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Live in Sydney, New South Wales!

(Sources: www.sydneyaustralia.com, www.business.nsw.gov.au, www.visitnsw.com, www.discoversydney.com.au)

Total Metropolitan Area: 12.145 km²
Population:  4.35 million 
Telephone Area Code: 02

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Climate in Sydney
Location and Population
Areas within Sydney
Sydney Surrounds

The gateway to Australia, Sydney is renowned as a dynamic and cosmopolitan city, combining excellent business and education facilities with great leisure.

Famous for its World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House, Sydney is one of the world's favourite cities, and has been voted "world's best city" by readers of US travel magazines Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler. Sydney is also ranked first in the Asia Pacific for quality of life by the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007.

Australia's oldest and largest city is set on one of the world's most stunning harbours, fringed by easy-to-reach, sandy beaches. Sydney Harbour separates the city into north and south, with harbourside villages, beachside suburbs and inner city areas full of life and their own distinctive character.

The city has a sunny, moderate climate which contributes to Sydneysiders' relaxed lifestyle and love of the great outdoors. There are five major national parks around Sydney with 8,000 square kilometres of open space.

This multicultural city's restaurant and cafe scene is enhanced by outstanding local fresh produce and world-class wines. Sydney has a dynamic arts and cultural scene. It is home to some of Australia's leading arts organisations such as Opera Australia, Sydney Symphony, Sydney Dance Company and Sydney Theatre Company and has produced many talented writers, film directors and performers.
Employment prospects are plentiful, education is world class and healthcare readily available.

Sydney offers a secure environment for families, with excellent facilities, transport and telecommunications.

Quick links:
Climate in Sydney
Location and Population
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Sydney Surrounds

Climate in Sydney.

The NSW climate is generally temperate enough to allow a year-round outdoor lifestyle. It varies in different parts of the State, from the sub-tropical north, to the drier inland regions and Snowy Mountain areas.

Compared to the northern hemisphere the seasons are reversed: winter is in the middle of the year and summertime at the end.

Sydney experiences 138 wet days a year with an average annual rainfall of 1,223 mm. However, the city is renowned for its sunshine; there’s only an average 23 days a year when the sun doesn’t shine. The average temperature ranges for Sydney are:

Sunshine - keep protected
You may hear the phrase 'slip, slap, slop' in NSW - this is a sun safety message and it encourages people to 'slip' on a T-shirt, 'slap' on a hat and 'slop' on some sun block when out in the sun. It is also advisable to stay out of the sun between 11 am and 2 pm in the summer months, as this is when the sun is at its hottest.

Quick links:
Climate in Sydney
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Location and Population in Sydney.

Sydney is the largest city in Australia with a population of 22,000 in central Sydney and 4 million people in greater Sydney. The working population in central Sydney is around 10 times the residential population at 235,000. The CBD is quite small in comparison to other cosmopolitan cities occupying an area of less than 6.2 square kilometres, greater Sydney on the other hand, comprises over 600 suburbs and localities and occupies an area of 2,500 square kilometres.
Sydney is located 33 degrees 55' south of the equator sharing a similar latitude to Buenos Aires and Cape Town in the Southern Hemisphere, and Casablanca, Los Angeles and Beirut in the North. The city is located on the southern coast of New South Wales between the smaller coastal cities of Woolongong and Newcastle. The CBD is situated on the southern bank of Sydney Harbour, 10 kms west from the mouth of Port Jackson.

Areas within Sydney

Bondi Beach

Big, bold and beautiful, this is where Sydney sheds its clothes and most of its inhibitions.
The closest ocean beach to the centre of Sydney, about a 20-minute drive.
This is the most celebrated beach in the country, a kilometre of golden grains where Sydney’s beautiful people come to bare it all. As well as the essential ingredients – booming surf, seagulls riding the breeze, the smell of sun-block – Bondi has a style all its own. This is see-and-be-seen territory, and nobody is ever too tanned, too thin or too muscled.

Bondi also has a vibrant café and restaurant culture. Campbell Parade, which runs along the back of the beach, is a near-continuous strip of outdoor cafes and gelato bars. There’s serious food territory too, with Sean’s Panaroma and the Icebergs Dining Room and Bar dishing out food every bit as glam as the view.

Stressed over beach-fashion burnout? Head one street back from the beach and you’ll find gorgeous streetwear, beachwear and funky designs for a new-look you. There’s Tuchuzy, where Kylie Minogue has been spotted checking out the racks, Bikini Island for surfwear essentials, Purl Harbour for gorgeous handknits, Alfie's Shop for the Bondi street look and puf 'n stuf retro clothing for vintage everything.

