Sydney, Australia

Here is a brief history of Sydney, Australia:

• Sydney was first inhabited by Aboriginal Australians prior to European settlement. The earliest known settlements date back to around 60,000 years ago.

• In 1770, James Cook claimed the eastern coast of Australia for Great Britain, claiming it as “Terra Australis”. This led to the establishment of a penal colony in Sydney.

• In 1788, the first British convict fleet arrived in Sydney. They established a penal colony at present-day Sydney Cove. This marked the beginning of permanent European settlement in Australia.

• In the early 1800s, Sydney grew into a major port town. It became an important hub for trade and commerce, especially wool export. This led to economic growth and prosperity.

• In the mid-1800s, there was gold rush in Australia which boosting Sydney’s economy. Many magnificent buildings like the Sydney Opera House were constructed during this time.

• In the early 1900s, Sydney became a modern city with improved infrastructure like railways, roads, and utilities. It hosted many notable events like the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

• Today, Sydney is a major global financial hub, tourism destination, and cultural capital of Australia. It has a very diverse, multicultural population and is known for landmarks like the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.

Here are some popular tourist attractions in Sydney:

**Sydney Opera House** An iconic Sydney landmark, home to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian Ballet and Sydney Opera. Open daily 9am-5pm. Free admission. Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000. https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

**Sydney Harbour Bridge** The world famous iconic Sydney landmark. Climb the 354m summit walk or walk or bike the bridge to enjoy stunning views. Pedestrian access daily 6am-10pm, vehicle access 24hrs. Summit walk adult tickets $20-40. Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney NSW 2001. 

**Royal Botanic Gardens** Spanning 74 hectares of beautiful themed gardens and native Australian bushland. Open daily from 7am to 8pm. Free admission. Mrs. Macquaries Rd and Experiment Rd, Sydney NSW 2000. https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/

**Taronga Zoo** One of the world‘s most beautiful zoos featuring Australian and exotic animals in naturalistic habitats. Open daily from 9:30am to 5pm. Admission tickets $25-45. Bradleys Head Road, Taronga, NSW 2088. https://taronga.org.au/

**Coogee Beach** A popular sandy beach suburb with beats, shops and restaurants. Coogee Beach is open daily from 5am to 12am. Free admission. Arden Street and Brook Street, Coogee, NSW 2034.

**Art Gallery of New South Wales** Contains a collection of art from around the world including European, Asian, Australian, and Oceanic art. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, Thursday 10am-10pm. Admission charge applies. Art Gallery Rd, The Domain, Sydney NSW 2000. https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/

**Darling Harbour** Popular waterfront destination with restaurants, bars, museums, shopping, and aquatic attractions. Most venues open daily 10am-10pm. Admission charges vary. Darling Dr, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. https://www.darlingharbour.com/

**Australian National Maritime Museum** Museum dedicated to Australian maritime history and culture. Open daily 9:30am-5pm. General admission $20 (AUD) for adults. 2 Murray St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. +61 2 9298 3777. https://www.sea.museum/

Here are some day trips from Sydney, Australia:

**Blue Mountains**: 2 hours west of Sydney, 163 km away. Open 24 hours, free to explore. No official address or phone number. https://www.bluemountains.com.au/

**Hunter Valley**: 2 hours north of Sydney, 151 km away. Open daily, hours vary by winery/attraction. Ticket prices range from free to $20+ per winery. No official address or phone number. https://www.huntervalley.com/

**Royal National Park**: 1 hour south of Sydney, 34 km away. Open daily from sunrise to sunset, entry fee per vehicle. Address: Royal National Park, Greater Sydney, NSW. Phone: +61 2 9542 0648. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/royal-national-park

**Featherdale Wildlife Park** About 45 minutes west of Sydney. Over 300 Australian native animals including kangaroos, koalas, emus and reptiles. Open every day from 9am–5pm. Admission fees apply. Address: 217 Kildare Road, Doonside NSW 2767 Phone: +61 2 9622 1644 https://featherdale.com.au/

