Sydney
Sydney has in two hundred years evolved from being a miserable British penal colony to an international metropolis and one of the most popular destinations in the southern hemisphere. Sydney is not the capital of Australia, but the capital of the Australian state of New South Wales, has a warm and sunny year-round climate and a host of attractions to offer its visitors.
And not least, the town’s inhabitants are exceptionally jovial and talkative. Especially after the 2000 Summer Olympics, Sydney has experienced a tourist boom, and Sydney’s facilities have also improved significantly.
Sydney is a fascinating mix of old and new. On one side you have modern glass and steel skyscrapers, and the world-famous Opera House, and on the other side The Rocks district, where historic buildings lie along narrow cobblestone streets.
Sydney’s nightlife has legendary proportions, and during the daytime you have one of the world’s best and most famous beaches, Bondi Beach, half an hour away from downtown. In short, Sydney is a city where young people, couples, singles and retirees will be able to have a fabulous holiday.
Get to know Sydney
Sydney is Australia’s largest city and is located on the south east coast, about the same latitude as Cape Town and Buenos Aires. Although people have lived in the area for about 40,000 years, Sydney’s modern history does not begin until 1770, when Captain James Cook sailed into Botany Bay with the ship Endeavor. He called the country New South Wales and claimed it for England, which at this time was looking for a place to deport its troublemakers.
18 years later, in 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip arrived with the first ship loaded with a thousand convicted prisoners and founded a penal colony at Sydney Cove on Port Jackson. The colony was named after Lord Sydney politician Thomas Townsend, who had given Captain Phillip the task. The colony was constantly at odds with the local Aborigines, and many of these died of diseases the British carried. The colony grew rapidly and in 1842 was declared Australia’s first city.
In 1851 gold was found 20 miles west of Sydney, leading to massive immigration. Over the next twenty years, the population more than quadrupled. In 1870, there were around 200,000 inhabitants in Sydney. Today, Sydney has grown into a large city with over 4.2 million inhabitants and is the economic center of Australia. Sydney is also the country’s premier tourist attraction, first and foremost world renowned for the two landmarks of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge.
City Profile
- Abbreviation: SYD
- Country: Australia
Sydney Harbor
Sydney Harbor divides Sydney into two, and the portions are connected by the Harbor Bridge and the Underwater Harbor Tunnel. Sydney Harbor is actually called Port Jackson and is the world’s largest natural harbor. Most of the attractions can be found in the city center, also called the Central Business District or CBD, located south of the harbor. The central area of the CBD is the quays of Circular Quay, where boats go to the rest of the region. From Circular Quay you can see the Harbor Bridge stretching from the historic The Rocks district north of Sydney to the famous Opera House majestic at the extreme end of Bennelong Point in the east.
Central Business District – CBD
The CBD extends down to Sydney’s main train station, and the east side is dominated by large green spaces such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, The Domain, Cook + Phillip Park and Hyde Park. The main thoroughfare is George Street, which extends from Chinatown in the south, at the train station, to The Rocks in the north. The main shopping area is around Pitt Street, which runs parallel to George Street.
Darling Harbor
West of the CBD lies Sydney’s other major theme park, Darling Harbor. This is a popular area for tourists, with attractions such as the Sydney Aquarium, the Powerhouse Museum, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Center, Paddy’s Market and the Australian National Maritime Museum. This is also Sydney’s premier nightlife area.
Darlinghurst, Kings Cross and Woolloomooloo
To the east of the CBD lies the Darlinghurst district, which is best known for its Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and its Australian Museum. Northeast of Darlinghurst lies the densely populated Kings Cross district, which has gained a fringe reputation as Sydney’s Red Light District. Between Kings Cross, Darlinghurst and The Domain Park lies the district with the festive name Woolloomooloo. This was originally an area for the poorer working classes, but has become one of Sydney’s more upscale neighborhoods in recent years after celebrities like Russell Crowe settled here.
Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach
A few miles southeast of downtown are the beach suburbs of Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach. The former, which is otherwise pronounced Bondai, with print on the last syllable, is one of the world’s most famous beaches and attracts tens of thousands of sun worshipers, surfers and sand volleyball players daily. Every Sunday the popular Bondi Beach Markets are organized. Coogee Beach is a densely populated suburb with a great beach, but surfing is not allowed here. Families often enjoy it better here than on the slightly more hectic Bondi Beach.
North Sydney and Kirribilli
Crossing the Harbor Bridge to northern Sydney, you will first reach the North Sydney and Kirribilli boroughs, where you will find attractions such as the Luna Park Amusement Park, Prime Minister Kirribilli House and the Governor’s Residence Admiralty House. Just east of Kirribilli is the large Taronga Zoo and Sydney Harbor National Park.
Sydney Facts
SYDNEY – Australia’s largest city and capital in the state of New South Wales.
Population | Around 4.2 million |
Language | English. |
Control Form |
Constitutional monarchy with parliamentary rule. |
Religion |
70% Christians. Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox. |
Time Difference |
Sydney is 9 hours ahead of Norway, summertime 8 hours ahead. |
Currency |
Australian dollars, equivalent to about 5 Norwegian kroner. Most credit cards (Visa, Master, Diners, AmEx) are accepted in most places. ATMs are available almost everywhere. |
Tips |
In finer restaurants it is normal to give 10-15%. Tips are included in many restaurants, then you choose to give yourself how satisfied you are. For taxi drivers, it is normal to round up to the next full dollar. |
Embassy | Norway has a Consulate General at Level 11. 189 Kent Street. |
Tourist |
Sydney Visitors Center, 106 George Street, The Rocks. |
Telephone |
61 |
Emergency |
000 |
Electricity |
240 volts with three-point connectors. Adapters are normally available in stores. |
Holidays and Holidays |
January 26, April 25. Labor Day in early October. |
Visa | Yes. Must be arranged before departure, these are electronic and can usually be issued by your travel agent. |
Vaccinations | No vaccines are required. |
Water | Can be drunk from the tap. |
Nearest major cities | Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne. |
Safety | Some violence against tourists, but some profit crime. |
List of Sydney Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Sydney is SYD which stands for Sydney. In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Sydney, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.