Manly

Cosmopolitan suburb with a beach vibe
Northern beaches
30-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay
A visit to Manly by ferry is a quintessential Sydney experience. Nestled between a tranquil inner-harbour beach on one side and a popular Pacific Ocean surf beach on the other, Manly manages to combine a laid-back attitude with a sophisticated dining scene and stylish boutiques.
The palm-tree lined Corso leads you onto the Steyne promenade, where you can walk, roller-blade or cycle along the oceanfront. Back in 2004, it became the first local council in Sydney to declare its beaches non-smoking. There are a number of scenic walking routes that link the beaches with the national park.

Chinatown and Haymarket

Asian and Spanish food and festivities
Located adjacent to Darling Harbour
15-minute bus trip from Circular Quay

Why go there
Capturing the colour and excitement of Asian streetlife, Chinatown and Haymarket offer an exciting mix of restaurants, food halls, noodle bars and quirky gift shops. Bargain-shops and Asian supermarkets also bring many visitors to the area, especially on weekends.
Haymarket has become a late-night entertainment precinct, with bars, theatres and cinemas pulsating into the night. The lively Spanish Quarter, an 80-m stretch of pizzaz, is close by.

City Centre (CBD)

The commercial heart of Sydney
Short walk from Circular Quay
Historic sites, museums, parks, cosmopolitan style
Sydney’s city centre offers visitors a huge variety of attractions, including designer boutiques, fine restaurants, hip bars and lavish department stores. Clusters of modern office towers look down on the action and over Sydney’s historic precincts, such as The Rocks.
The city centre has some of Australia’s best shopping arcades and malls. To find your way there, just look for Australia’s tallest structure – the Sydney Tower, with its 360-degree views stretching as far as the Blue Mountains on a clear day. Pitt Street Mall is a good spot to pause for some impromptu lunchtime entertainment.

History

Many of Sydney's main streets, such as Phillip, Macquarie, Hunter, Bligh, Liverpool, Sussex and George, are named after early English governors to acknowledge the city's colonial heritage.
The city fans out from the focal point of Circular Quay. This transport hub is within walking distance of the city’s star attractions – the Harbour Bridge, opened in 1932, and the Sydney Opera House, hailed as a 20th-century architectural masterpiece.
Along Macquarie Street are fine examples of early colonial architecture, while across town the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) and The Strand Arcade recall the architectural ornamentation of the 1890s.

The Rocks

Where Sydney's convict days blend with life today
City centre, five-minute walk from Circular Quay
Bursting with a colourful history dating back to convict days, The Rocks is a maze of sandstone lanes, cul-de-sacs and courtyards, jam-packed with shops, warehouses and terraces that were built in the early 19th century.  While The Rocks was once home to Sydney’s dockworkers and stevedores, it’s now a magnet for international visitors, who flock to its many shops, boutiques, pubs and restaurants.
This is the oldest part of Sydney as it was where the first European settlement of Australia started.
The oldest building in Sydney is here! It is called the Cadman’s Cottage and it was built in 1816 as a workshop for ships. The building is now being used as an information centre for the Sydney Harbour National Park.
The Rocks is famous for its narrow stone lanes, with great cafes, restaurants and pubs.  There are always bands playing in the pubs during the week.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Sydney's most famous landmarks. Completed in 1932, the construction of the bridge was an economic feat as well as an engineering triumph. Prior to the bridge being built, the only links between the city centre in the south and the residential north were by ferry or by a 20 kilometre (12� mile) road route that involved five bridge crossings.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge, which is known locally as the "Coat Hanger", took eight years to build, including the railway line. The bridge was manufactured in sections on a site that is now occupied by Luna Park funfair.
Construction on the bridge began in December, 1926. The foundations, which are 12 metres (39 feet) deep, are set in sandstone. Anchoring tunnels are 36 metres (118 feet) long and dug into rock at each end. Construction on the arch began in November, 1929. It was built in halves with steel cable restraints initially supporting each side. The arch spans 503 metres (1650 feet) and supports the weight of the bridge deck, with hinges at either end bearing the bridge's full weight and spreading the load to the foundations. The hinges allow the structure to move as the steel expands and contracts in response to wind and changes in temperatures.
By October, 1930, the two arch halves had met and work then began on the deck. The deck is 59 metres (194 feet) above sea level and was built from the center out.