Here are the main types of transportation in Sydney:

**PUBLIC TRANSPORT **(free within certain zones, single/day tickets available) https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/

**LIGHT RAIL** (tickets: single/day) https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/

**BUSES **(tickets: single/day) https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/

**FERRIES** (tickets: single/day) https://transportnsw.info/routes/ferry

**TRAIN**  (including SUBURBAN RAIL NETWORK AND INTERCITY TRAINS, tickets: single/day) https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/

**TAXI**(metered fare) https://www.taxidrivers.com.au/sydney-taxis-facts/

**UBER X** (base fare + mileage charge + time charge) https://www.uber.com/

**CAR RENTAL (like GOGET, KANGAROO and MORE**, fares range from ~$10-25 min ride to $25-50+ trip) Goget: https://www.goget.com.au/Kangaroo: https://www.kangaroocar.com  Morecar: https://morecar.com.au

**BICYCLE SHARE** (24 hour rental fees apply) https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/guides/bike-sharing

**Sydney Airport** Corner O‘Riordan Street and Robey Street, Mascot NSW 2020 Phone: +61 2 9667 9111. https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/

**Train:** Operates every 30 minutes from 6 am to 12 am. Travel time is around 35 minutes, fare starts at $20. https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/getting-to-the-airport/public-transport/train

**Bus:** Multiple bus routes connect the airport to the city center. Travel time is around 40-50 minutes depending on traffic. Fare starts at $2.50. https://transportnsw.info/travel-info/ways-to-get-around/bus#/

**Taxi:** Taxis take around 30-40 minutes from the airport to the city center. Fare starts at $50. Check at Taxi stand or hail taxi.

**Uber/Ola** Travel time and fare similar to taxis. Fares start around $35-$55.

**Rental car:** Major car rental companies have desks at the airport. Travel time around 30-40 minutes without traffic and you can return the rental car downtown. Daily rates start at around $30-$110. https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/getting-to-the-airport/car-parking-and-ground-transport/car-hire

**Private transfer:** Shared shuttles and private vehicles. Travel time around 30-40 minutes. Fares start around $25-$90 per person depending on the type of vehicle. https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/getting-to-the-airport/private-transport

**Bicycle:** Travel time around 60–90 minutes depending on weather conditions. There are docking stations at the airport and city center. $33-$100 per day to rent a bike.

The Australian dollar (AUD) is used throughout Australia:

• Bill denominations:

• $5,
• $10,
• $20,
• $50,
• $100.

• Coins:

• 1 cent,
• 2 cents,
• 5 cents,
• 10 cents,
• 20 cents,
• $1
• and $2 coins.

• The 1 dollar coin is the most common coin.

• The AUD dollar is subdivided into 100 cents.

• Perth uses the same Australian dollar currency as the rest of Australia. There are no separate currencies used within different cities or regions of Australia.

• Coins come in copper, nickel, silver and gold plated steel. Larger coins contain nickel and copper.

• Australia stopped producing the 1 dollar and 2 dollar coins in 1992 but they remain legal tender. Newer coins have been made of lighter metals.

Sydney has a temperate climate with mild summers and warm winters. Some key facts about the climate of Sydney:

• Summer (December-February) average high temperature is around 82 F or 28 C and low around 65 F or 18 C. Summers are generally warm and humid.

• Winters (June-August) average high temperature is around 66 F or 19 C and low around 48 F or 9 C. Winters are mild with some chill.

• Sydney gets moderate rainfall spread throughout the year. The driest months are from August to October.

• Occasional heatwaves can push temperatures up to 95-110 F or 35-43 C in the summer.

• Rare light snow sometimes falls in the surrounding hills in winter.

• The city gets over 200 sunny days a year on average.

• Strong southeast trade winds keep the temperatures moderate and the air clear.