There is no greater cosmopolitan location on the NSW Coast journey than the state’s capital, Sydney. As the largest and most iconic Australian city, it is widely known for two of its most famous landmarks, the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Sydney is a complex landscape, given its extensive
waterways and varied topography. It is a sprawling urban area with the Pacific
Ocean to its east, national parks to its north and south and stretching west
all the way to the Blue Mountains. The Paramatta River cuts through the
landscape as a major tributary of Sydney Harbour (also known as Port Jackson).
The natural harbour is one of the largest and most picturesque in the
world.
Bridges and tunnels connect various parts of the city for
vehicular transportation, while water taxis and a network of ferries connect
commuters from their suburban homes to downtown. Catching one of the commuter
ferries from Circular Quay is a great and economical way to explore Sydney and
visit attractions like Taronga Zoo or its prettier suburbs, like Manly or
Watson Bay.
With so much water surrounding the city, it is expected
that it will have an endless supply of gorgeous beaches, from the famous Bondi
Beach with its vibrant beachfront scene to Manly Beach, known for its laid-back
atmosphere, Coogee Beach, popular with families and Palm Beach, where the
long-running TV show “Home and Away” is filmed.
There are so many points of interest in a very contained
space that it would require an independent journey to Sydney alone to cover its
extensive history from early colonisation to the financial and commercial hub
it is today. But a roundup of some highlights would include exploring The
Rocks, Sydney's oldest neighbourhood steeped in colonial history, marvelling at
the architectural wonder of the Sydney Opera House, and for the courageous,
climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge to take in the views from the top. My favourite
activity is a wander around Darling Harbour to visit the elegant Chinese
Gardens and check out the historic vessels at the Maritime Museum, particularly
the tall ship James Craig.
The city’s business centre juxtaposes historic buildings
and modern skyscrapers. The Queen Victoria Building is a stunning example of
Victorian architecture, housing boutique shops and cafes, contrasted by the
sleek, glassy facades of the commercial buildings, upscale restaurants and
luxury boutiques in the Barangaroo precinct.
Much as I wished to continue exploring Sydney, the rest of the coast awaited, so I pushed on to my next destination, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
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