Kings Cross, Woolloomoolo, and Newtown

Kings Cross and Woolloomooloo

Fast facts
* Excitement day or night
* East of city centre
* 12-minute bus ride from Circular Quay

Why go there
Kings Cross is Australia’s best-known entertainment precinct. It buzzes with nightclubs, live music and the fleshier side of life.
After dark, a never-ending procession of revellers hit Darlinghurst Road, while others head to more upmarket scenes in Potts Point and Woolloomooloo.

Kings Cross continually reinvents itself, with new restaurants, bars and entertainment venues opening up all time.

Things to do
* Take a tour of the historic naval base, Garden Island.
* Enjoy waterfront alfresco dining and fresh seafood at one of the restaurants lining Woolloomooloo Wharf.
* Catch a performance at the Stables or Old Fitzroy Hotel theatres, which showcase local talent.
* Meet at cool clubs such as the Piano Room, Blanco in the new Barcelona building, Aperitif or the cocktail hour at The Gazebo Wine Garden.

Don’t miss it
* El Alamein Fountain.
* Historic Elizabeth Bay House and Tusculum, grand colonial homes.
* Spa Chakra at Woolloomooloo Wharf for vichy water treatments.
* Harry’s Cafe de Wheels, famous for its delicious pies, open throughout the night.


Newtown

Fast facts
* Melting pot of styles
* Inner west
* 20-minute train ride from Circular Quay

Why go there
In Newtown, you rub shoulders with a wide range of people, from students to famous artists. Specialised shops include vintage fashion and CD stores, bookshops, antique stores, hairdressing salons and delicatessens.

Colourful, unconventional and gay-friendly, Newtown promotes its strong arts culture with many theatre and music venues. It also boasts more than 100 restaurants and cafés offering a range of ethnic cuisines, most at reasonable prices.

Things to do
* Sip coffee from a café window seat and watch the colourful crowd.
* Idiosyncratic shops in Enmore Road and south King Street offer buttons, beads, tiles, tribal gifts, gothic garments and second-hand furniture.
* Enjoy live music at any of the hotels, clubs and cabaret spaces.
* Relax in the grounds of St Stephen’s Church with its historic cemetery.

Don’t miss it
* Thai, Vietnamese and Indian restaurants.
* New and second-hand book stores.
* Erskineville, with its rows of elegant Victorian terraces.
* A show at any of the area's independent theatre spaces.
* Feastability in September.
* Newtown Festival in November.

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Sydney New Years Eve

Sydney New Years Eve - Festivals and Celebrations

Awaken the Spirit

Nowhere on earth does New Year like Sydney – the undisputed New Year’s Eve capital of the world. And this year their biggest and best show yet will be awakening Sydney’s spirit for the year ahead.

Everybody is invited to join the celebrations on the Harbour and to get into the spirit by coming dressed in a touch of blue. Sydney’s spirit is reflected by the colour blue - their stunning blue harbour and gorgeous summer sky.

The countdown to midnight begins at 5pm with Pre Show Entertainment on the Harbour, an Indigenous Smoking Ceremony and an Acknowledgement of Country, when their traditional custodians will ‘call up’ the first reveal of the Bridge Effect with a series of fireworks firings.

At 9pm the spectacular Family Fireworks and much loved Harbour of Light Parade will leave the crowd wanting more.

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Sydney Harbour

Sydney Harbour & Islands

Fast facts
= Six harbour islands, one national park
= Stay overnight on the water or on an island
= 240 km of harbour shoreline

Why go there

Sydney Harbour is alive with ferries, yachts, launches and kayaks. Laze on a chartered yacht moored in one of the bays or unwind on a cruise vessel departing from Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.

Sydney Harbour islands – Fort Denison, Shark, Clark, Rodd, Goat and Cockatoo – have great cultural and historical significance. Some of the sites resonate with Aboriginal history, while others reflect a European past with convict-built structures and old forts.

Extending over 30 hectares, the Royal Botanic Gardens occupy one of Sydney’s most spectacular locations, right on the edge of the harbour. Sydney Harbour National Park includes most of the harbour islands and large amounts of foreshore.

Things to do
= Join one of the scenic cruises departing from Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.
= See an outstanding collection of native and exotic plants at the Royal Botanic Gardens.
= Charter a yacht from EastSail and sail around Sydney Harbour.
= Take one of 16 walks along the harbour foreshore, including the easy 1.5-km Heritage Walk from Rose Bay to Vaucluse and the walk from Cremorne Point to Mosman Bay.
= On Clark, Shark, Rodd or Cockatoo islands you can revel in the view while enjoying a picnic.

