Sydney, New South Wales

Sydney was founded in 1788 when English authorities, soldiers and convicts started the settlement on Sydney Harbour that was to become present-day Sydney.

Barangaroo, just north of Darling Harbour's King St Wharf, is currently under development as a future office and residential area, a headland park, and recreational precinct.

Discover cool water and an oasis of green in the outer southwestern suburbs.

A plus for Manly Beach is its easy accessibility by ferry from Sydney's Circular Quay.

The best Sydney wildlife park is probably where you can see the animals close at hand and even walk with or feed them.

The Sydney autumn starts on March 1 and ends on May 31. Generally it is a quieter, cooler -- and less expensive -- time than the Sydney summer. You can do most of the summer activities but in pleasanter weather.

For many, the best time to visit Sydney is in the Australian spring.(September 1 to November 30). The weather's great, it is a time of regrowth and, yes, romance is in the air. Sail the harbour, take daytrips, go bushwalking, laze away life's cares on the city's white-sand beaches.

It really depends on what you want to see, do and experience. The Australian summer is a time of great cultural activity -- outstanding theatre, street performances, art exhibitions -- as well as a time of pilgrimage to the beach.

Sydney in the southern winter is the place to visit ff you prefer the cold to heat, especially if seeking to escape the northern summer. The Sydney winter isn't really harsh and the weather's generally pleasant.

Bridgeclimb provides visitors the opportunity to climb up to the top arch of Sydney Harbour Bridge for panoramic views of city and harbour.

Tens of thousands are drawn yearly to the Cabramatta Moon Festival in one of Sydney's most multicultural suburbs and a centre of Asian shops and Asian cuisine.

The Capitol Theatre in Sydney is considered one of the finest theatre venues in Australia.

Sydney archbishop and newest Australian cardinal.

Sydney's Chinatown is noted for its many shops and restaurants includihng late-night eateries.

Sydney celebrates the Chinese New Year with a festival each year. Here are pictures of the 2006 festival.

Picnic and barbecue areas, cycleways, sports grounds. Good spots for boating and birdwatching.

A transport hub, a meeting place, a starting point. A popular place for starting your tour of Sydney. Within walking distance of the Opera House and the historic Rocks district.

One of Sydney's smaller, more intimate beaches in the Eastern Suburbs. Picture.

Darling Harbour is a Sydney star attraction. Entertainment areas, exhibition halls, shops.

One of Sydney's finer, more popular seafood restaurants is located in several venues.

Featherdale Wildlife Park in western Sydney has more than 2000 native Australian animals and birds.

Kites of all shapes, colors, sizes. Excitement in the sky over Sydney's Bondi Beach.

George Street is Australia's oldest street having begun as a dirt track in the first European settlement in Australia founded at Sydney Cove in 1788.

Here's basic information on using public transport for getting around in Sydney.

Hyde Park in the heart of Sydney is a place of relaxation, quiet walks and remembrances of Australia's past.

They're not on the streets, they're here in a western suburbs animal park.

A look at a part of Sydney that never sleeps.

Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel is the heart of Mary McKillop Place, which includes a museum celebrating the life, work and spirituality of Mary MacKillop.

At West Circular Quay, a gallery of distinctive modern art.

The Museum of Sydney was built on the historic site of Australia's first Government House and tells the story of Sydney from pre-colonial times to the present.

Along the Georges River. Boating, waterskiing. But the park is a bit run down.

Our reader's choices of best or worst Sydney attractions.

The Rocks, a 19th century village hemmed in by Sydney Cove, Campbells Cove and Walsh Bay, lies in the shadow of the southern end of the Harbour Bridge. This is the birthplace of modern-day Australia, Captain Arthur Phillip having settled here in 1788.

Birthplace of Australia. The Rocks at Sydney Cove is where the first white settlement was built.

Stretching south from the city limits, a place of picnic grounds, rivers, creeks, beaches, bushwalks and rainforests. Hike, go boating, swim, explore.

Here are pictures from the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Aside from the health risks associated with smoking, the pollution of beaches and foreshores with tonnes and tonnes of cigarette butts has moved a number of Sydney local government councils to ban cigarette smoking on their beaches.

Mother church of Australian Catholicism, an imposing Sydney landmark east of Hyde Park.

Irish Australians (and Aussies of Irish descent a number of generations removed) make up a substantial sector of the Australian population. So it is no surprise that Irish traditions and customs pervade much of Australian life. In Sydney, strong manifestations of this culture are evident in the festivities surrounding St Patrick's Day.

Here are some Sydney activities and attractions to consider on your visit to Sydney.

With more than 1.2 million people visiting it yearly, Sydney Aquarium is one of Sydney's most popular attractions with its large variety of Australian aquatic life assembled under one roof: more than 650 species comprising more than 11,000 individual fish and other sea and water creatures.

Numerous and varied Sydney city attractions beckon the visitor to Australia. What to see, where to go -- here are ideas to consider.

