Walking
tours
The Rocks Self guided Tour leaflet is available
from the Sydney Visitor Centre for A $1 and covers in the region
of 30 historic buildings and points of interest in The Rocks district.
The heritage walk takes 1 to 3 hours, beginning
at the Visitor Centre (a former sailor’s home) and ending
at Cadman’s Cottage. The
Rocks Walking Tours (telephone: (02) 9247 6678) operates 90
minute guided tours, taking in all the historic sites.
Tours cost A $19 and depart 3 times per day (twice per day on
the weekend and in January) from 23 Playfair Street.
Bus Tours
City Sightseeing Sydney covers 22 points of interest
in the city, Kings Cross, Woolloomooloo and Darling Harbour, with
a hop on, hop off service.
Telephone: (02) 9567 8400
Email address: sydney@citysightseeing.com.au
Website address: www.city-sightseeing.com
Departures are every 30 minutes daily 8.45 am to 5.45 pm. Tickets
cost A $30 and are valid for 24 hours.
The Sydney By Diva tour is a comedic expedition
of Sydney hosted by drag queens as seen through the queer eye.
Telephone: (02) 9360 5557
Email address: reservations@sydneybydiva.com
Website address: www.sydneybydiva.com
Setting off from outside the Oxford Hotel in Taylor Square (scene
of the demonstrations that launched Mardi Gras in 1978) every
Sunday at 5.00 pm (also every Friday at 6.00 pm October to March),
the 3 hour tour costs A $80 (1st class) and A $60 (economy).
Other Tours
There is a excess of harbour cruises available
from a number of operators; many of them based at Circular Quay.
Captain Cook Cruises offers the luxury Sydney
2000 Dinner Cruise, departing daily at 7.00 pm from No 6 Circular
Quay, ending at 9.30 pm (10.30 pm on Friday and Saturday)
Telephone: (02) 9206 1122
Email address: cruise@captaincook.com.au
Website address: www.captaincook.com.au
The A $99 fee includes an a la carte 3 course meal with coffee
(wine is extra).
The Sydney Harbour Explorer (costing A $25) and
Harbour Highlights Cruise (costing A $20) are
fully narrated cruises, leaving from Number 6 Circular Quay, with
a fixed number of stopping points.
The Sydney Harbour Explorer tour takes 2 hours
and departures are every 2 hours daily 9.45 am to 3.30 pm.
The Harbour Highlights Cruise takes between 75
and 90 minutes, tours depart approximately once every 105 minutes
daily 9.30 am to 7.30 pm.
Magistic Cruises is another dependable company offering similar
cruises for similar prices.
Telephone: (02) 8296 7222
Email address: res@magisticcruises.com.au
Website address: www.magisticcruises.com.au
For aerial views of Sydney, Australia
By Air (telephone: (02) 9982 9666) offers a 1 hour Sydney
Scenic Flight in a twin engine aircraft. Flights depart Sunday,
Wednesday and Friday and cost A $195, which includes complimentary
hotel pick up (at 9.30 am) and drop off.
The Sydney and Mountains Scenic Flight includes all of the above
in addition to a flight over the Blue Mountains. It costs A $295
and lasts 90 minutes.
Excursions for half day
Manly
New South Wales has Manly Beach to thank for its sea
and surf culture, as it was
on Manly beach, that newspaper editor William Gocher first defied
the state law against public bathing in 1902.
The esplanade is now populated with joggers, rollerbladers and
cyclists, while the white sand of the south beaches and the golden
sands of the north beaches are crowded with sunbathers, swimmers
and surfers.
A short ferry ride from Circular
Quay, Manly (located 13 kilometres, 8 miles northeast of the city
centre) can also be reached on foot via the Manly Scenic Walkway
from Spit Bridge in the city.
The walk can take up to 4 hours but offers some of Sydney’s
most breathtaking views, as well as skirting some of its most
exclusive homes.
The Manly Visitors Information Bureau can supply further information.
Address: North Steyne, Manly
Telephone: (02) 9977 1088
Website address: www.manlytourism.com
Excursions for a whole day
Blue Mountains
A 90 minute drive west from Sydney along the Great Western Freeway,
the spectacular, forest scenery
of the Blue Mountains National Park is a major attraction for
nature lovers.
The cool eucalyptus (gum tree) forests harbour several bush walks
as well as radiate a blue haze that gives the area its name. More
active visitors might like to go rock climbing, abseiling,
mountain biking or horse riding.
The area’s most well known attraction is the Three
Sisters, a geological feature named after an Aboriginal
legend. The easiest way for travellers to see the Blue Mountains
is by car, however, there are hourly trains to Katoomba from Central
Station.
Blue Mountains Tourism (telephone: (1300) 653 408) can provide
further information.
Hunter Valley
1 of Australia’s premier wine producing districts,
beginning approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Sydney,
The Hunter has more than 70 vineyards.
Although busiest during the harvest months of March and April,
most vineyards remain open to the public on a daily basis and
offer a range of tours, accommodation and restaurants.
2 of the more popular vineyards are Lindemans (1
of the largest Australian wine companies) and Rothbury Estate,
famous for its concerts throughout the March / April Harvest Festival,
which is an yearly celebration of Australian culture, gastronomy
and wine.
A 2 hour drive from Sydney, Cessnock is the gateway to Hunter
Valley and Pokolbin, 5 kilometres to the north, is home to its
main visitor centre.
Alternatively, trains from Sydney arrive at Newcastle (the journey
time is approximately 3 hours). Wine
Country Tourism (telephone: (02) 4990 4477) can provide full
details of tours. |
