Sydney is Australia’s premier gateway, the State capital and Australia’s largest city.

Population

Sydney is one of the most culturally diverse cities on earth. With a population of 4.34 million (June 2007), the accents of Asia, Europe and the Middle East intermingle on its streets, restaurants and festival calendar.

People from more than 180 nations live within Sydney’s limits (2007 Australian Bureau of Statistics).  Almost one-quarter of Sydney’s residents speak a language other than English at home, and some 140 languages in total are spoken in the city.

Climate

New South Wales lies in the temperate zone so generally the climate is free from extreme temperatures.  In January, the average minimum temperature is 19ºC (66ºF) and the maximum 26ºC (79ºF).

Transport

Buses are a great way to travel around Sydney for visitors. Extremely user-friendly, Sydney Buses go everywhere. For timetables and routes, call 131 500.

The CityRail network is a convenient way to get around Sydney and is especially useful for travel to Sydney's outer suburbs and festival venues such as Parramatta.

Sydney's Metro Monorail is one of the few above-ground rail systems in the world. The circular route winds its way through the city centre and around Darling Harbour.

Ferries are the most sublime form of public transport on Sydney Harbour. There are regular Sydney Ferry services to Manly, Parramatta, Balmain, Watsons Bay, Taronga Zoo and other locations.

Light Rail is the environmentally friendly way to travel from Sydney Central with stops at Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Star City, Sydney Fish Markets, Glebe, Leichhardt and Lilyfield.

Taxis have their own taxi ranks in Sydney or can be hailed from the street. From 10pm to 6am higher tariffs apply.

A Sydney Pass is available for 3, 5 or 7 days with unlimited travel on Sydney Buses, Sydney Ferries and CityRail services in and around the city. Get your Sydney Pass from a bus, ferry or rail ticket office or on board the Explorer buses. 

Don’t miss in Sydney

•  One of Sydney’s great walks such as the cliff top trail between Bondi and Bronte Beaches or the longer harbour trail between Manly and the Spit Bridge.
•  Visiting Sydney’s harbour islands. There’s cheese and wine tasting on Fort Denison, a heritage tour of Cockatoo Island, or Aboriginal cultural harbour tour.
•  One of the most exhilarating ways to enjoy Sydney Harbour, a BridgeClimb trek to the summit of the Harbour Bridge. Climb at dawn, day, twilight or night.
•  Discovering suburban ‘eat streets’ such as King Street in Newtown, John St in Cabramatta and Sussex and Dixon Streets in Haymarket.
•  Sydney’s animal kingdoms, including Taronga Zoo and Sydney Aquarium’s underwater tunnels.

For more information about NSW visit:

About Sydney and NSW
Sydney Transport