Our readers' choices of best Sydney beach.

Sydney's reputation has received a battering with riots and violent attacks in some of Sydney's beachside suburbs.

A sunworshipper's mecca. White sand beaches all along the eastern coast from Palm Beach to Cronulla and on the foreshores of Sydney Harbour.

All along Sydney's eastern shore and around Sydney Harbour, Sydney's beaches provide day-out pleasures in swimming, surfing, or simply lazing away the day on brilliant white sand or in adjacent parkland.

Map of Sydney's central business district.

Refurbished building at Circular Quay.

Where to eat in Sydney can often be a problem, so it's best to have some sort of guide.

Eat streets or dining districts, Sydney's various city areas may have clusters of restaurants, so you can find your choice of a suitable dining venue.

One of the Sydney structures purpose-built at Horsley Park for the 2000 Olympic Games.

The Sydney Explorer is a visitor-oriented Sydney sightseeing bus which takes in Sydney's major attractions.

Ferries are a popular mode of transport on Sydney Harbour and other waterways.

The multi-week festival, encompassing the arts, film, sports and a host of other activities, is highlighted by a glittering nighttime parade, the climax of festivities.

As viewed from the Royal Botanic Gardens.

You can take the Sydney Harbour Bridge walk from The Rocks to Milsons Point, and it's free.

Know the range of accommodation choices in Sydney from luxury Sydney hotels to serviced apartments to backpacker hostels.

Sydney landmarks are not only distinctive structures on the Sydney urban landscape but also assist visitors and newcomers to the city to find their bearings.

Sydney Metroads provide an easy way of navigating through the city's major thoroughfares by simply following the Metroad numbers.

Museums and art galleries provide an insight into a people and their culture, art, history and development. They are a treasure trove of cultural riches and Sydney is fortunate to have its museums and galleries in or close to the city centre.

Sydney has a number of museums devoted to various aspects of life, history and culture. Here's a listing of Sydney addresses and telephone numbers.

Answers to frequently asked questions.

The way we were. Census figures drew a fresh portrait of Sydneysiders and shattered the myths.

Images of the Sydney city centre.

Think you know Sydney? Take this quick quiz and find out.

Map of region showing parts of Sydney's northern and eastern suburbs.

An oasis of green in the heart of Sydney. A paradise of flora. Close to the Opera House.

Discover the heart of Sydney -- in only a day, or maybe two.

Part of the Homebush Bay Olympic complex.

Sydney Theatre is Sydney Theatre Company's third performance venue in Sydney's Walsh Bay theatre district.

Sydney's theatre venues are scattered throughout the city. Here are Sydney theatre addresses and brief notes on how to get to each Sydney theatre.

What's on in Sydney theatres.

Sydney is probably one of the world's major cities with the most number of tollways. Here's what you need to know about them.

Sydney Tower Eye is a highly visible Sydney landmark and the city's tallest structure offering bird's-eye views and a Skywalk for the adventurous.

Familiar Sydney landmark. Its wide front steps are a popular meeting point

Here's your Sydney travel guide. Avoid possible hassles on your Sydney travel.

Here's what to do on arriving in Sydney and how best to get to your hotel.

Sydney walking tours provide an opportunity to discover the many charms of the city.

Start your Sydney walking tour to Hyde Park from Circular Quay.

A walking tour through Sydney's city attractions all the way to Darling Harbour provides a leisurely way of taking in the city sights.

Sydney Wildlife World at Darling Harbour provides a close-up look at Australia's unique animals, birds and other creatures within walking distance of central Sydney.

Pictures from Sydney Wildlife World, now Wild Life Sydney, show the variety of wildlife at this Darling Harbour venue.

Sydney Writers Walk honors Australian and international authors with plaques embedded in the walkway around Sydney's Circular Quay.

The Sydney zoo, properly known as Taronga Zoo, is on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour, across the water from Circular Quay, in the Sydney suburb of Mosman.

A focal point for remembering war and the search for peace.

In Sydney the underground train circuit is called the City Circle. The terms subway, underground, tube and metro are not used in reference to the city railway system.

Have you ever wondered how to travel on Sydney's trains? In you're new to Sydney public transport, feel comfortable by knowing what to do.

Taronga Zoo on Sydney Harbour is the first public zoo in New South Wales with Australian wildlife and other animals and birds from all over the world.

The largest structure built for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at Homebush Bay. Formerly known as Stadium Australia.

Why visit Sydney? Here are 10 reasons why.

The 1133-seat Theatre Royal is located on King St between Pitt St and Castlereagh St, Sydney.

When confronted with questions on what to do and where to go on visiting Sydney for the first time, here are three practical steps to give you a running start on Sydney sightseeing.

There are a number of free attractions available in Sydney. Here's a selection of Sydney attractions.

Take a walk into history at The Rocks in Sydney for an insight into the beginnings of the city.