Don’t miss it
= A bird's eye view of the harbour – by seaplane from Rose Bay or helicopter from Sydney Airport.
= A cheese and wine tasting on Fort Denison or heritage tour of Cockatoo Island. Sydney Ferries and Matilda Cruises depart regularly from Circular Quay.
= An overnight stay at Q Station, North Head, site of the former quarantine station at Manly.
= Kayaking on the harbour from Rose Bay or at Middle Harbour.
= Camping overnight on Cockatoo Island.
= Guided shore dives and snorkelling tours in Sydney Harbour from Chowder Bay with Plunge Diving

Harbour events
= Sydney Harbour Week, 7-15 March
= Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, 26 December
= New Year's Eve fireworks, 31 December

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The Rocks

Sydney Visitor Centre at The Rocks

Enjoy a warm Sydney welcome and let us help you to make the most of your stay. Come in today for bookings for accommodation, tours and attractions, free information and local knowledge, high speed internet, maps, tourist guides and travel essentials, Australian-made gifts and mementos, multi-lingual staff.

Open Time
Daily 9.30am - 5.30pm.

The Rocks and Circular Quay
Fast facts

* Where Sydney's convict days blend with life today
* City centre
* Five-minute walk from Circular Quay

Why go there

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.

Things to do

* Visit the Sydney Visitor Information Centre for the latest on what to do and see in The Rocks.
* Walk the foreshore from Circular Quay to below the Harbour Bridge.
* Climb the span of the Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb or visit the Pylon Lookout.
* Explore shops and galleries in converted workmen’s cottages and sandstone terrace houses in Playfair Street.
* Book a Rocks Ghost Tour and learn about macabre tales of murder, suicide, hanging and hauntings.

Don’t miss it

* A Rocks Walking Tour.
* Sydney’s oldest pubs, including the Fortune of War, Hero of Waterloo, Lord Nelson and the Orient.
* Museum of Contemporary Art.
* Rocks Markets on weekends.
* Australia Day celebrations on 26 January.

To: The Rocks and Circular Quay
Towns within The Rocks and Circular Quay

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New South Wales

New South Wales - NSW AUSTRALIA

New South Wales offers a unique range of nature-based holidays.
Travel the State and discover dense forests hiding a complex mosaic of plant and animal life.
Alpine country with mountainsides covered in snow gums. Sun-scarred desert parks that metamorphose into a kaleidoscope of wildflowers in spring.
Untamed coastal country with kilometres of golden-sand beaches and bays on the North Coast.
There are many travel operators who specialise in tours designed to provide visitors with a taste of the great Australian outdoors in either thrill-seeking, adrenalin-pumping activities or in more gentle pursuits.
Top of the list in adventure experiences are mountain bike riding, white water rafting, para gliding, caving, canyoning, rock climbing, abseiling, tandem skydiving and hot air ballooning over the Central West's wheatfields.
On the milder side, there are a whole range of nature tours that focus on birdwatching, nature viewing, bush walking and still- water canoeing.
On the other hand, luxury lovers can take their wilderness with champagne and canapes.
All this and more can be done on an adventure tour from Sydney.
In Sydney there is the Opera House, Sydney Harbour and Bridge. The Rocks district is a treasure trove of Australia.

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Manly

Manly

Fast facts

* Cosmopolitan suburb with a beach vibe
* Northern beaches
* 30-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay

Why go there

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.
Things to do

* Travel across Sydney Harbour from Circular Quay by ferry (30 minutes) or jetcat (15 minutes).
* Explore the Manly to Spit Bridge scenic walkway, which meanders through native bushland in a coastal setting.
* Sample the diverse restaurant and café cuisine with harbour or ocean views.
* Take a dip at the ocean surf beach or at one of the tranquil inner harbour beaches.
* Rent a bike and ride along the dedicated bike track to Fairy Bower or take a bike tour and you'll learn about Manly's history.

Don’t miss

* Scuba-diving lessons at Cabbage Tree Bay.
* Diving with sharks at Manly Oceanworld.
* Q-Station to catch a glimpse of Australia's early immigration history and enjoy spectacular harbour views.
* The coolest surf shops in Australia.
* Manly Food and Wine Festival on the first weekend in June.
* Manly International Jazz Festival on the long weekend in October.

The Corso at Manly is a partly-malled promenade area between Manly Beach and Manly Wharf, an area of cafes, interesting shops, and street entertainment. Walk from the ferry wharf to the beach facing the Pacific.

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Koala Up a Gum Tree

Koala Up a Gum Tree

Minamurra

This koala seems to be taking a snooze up a gum tree at the Minnamurra rainforest reserve close to Kiama.

And, yes, they're koalas, not bears. so don't call this little fellow a koala bear.

The Minnamurra subtropical rainforest is part of Budderoo National Park. There is a charge for entry into the rainforest reserve.

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Kiama Blowhole and Lighthouse

Kiama Blowhole and Lighthouse

New South Wales South Coast


This is the Blowhole at Kiama, south of Wollongong on the New South Wales South Coast, where the water spouts at least a good couple of storeys into the air on a good day. This happens in a matter of seconds and very much without warning. The lighthouse sits on top of the low cliff at the point.

