Australia.com

The official website of the Australian Tourist Commission.

THE FACTS ABOUT AUSTRALIA

WHY GO

Laid-back, vibrant and gorgeous, Sydney is the cosmopolitan capital of New South Wales. The city has food to rival any in the world, and is at the forefront of cutting-edge design, with chic hotels and excellent restaurants.

WHAT TO SEE

BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS

ANZAC BRIDGE

The longest cable-stayed bridge in Australia, the ANZAC Bridge was completed in 1996. It is one of Sydney's most visible landmarks, connecting Darling Harbour to the City-West Road Link. Formerly known as the Glebe Island Bridge, it was renamed on Remembrance Day in 1998 in honour of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who served in World War I. The Australian flag flies atop the eastern pylon while the New Zealand flag adorns the western one. A bronze statue of an ANZAC soldier serves as a memorial on the western end of the bridge.

EL ALAMEIN FOUNTAIN

Located at the heart of the Kings Cross area, the El Alamein fountain is a well-known meeting spot for people in Sydney. The fountain itself, designed by Robert Woodward, looks like a post-bloom dandelion. It is a war memorial to the men who fought in El Alamein during World War II.

HORIZON APARTMENT TOWER

Hurstville, Sydney. Built by Harry Seidler Group in the late 1990s, Horizon Apartments is a 43-story tower with a great view over the harbour in general and the Opera House in particular. Tourists have no chance of getting onto the top floor as the house is privately owned, but the building itself is a great experience, as modern as a skyscraper can get in the city.

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

2 Macquarie Street, Sydney (00 61 2 9250 7111; http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/; email: infodesk@sydneyoperahouse.com). The home of Opera Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous buildings in the world. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and covered in over one million white granite tiles imported from Sweden, the shell-shape house was completed in 1973. An argument made Utzon resign in the late 1960s, but his original design ideas are now at last being implemented.

CITY VIEWS

MRS MACQUARIE'S CHAIR

Mrs Macquarie's Road, Sydney. Mrs Macquarie was the wife of Governor Macquarie, and legend has it that she used to sit in this part of a rock, shaped like a bench or a chair. You can see very good views over Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge from here.

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

Connecting the central business district with the North Shore, the Harbour Bridge is one of the best spots for a good view over Sydney. Choose a clear and dry day to climb to the top of it and admire the spectacular scenery. The climb lasts about three and a half hours, during which participants follow a number of secure walkways up to the summit. You are attached to safety cables at all times. Children under 12 are not allowed up. Contact BridgeClimb for tickets and further information (00 61 2 8274 7777; fax: 00 61 2 9240 1122; www.bridgeclimb.com; email: admin@bridgeclimb.com).

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE - THE PYLON LOOKOUT

(00 61 2 9240 1100; fax: 00 61 2 9241 2151; www.pylonlookout.com.au; email: pylonlookout@bridgeclimb.com). If you are unwilling to risk the climb to the top of the bridge, or if you have children in your company, walk the 200 steps to the Pylon Lookout in the one of the bridge's pylons instead. 87 meters above mean sea level, you will be able to see most of Sydney from here. On your way up you will pass three levels where the history and construction of the bridge are exhibited.

SYDNEY TOWER

Centrepoint Podium Level, 100 Market Street, Sydney. Formerly known as both the AMP and the Centrepoint, the Sydney Tower is the tallest freestanding structure in Sydney. Contact Skywalk (00 61 2 9333 9222; www.sydneyskytour.com.au) for a chance to get onto the roof, 268m over Sydney - a walk that makes the Harbour Bridge seem like a picnic. Skywalk also presides over the Oztrek, a 180-degree cinema screen showing a simulated ride in the southern hemisphere. For those who want to quietly reflect over being on top of the world, the Tower is also home to the Sydney Tower Restaurant (00 61 2 8223 3800; fax: 00 61 2 8223 3843; www.sydney-tower-restaurant.com; email: reservations@sydney-tower-restaurant.com). The Tower is open daily.

MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES

Anyone used to Europe's great public museums will find Sydney's a little underwhelming. In fact, the best museum in the city is Sydney itself, especially the areas most closely associated with European settlement: The Rocks, the Domain, Circular Quay and Macquarie Street. Sydneysiders decry the destruction of so much colonial architecture, but visitors will still find much to delight them, especially as the city is framed by a constantly changing harbour.

ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney (00 61 2 9225 1700; fax: 00 61 2 9221 6226; www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au; email: artmail@ag.nsw.gov.au). From the moment the first fleet arrived, artists have been trying to capture Australia's remarkable light, fauna and emptiness. The full span of that enterprise is brilliantly captured at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, just a five-minute walk from Sydney's city centre. The permanent collection includes all of Australia's great colonial artists and later impressionists, as well as more recent works by Fred Williams, Sir Sidney Nolan and Brett Whiteley. The temporary exhibitions are also well worth a visit.

AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM

6 College Street, Sydney (00 61 2 9320 6000; www.austmus.gov.au). The Australian Museum in College Street is worthwhile for its fine Australian wildlife and Aboriginal collections. Established in 1827, it is known as Australia's first museum and has a good reputation in the fields of natural history and indigenous studies. Open daily.

BRETT WHITELEY STUDIO

2 Raper Street, Surry Hills, Sydney (00 61 2 9225 1881; fax: 00 61 2 9690 1308; www.brettwhiteley.org; email: brettwhiteleystudio@ag.nsw.gov.au). When Brett Whiteley died of a drug overdose in 1992, his studio was left in the state it was found, with unfinished canvases, brushes and paints strewn around. The walls are covered with graffiti, quotes and images, and the museum calls itself 'the best kept secret in Sydney'. Poetry readings are held on the fourth Sunday of every month. Open Sat-Sun only.

ELIZABETH BAY HOUSE

7 Onslow Avenue, Elisabeth Bay, Sydney (00 61 2 9356 3022; fax: 00 61 2 9357 7176; www.hht.net.au; email: info@hht.net.au). Built in the late 1830s for Colonial Secretary Alexander Macleay and his family, Elizabeth Bay House once stood in acres of botanical gardens. Now enclosed by ugly suburban housing, it still has the finest colonial-style staircase in Australia. Open Tue-Sun.

HYDE PARK BARRACKS MUSEUM

Queens Square, Macquarie Street, Sydney (00 61 8239 2311; fax: 00 61 2 8239 2322; www.hht.net.au; email: info@hht.net.au). Hyde Park Barracks, like St James' Church designed by Australia's leading colonial architect, Thomas Greenway, focuses on early colonial history and convict life. The museum has a delightful restaurant in its courtyard.

JUSTICE & POLICE MUSEUM

Corner of Albert and Philip Streets, Circular Quay, Sydney (00 61 2 9252 1144; fax: 00 61 2 9252 4860; www.hht.net.au; email: info@hht.net.au). Although chintzed-up for tourists, the Rocks offers a wonderful insight into convict life. The seriously interested can book a guided walking tour of the Justice & Police Museum. Just off Circular Quay, the museum is funny and alarming in equal measure. The building houses some astonishing criminal artefacts alongside its convict cells, including the death mask of notorious bushranger Captain Moonlight. Open daily.

NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour, Sydney (00 61 2 9298 3777; fax: 00 61 2 9298 3780; www.anmm.gov.au). Children will be delighted by early surfing memorabilia, a British destroyer and an old Soviet submarine at the National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour. Free entrance. Open daily.

NORMAN LINDSAY GALLERY AND MUSEUM

14 Norman Lindsay Crescent, Faulconbridge, Sydney (00 61 2 4751 1067; www.hermes.net.au/nlg; email: nlg@hermes.net.au). The gallery, located in the artist's former home in the Blue Mountains, has a major collection of Norman Lindsay's dreamy oils, watercolours, pen drawings and etchings. The large garden contains many of his sculptured ladies.

