Sydney CBD

When travelling to Sydney, one of the best things to do for tourists is that you can sight see most of the city on foot. There are a number of must sees for tourists visiting Sydney, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, The Rocks, Darling Harbour and Circular Quay. Some of the best shopping can be found in the commercial hub of Sydney - the CBD - however for a full retail Sydney experience, try and visit Bondi and Paddington to check out their markets. One of the best things about this multicultural metropolis is that it embraces Sydney Immigrants, with cultures from every corner of the globe. Dining at Sydney’s best restaurants is a good example of this, with flavours from exotic Asia, rich European delicacies and modern Australian cuisine. Another one of Sydney’s attractions to get your taste buds tingling, is the strip of Sydney CBD restaurants, cafes, pubs and clubs. For those that fall in love with the city, the list of Business Trade and Services is extensive making Work in Sydney a way to never leave this breath taking city!

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• George Street
One of the best things about Sydney for tourists, is that it can generally be discovered by foot. George Street is Sydney’s most recognised streets and has a mix of retail, cultural, historical and eating complexes. The street has more high-rise buildings and ASX companies than anywhere else in Australia. Beginning at The Rocks, George Street extends to near Central Station and Railway Square. The street is full of popular attractions like cinemas, Chinatown, Town Hall and the Wynyard. You haven’t been to Sydney, if you haven’t wondered down this street.

by Charlie Brewer @ flickr.com	by Karsoe @ flickr.com

• Martin Place
Martin Place is a pedestrian mall in Sydney’s CBD. The area is synonymous with corporate Australia and is home to the Reserve Bank, Macquarie Bank and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. With Network Seven also in the vicinity, Martin Place has become popular with locals and tourists trying to get there moment of fame on Sunrise every morning. Named after Sir James Martin, the third premier of New South Wales, the strip runs between George Street and Macquarie Street. It is also home to the 1927 World War ANZAC Cenotaph and is surrounded by heritage buildings and attractions.

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• Hyde Park
Conveniently located on the edge of the CBD, Hyde Park is a great escape from the chaos of Sydney City. Officially, the park was declared public land by Governor Phillip in 1792 and was largely used for cricket matches and horse races. It became a park in 1810 and visitors will now find the area full of workers on their lunch break, joggers and families having picnics.

• Art Gallery of New South Wales
On Art Gallery road, tourists must make a stop over at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. One of the foremost cultural institutions in Australia, the building runs approximately forty exhibitions annually. The Gallery is home to some of Australia’s finest works and a variety of international artists. 19th Century European works as well as an Aboriginal art collection are also popular crowd pullers, as is the photography exhibition. The Gallery is open every day from 10am to 5pm, except Good Friday and Christmas. Charges may apply to certain exhibitions.

by Kyota @ flickr.com	by MD111 @ flickr.com

• Royal Botanic Gardens
With all the hustle and bustle Sydney has to offer, take a stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens to escape the city slickers into a world of green. Ponds and overflowing flowerbeds enjoy lapping up the sun and scenery as much as the locals and tourists do, with plant and wildlife more beautiful at the turn of each new season.

For panoramic harbour views, stop by Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, a peninsula named after a previous governor’s wife. If you’re looking for a visit from Lady Luck, legend has it that any wish you make here will come true.

• The Museum of Sydney
The architectural design of this modern museum sits on one of Sydney’s most iconic sites. The Museum of Sydney is built on the ruins of the house of Australia’s first Governor General, Governor Phillip. Part of the museum, known as the First Government House Place, preserves the foundations of the house and is listed by National Heritage.

The Museum explores colonial and contemporary Sydney through its exhibits of photographs and new media technologies. Detailing back to settlement in 1788, there is information on Aboriginal history and indigenous culture, as well as artefacts found from archaeological digs. Models of the First Fleet ships are also on display as well as archaeological remains of the First Government House. Fast forward a couple of centuries, and you’ll come across information on modern Sydney as well.

• Museums of Sydney	• Australian Museum
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• Australian Museum
The Australian Museum is Australia’s oldest museum and an essential stop for science whizzes. Showcased in the museum, is the natural history of Australia including its wildlife (and a few live baby crocodiles to keep you on your toes!), mineral and fossil displays and cultural history. There are also several indigenous exhibitions, with live didgeridoo and dance performances on Sundays at 12pm and 2pm, giving tourists and locals a taste of Australian history. There are plenty of interactive expositions to keep the younger ones entertained, including dinosaur skeletal displays and a Kids’ Island.

• Justice and Police Museum
With the nation built by convict labour and etched with an impressive history of criminal immigration, there are plenty of gruesome details to learn about convict history and Sydney’s underworld. You’ll find all this out in the Justice and Police Museum, with stories of Australian bush rangers, gun and weapon displays and a recreated police charge room and remand cell.

For those who like guts and gore, there are plenty of macabre details on chilling cases like the Shark Arm Murder, the Pyjama Girl Case and the Graeme Thorne Kidnapping. The building is not easily missed, with displays of cartoon cops and robbers on the roof. You won’t need much more than an hour to visit, but it’s definitely worth a look.

• History of Ned Kelly in Australia	•  Art in Sydney
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• Museum of Contemporary Art
Sydney is home to some architectural wonderments and the Museum of Contemporary Arts is no exception. This striking sandstone building is well worth a visit if you have any interest in 19th and 20th Century art. Located right on Circular Quay, the sensational Art Deco building is home to four floors of contemporary works dating from 1960s onwards. Art from both national and international artists can be found hanging from the building’s walls, including contemporary Aboriginal collections.

• Powerhouse Museum
The Powerhouse Museum is the largest public museum in Sydney and you don’t have to be a science buff to appreciate the exhibits. You may however, need some time on your hands – with over 380 000 various displays and an ever changing exhibition schedule. The thought provoking displays will give you a little more insight into how the world works, with the world’s oldest steam engine, computer demonstrations, robots and other types of modern transport. There are also plenty of interactive displays to keep the kids amused.

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• Sydney Jewish Museum
Only 16 Jewish convicts arrived to Sydney, Australia on the first fleet, however, an impressive 30 000 migrants arrived after WWII. The Sydney Jewish Museum is a three level complex detailing the displacement of Jewish people from the early days of Sydney convict life, to the Holocaust, to the present day.

Housed in the Maccabean Hall, the centre was built to commemorate NSW Jewish men and women who served in WWI and those who had lost their lives. There are permanent and changing exhibitions, including stories of survival, the history of Judaism, photographic journeys into concentration camps and the ghettos and a reflection and remembrance chapter.

• St Mary’s Cathedral
Take a stroll northwards up College Street, turn right into Cathedral Street and you’ll stumble across St Mary’s Cathedral. This ancient grandeur church is a landmark Sydney feature, located across from Hyde Park and on the entrance to Art Gallery Road and The Domain. The original St Mary’s Catholic Church was destroyed by a fire in 1865 and was not reopened until 1882. Now the seat of the archbishop of Sydney, the church is set apart by its incredible exterior, with $8 million twin spires. Inside, the large rose windows and mosaic flooring (which took some 15 years to complete).

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