionary, are named after him. By the 1830s, Sydney was a busy commercial seaport exporting wool to Europe. Transportation of convicts from Britain ended in 1840. Gold fever struck in the 1850s; Edward Hammond Hargraves is credited with finding the first payable goldfields near Bathurst, in Country NSW, in February 1851. By the 1870s, Australia’s population had trebled.Immigration has transformed Sydney into one of the world’s most ethnically diverse cities. More than 180 nationalities call it home. You’ll discover more of Sydney’s past at museums and on heritage and cultural tours, and at the State Library of NSW on Macquarie Street.

Present Day

Sydney ( in present day) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in Australia . Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Port Jackson and extends about 70 km on its periphery towards the Blue Mountains to the west, Hawkesbury to the north, the Royal National Park to the south and Macarthur to the south-west. Sydney is made up of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Informally there are at least 15 regions. Residents of the city are known as "Sydneysiders". Despite being one of the most expensive cities in the world, Sydney frequently ranks in the top ten most liveable cities in the world.It is classified as an Alpha Global City by Globalization and World Cities Research Network, indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world.Ranked eleventh in the world for economic opportunity, Sydney has an advanced market economy with strengths in finance, manufacturing and tourism.When you think about Sydney, the city is a blend of harbours and beaches, not to mention the opera house which is hugely popular amongst people who love various forms of art. You are sure to be astonished with the tourist attractions that this city offers. There are a lot of adventurous things to do in Sydney, which is why tourists flock to this shores for endless memories and adventure.

Future

In the past 25 years, Sydney has grown by 1.3 million to reach 4.7 million people . Sydney in the future will witness rapid technological changes and aim on creating a lower carbon city. Electric and autonomous vehicles, robotics, drones, artificial intelligence,automation, computing speed and device connectivity will change how residents live and, in turn, the shape of the region.Technology may also increase demand for local employment hubs, or shared office spaces, to support localised production through developments such as 3D printing. There may be on-demand bus services, and the sharing of vehicles, smartphone-based bike sharing, autonomous vehicle hubs and electric charging stations.The economy may also change with a greater reliance on knowledge-intensive jobs and tertiary education, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics . The future will require people to adapt to climate change, to mitigate future impacts and to be more efficient with resources. Infrastructure will need to be not only resilient but adaptable to technological transformation such as renewable energy, smart energy networks, distributed energy and water systems and energy-efficient homes and buildings.Development will need to better capitalise on air rights rather than making space by expanding the urban footprint. This will not only require good quality apartment buildings and commercial towers but mixed-use buildings including schools, roof top gardens, vertical farms and innovative energy sources.

Must Visit Places ------------

Sydney Opera House

This is one of the world’s great icons. This graceful construction, shaped like shells or billowing sails, perches on a finger of land surrounded by water. Take a picture while gliding by on a harbour cruise, relax at one of the restaurants, stroll around its exterior, or take an organized tour of this magnificent structure, which encompasses extraordinary theatres, wonderful studios, amazing exhibition rooms, a beautiful concert hall, and cinema.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge or "Coat hanger," as locals call it, was the city’s best-known landmark prior to construction of the Sydney Opera House. Supported by massive double piers at each end, it was built in 1932 and remains the world’s largest steel arch bridge, connecting the harbours’ north and south shores in a single curve rising 134 meters above the water.

The Rocks

First stop should be a visit to the Rocks Discovery Museum, which traces the area’s fascinating transformation from traditional aboriginal lands to convict slum to tourist hot spot. Afterwards, take a trip around the narrow-cobbled streets with their souvenir shops, restaurants, cafés, and aboriginal and contemporary art galleries, or shop at the market stalls. Guided tours run the gamut from aboriginal heritage walks to photographic excursions and night time ghost tours

Harbour Cruises From Circular Quay

Built by convict labour in Sydney Cove, bustling Circular Quay is now home to the city’s main ferry terminal. Thousands of commuters flood the area at peak hours, cafés and restaurants line the waterfront, and street performers entertain locals and visitors along the sunny walkways. One of the most popular things to do here, and the best way to appreciate Sydney’s sparkling waterfront setting, is to hop aboard a harbour cruise, like the popular two-hour Sydney Harbour Coffee Cruise

Darling Harbour

A beautiful hub for tourists and locals alike, Darling Harbour is a waterfront pedestrian precinct packed with shops, restaurants, museums, exhibitions, and entertainment venues. Also, Families will love Madame Tussaud’s; the WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo; and the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, which contains the world’s largest collection of Australian marine creatures

The Royal Botanic Garden

A tranquil oasis amid the hustle and bustle of the city, the Royal Botanic Garden at Farm Cove lies a short and scenic stroll along the waterfront from the Sydney Opera House. The gardens were established in 1816 and encompass 30 hectares of themed gardens with towering trees, palm groves, orchids, ferns, and flocks of fruit bats. Visiting the gardens is only one of the many wonderful things to do in Sydney for free.

Queen Victoria Building

The ultimate point of Sydney shopping is the Romanesque-style Queen Victoria Building, linked by underground arcades with Town Hall Station. Originally it was built as a market hall between , this elegant building is crowned by a high central dome surrounded by 20 smaller domes. After decades of neglect and even plans for demolition, this grand sandstone building was restored to its original state in the 1980s. Today, almost more than 200 high-end shops line its light-filled galleries

The Sydney Tower Eye

Soaring above the city skyline, the 309-meter-high Sydney Tower Eye is the city’s tallest building and one of its great landmarks. This golden spire-topped turret rises from the busy Centrepoint shopping mall. While up there, you can enjoy panoramic views of Sydney and its surrounding suburbs or enjoy a bite to eat at one of the revolving restaurants or the café. Also, on offer is a 4D cinema experience, which provides an overview of the city’s major icons.

Barangaroo Reserve

Barangaroo Reserve is an excellent example of a successful urban renewal project and a lovely spot for a walk along the harbour. Transformed from an unsightly container terminal, this 22-hectare waterfront precinct opened to the public in 2015 and is now home to more than 75,000 native trees and shrubs, walking and cycling tracks, shops, restaurants, and event and exhibition space. It is named after the influential female indigenous leader at the time of European colonisation.

Art Gallery Of New South Wales

Surrounded by beautiful parklands, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of the country’s most distinguished art museums. The building dates are from 1885 and houses spacious, light-filled galleries and Grand Courts, with collections ranging from works by the European masters and Asian artists to evocative contemporary art from around the world.