NUTCOTE - HOME OF MAY GIBBS

5 Wallaringa Avenue, Neutral Bay, Sydney (00 61 2 9953 4453; fax: 00 61 2 9953 0302; www.maygibbs.com.au). Nutcote is the former home of illustrator and children's author May Gibbs. The house was converted into a museum 30 years after her death and it displays a collection of personal artefacts, pictures, sketches and letters.

PARLIAMENT HOUSE - PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Macquarie Street, Sydney (00 61 2 9230 2111; www.parliament.nsw.gov.au). The most important historical precinct in Sydney is located in a triangle between St James' Church, Parliament House and Hyde Park Barracks - it was the seat of power in early 19th-century Australia. With its leather benches, wood-panelled walls and framed portraits, the parliament seems like an anachronism in modern-day Australia - an allegation frequently levelled at the state MPs who lounge there.

VAUCLUSE HOUSE AND GARDENS

Wentworth Avenue, Vaucluse, Sydney (00 61 2 9388 7922; fax: 00 61 2 9337 4963; www.hht.net.au; email: info@hht.net.au). One of the few surviving 19th-century harbour estates in Sydney, Vaucluse House was the home of William Charles Wentworth and his family from the 1830s and onwards. The house illustrates the life of Wentworth, the father of the Australian Constitution, his family members and servants. The estate is surrounded by a large formal garden that doubles as a jazz venue during the summer months.

PARKS

THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS & DOMAIN

Mrs Macquarie's Road, Sydney (00 61 2 9231 8111; fax: 00 61 2 9251 4403; www.rbgsyd.gov.au). One of Sydney's jewels, overlooking the famous harbour and the Opera House. Originally the site of the colony's first farm, the Royal Botanic Gardens date back to 1817, making them the oldest scientific institution in Australia. Today, the gardens cover 34 hectares and include a succulent garden, a native rockery and national herbarium with more than one million plant samples, including those collected by Joseph Banks in 1770. There are free guided walks on offer, departing at 10.30am from the visitor information area. An indigenous walk called 'Cadi Jam Ora: First Encounters', led by Aboriginal guides, is also available. Booking is essential (00 61 2 9231 8134). The adjoining grassed area, the Domain, is used for recreating, picnics and outdoor concerts.

WHAT TO DO

BOAT RIDES

Tiny islands, safe diving spots and sandy beaches punctuate Sydney's harbour suburbs, and the 10-minute crossing from Circular Quay to McMahon's Point and Lavender Bay must be one of the world's greatest harbour rides. Contact Harbour Taxi Boats to arrange the boat ride (00 61 2 9555 1155). To arrange private trips to Shark Island and Clarke Island, call 00 61 2 9555 1222.

PEOPLE-WATCHING

A warm climate and extrovert population make Sydney a people-watcher's paradise. While the old pavilion at Bondi Beach is a good place to start, Circular Quay and Taylor Square (at the top of Oxford Street) are equally fulfilling. But the weekend crowd at the kiosk in Centennial Park, just south of the Paddington area, provides the best display. This is a magnet for wealthy eastern suburbs types sporting Gucci sunglasses, designer children, nannies, dogs, mistresses and highly polished off-road vehicles. Watch out for the groups of power-walking Russians and Hungarians, 'yummy mummies' pushing jogging prams, and haughty looking people on horses. The human menagerie more than compensates for the kiosk's poor coffee and gruff service.

OUTSIDE THE CITY

BEACHES

NORTHERN BEACHES

Affluent Northern Beaches, with Palm Beach, is the most expensive stretch of sand in Australia. Located to the north of Sydney, the area is known for some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. 20 of them are patrolled during the Australian summer, only Manly Beach is patrolled all year round. Palm Beach is known as Summer Bay in TV soap Home and Away. It also offers a good climb to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse, where the National Parks and Wildlife Service (www.npws.nsw.gov.au) holds guided tours every day.