The Harbour Bridge was officially opened on 19 March 1932. The total cost of the Bridge was approximately 6.25 million Australian pounds ($A13.5 million), and was eventually paid off in 1988. The initial toll for a car was 6 pence (5 cents) and a horse and rider was 3 pence (2 cents). Today the toll costs $3.00. The toll is now used for bridge maintenance and to pay for the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. The annual maintenance costs are approximately $5 million. More than 150,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day.
The bridge was built by 1400 workers, 16 of whom were killed in accidents during construction. Painting the bridge has become an endless task. Approximately 80,000 litres (21,000 gallons) of paint are required for each coat, enough to cover an area equivalent to 60 soccer fields. Before Paul Hogan (from the movie Crocodile Dundee) became famous, he worked on the Sydney Harbour Bridge as a painter.
Recommended for all visitors to Sydney is the Pylon Lookout. Inside the Lookout is a fascinating display on how this bridge was built. Entry to the Pylon is from the pedestrian walkway on the Harbour Bridge. You can get to the walkway via the stairs in Cumberland Street, The Rocks, or from near Milsons Point Station on the north side. The Pylon Lookout is open every day except Christmas Day.

Sydney Opera House

In 1957, a young Danish architect, dreaming of Bennelong Point, designed a masterpiece which pushed the boundaries of creativity and science – and put Sydney on the map forever.

The Sydney Opera House is one of the architectural wonders of the world – arguably the best known building of the 20th century, with its design and construction involving countless innovative design ideas and construction techniques.

Jørn Utzon was this young Danish architect and in 1999, aged 81, he was re-engaged to develop a set of Design Principles to act as a guide for all future changes to the building.

This is believed to be an unprecedented situation – to have the architect of one of the world's most iconic buildings back working on his creation more than 30 years after he was last involved.

The building’s cultural, heritage and architectural importance will now be protected forever, thanks to its inclusion in 2007 on the World Heritage List and in 2003, on the State Heritage Register, exactly 30 years after its official opening.

Jørn Utzon said in 2003: “To me it is a great joy to know how much the building is loved, by Australians in general and by Sydneysiders in particular”.


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Sydney Surrounds

Blue Mountains
Grand sandstone plateau, valleys and heathlands
Famous for its one million hectares of World Heritage-listed landscape
90 minutes’ drive west of Sydney
Once you’ve experienced the spectacular blue-hazed beauty, dramatic cliffs and deep canyons of the Blue Mountains, you’ll come away refreshed and invigorated.
While bushwalking in this wilderness area is a favourite pastime, the region is also famous for its heritage-listed guesthouses and luxurious resorts that offer spa treatments, natural therapies and great dining experiences.
A string of townships form a vibrant cultural community where artists, musicians and writers flourish.

Things to do

Bushwalk in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
Abseil in the Wollemi National Park.
Enjoy great coffee at one of the cosy cafés in Katoomba or Leura.
Be inspired by the spectacular Three Sisters at Katoomba’s Echo Point.
Ride a horse through the Megalong Valley.


Don’t miss

The Edge, Katoomba, a film showcasing the region, shown on a six-storey screen.
The Zig Zag Railway, a vintage steam train that runs from Bell to Lithgow.
One of the world’s oldest and rarest plants, the Wollemi Pine, at Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens, Mount Tomah.
Katoomba’s Scenic Skywalk, a glass-bottomed carriage that glides 270 m above the valley.
A guided tour of the limestone Jenolan Caves, near Lithgow, a favourite destination of travellers for more than a century.

Hunter Valley
Valleys, mountains and vineyards
Famous for its award-winning wines and historic towns
Two hours’ drive north of Sydney. Fly from Sydney with QantasLink, from Melbourne, Gold Coast and Brisbane with Jetstar and Virgin Blue. Newcastle Airport is one hours' drive to the Hunter Valley. 

Why go there

With more than 120 wineries, the Hunter Valley produces some terrific wines, loved at home and abroad, including the crisp Hunter Semillon and the ripe Hunter Shiraz. Complement the wine with superb cuisine and stylish boutique accommodation for the perfect getaway.
Wine and food buffs can join a winery tour to sample some of the region’s gourmet delights. Others may prefer to indulge in some serious pampering at a day spa or teeing off from one of the region’s three championship golf courses.

Things to do

Sip a Hunter Semillon and a Hunter Shiraz at a cellar door.
Visit the cellar doors of some of the wine "bluebloods", such as McGuigan, Tyrrell, Tulloch and Drayton, whose families have been making wine for generations.
Explore the galleries, antiques and specialty stores in Morpeth, a National Trust-classified town.
Taste handmade washed rind and white mould cheeses from Pokolbin.
Go bargain hunting in the historic villages of Wollombi, Morpeth and Broke.

Don’t miss

Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin, featuring 12 themed gardens over 25 hectares.
Seeing the Hunter Valley from the air – in a Tiger Moth, helicopter or even a hot-air balloon at sunrise.
Maitland Gaol, Maitland.
A tour of the wineries in a horse-drawn cart or on a bicycle.

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Location and Population
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Sydney Surrounds

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