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Darlinghurst

Darlinghurst

Fast facts

* Great food, unique fashion, vintage threads, urban art, cool music
* Inner eastern suburbs
* 20-minute bus ride from Circular Quay

Why go there

Darlinghurst’s main strip is Oxford Street, where Sydney's fabulous Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade is held each year. If you love to shop, eat and drink well or simply people-watch, Oxford Street is agreat place to start. Nearby Crown, Burton and Liverpool streets are packed with fashion boutiques, bookshops, art galleries, music shops, cafes and restaurants.

It's at night that the suburb really comes alive with clubs, cocktail bars, live music and gay bars offering late night entertainment.

After a recent rejuvenation, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst have enjoyed a restaurant boom, with Crown and Bourke streets offering some of the most tempting cuisine in Sydney.
Things to do

* Discover great breakfasts at the Tropicana or Bar Coluzzi on Victoria Street or bills in Darlinghurst and Surry Hills.
* Enjoy an afternoon cocktail in a cool lounge, wine or tapas bar - The Victoria Room or Kika.
* Dine in Stanley Street’s Little Italy restaurant area or at any number of stylish restaurants with shared tables and hand-made pasta, late night gourmet pizza, zesty Thai and classic French.
* Check out the bars along Oxford Steet, some with fantasy settings and retro fitouts such as Ruby Rabbit, Oxford Arts Factory or The Columbian.
* Go shopping in Crown Street in Surry Hills, the place for cutting-edge design such as Cloth, Planet and Metlab.

Don’t miss it

* Sydney Jewish Museum, Victoria Road in Darlinghurst.
* Browsing in the area's many record stores for rare albums, hip hop vinyl, funk, dance and reggae.
* Object gallery on Bourke Street for the coolest design and craft.
* Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras in late February and early March.
* Surry Hills Festival in May.

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City Centre

City Centre

Location :

* The commercial heart of Sydney
* Short walk from Circular Quay
* Historic sites, museums, parks, cosmopolitan style

Why go there

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.

Things to do
* Shop for international designer labels at brand boutiques along Elizabeth and Castlereagh streets. Pop into the stylish David Jones or Myer Sydney department stores for the latest in Australian and international fashion.
* Select from the range of international cuisine on offer at food halls beneath the MLC Centre or Pitt Street Mall, or opposite Sydney Town Hall.
* Hang out in a hip bar such as the Establishment, Ivy and Arthouse.
* Take a self-guided walking tour operated by the City of Sydney or a Sydney Architecture Walk, departing regularly from the Museum of Sydney.
* Swim at Cook + Phillip pool under the lofty spires of St Mary’s Cathedral.
* Challenge a local to a chess match on the giant chess board in Hyde Park.

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Chinatown and Haymarket

Chinatown and Haymarket

Location :

* 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.

The 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.

Things to do

* Eat yum cha, a brunch/lunchtime tradition, where you choose from trolleys piled high with assorted Chinese "steam baskets".
* Explore the Spanish Quarter, the place to buy jamon and chorizo and to try paella and Spanish dancing.
* Be a star at a karaoke bar.
* Dine at any time of the day at one of 80 Asian restaurants (some cook until 3 am).
* Consult a Chinese herbalist for an Eastern remedy.

Don’t miss it

* Paddy’s Market, Sydney’s favourite flea market.
* Shopping for discounted designer fashion at one of Market City's factory outlets.
* Catching a show at the Capitol Theatre or Sydney Entertainment Centre.
* Chinese New Year in February.
* Spanish Quarter Street Festival, in November, for Spanish cooking, flamenco, tapas and sangria.

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Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach

Location :
* Beach culture with attitude
* Eastern suburbs
* 11 km from city centre

Why go there
Inhabited by backpackers, billionaires, board riders and the body beautiful, Bondi is one of Sydney’s most eclectic and exciting precincts. A walk along its promenade gives you the chance to experience its carefree sun-drenched lifestyle.

The main thoroughfare of Campbell Parade has surf wear shops, takeaway food outlets, souvenirs, cafés, restaurants, bars and fish and chip shops. Hall Street has cool fashion and designer labels while Curlewis Street has numerous art galleries. To discover other stunning beaches nearby, take the trail to Tamarama (also known as Glamarama), Bronte and Coogee via a scenic boardwalk.

Things to do

* Do the Bondi-to-Coogee scenic cliff walk – take a stroll, have a swim and sip a latte at a café along the way.
* Enjoy a gelato at the elegant 1920s Bondi Pavilion.
* Watch the Bondi lifeguards run lifesaving demonstration activities, or even participate in the program.
* Take a dip in the Bondi Icebergs surf pool, one of Sydney’s iconic locations.
* Dine at sunset with spectacular ocean views at various restaurants at Bondi Beach.

Don’t miss it

* Surfing lessons with Lets Go Surfing.
* The Marine Discovery Centre at the Bondi Pavilion.
* The Icebergs Dining Room and Bar overlooking the ocean.
* Bondi’s Sunday markets.

Major events

* Flickerfest, the short film festival in January.
* Sculpture by the Sea in November.

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