EXCURSIONS

HUNTER VALLEY

Wine lovers should leave Sydney for a day or two, and take a trip to Hunter Valley - one of Australia's most well known wine districts. There are plenty of tour operators, both local and from Sydney, check with the official tourist information centre in Hunter Valley for further information (455 Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin; 00 61 2 4990 0900; fax: 00 61 2 4991 4518; www.winecountry.com.au; email: info@winecountry.com.au). Stay in one of the areas best hotels, such as Peppers Convent (Halls Road, Pokolbin; 00 61 2 4998 7764; fax: 00 61 2 4998 7323; www.peppers.com.au; email: convent@peppers.com.au) or Tower Lodge (Halls Road, Pokolbin; 00 61 2 4998 7022; fax: 00 61 2 4998 7164; www.towerlodge.com.au; email: retreat@towerestate.com).

PARKS

ROYAL NATIONAL PARK

The second oldest national park in the world (beaten only by Yellowstone), the Royal National Park has been going strong since 1879. Only 30km away from Sydney, it offers unlimited serenity, archetypal beaches and rainforest views. The walk to Burning Palms Beach should not be missed. The National Park and Wildlife Services offers a number of guided tours of the area. Visit www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au for further information.

SURFING

First-timers should beware: riptides can take travellers swiftly out to sea. To learn how to surf, call The Australian Surfriders Association (00 61 2 9976 0657; www.surfingaustralia.com) for a reputable coach or school.

BAWLEY POINT

For intermediate and advanced surfers, Bawley Point offers a suitable challenge. There are a lot of people in the water though, so it is hardly the place to go if you are looking for a one-on-one with the waves.

BYRON BAY

A good spot for adventurous travellers who want to return home with some surfing skills in their baggage. Plenty of surf schools offer lessons to everyone from beginners to intermediates. It is not so good for spotting professionals - skilled surfers tend to stay out of the bay.

NEWCASTLE

There are plenty of beaches to choose from in Newcastle, located just north of Sydney. Visit Newcastle City Beaches (http://www.newcastletourism.com/beaches.html) to find out which one suits you best.

SWIMMING

WYLIE'S BATHS

Neptune Street, Coogee (00 61 2 9665 2838; fax: 00 61 2 9398 4993; www.wylies.com.au; email: swimnow@wylies.com.au). In the early days of white settlement, people only swam in the natural rock pools around Sydney. Wylie's Baths, in Coogee 8km southeast of central Sydney, is the last of these beautiful and unspoilt places. The first mix-sex bath facility in Sydney, it was the training ground for Australia's first female Olympic swimmers, Mina Wylie and Fanny Durack. A favourite for generations of Sydneysiders, the old baths were fully restored in 1995 and is now listed by the National Trust. The wooden decking, immaculate changing rooms and deck chairs certainly evoke an earlier age. Visit the baths mid-week for a chance to have them all to yourself - linger over a coffee from the kiosk, read a book or succumb to a poolside massage. The elevated decks provide sweeping views north along the coast.

WALKS

BLUE MOUNTAINS

Pull on a pair of walking boots and go west to the fabled Blue Mountains, a wilderness area of escarpments and bracing air, and Sydney's answer to the Lake District (and with just about as many coaches). Avoid Katoomba and base yourself at Blackheath or Mount Victoria instead. The Mountains offers one of the best bushwalks in the world, from easy challenges along cliff side tops to hard-core jungle and mountain trekking.

BONDI-COOGEE COASTAL WALK

(www.waverley.nsw.gov.au). There's nothing that beats the feeling of the popular Bondi-Coogee Coastal Walk on a warm day. A 10km cliff-top track that links Sydney's two best beaches, the walk offers the glamourous Tamarama as a convenient dip stopover. Along the way you will see the stunning ocean, historic cemeteries, rock pools, Aboriginal sites, snazzy cafés and some good fish and chips in Bronte. The walk is fairly easy, but allow two hours for the round trip - unless you feel like hopping onto a local bus to take you back. If you are interested in a harbour-side walk, try the Manly Scenic Walkway, from Manly Cove to Spit Bridge. Another delight, this is a similar length to the Bondi-Coogee walk, but involves a ferry ride across the harbour.