One of the most recognisable symbols of Sydney and indeed on Australia is the Sydney Harbour Bridge, so if the budget can include it, this activity it is a must when visiting Sydney. The Climb offers spectacular views of Sydney Harbour, the City and the Opera House. Don’t worry about your fitness level or fears of heights, it’s actually not as daunting as you think and a safety harness keeps you secured to the bridge at all times. There are a number of climbs you can choose from: Dawn, Day, Twilight and Night, all are exceptional but Stranded’s pick is the Twilight Climb, where you can see the City in day light on the way up and enjoy the city lights on the way back down.
For more information or to booking visit:
www.bridgeclimb.com
The Sydney Aquarium is open from 9am – 10pm daily and offers a one stop shop to see all those creatures from under the sea! Tickets cost around $30 per adult and $15 per child, family tickets are available and online bookings attract a 10% discount.
The aquarium is home to over 12,000 different animals, including seals, penguins, crocodiles, platypus, giant rays and don’t forget the dreaded shark!!
This is a great activity for a rainy day or a day when you need to escape the hot Aussie sun! Allow 2 -3 hours to take in all there is to see here.
For more information visit::
www.sydneyaquarium.com.au
Situated next door to the Sydney Aquarium is the Sydney Wildlife World; offering all those Aussie animals who live above the sea, wallabies, wombats, snakes, birds, koalas and many more.
Sydney Wildlife World is divided into habitats or eco-systems to give you a taste of the different climates of Australia in one location.
You should allow an hour and half to view all the exhibits at Sydney Wildlife World. Tickets are $30 per adult and $15 per Child, family tickets and combo tickets for Wildlife World and Sydney Aquarium ate available.
For more information visit:
www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au
Getting to Sydney’s Taronga Zoo is almost as special as the trip around the Zoo! Starting from Circular Quay you board a Sydney Ferry which will cruise over to the Zoo in approximately 12 minutes. The cruise itself offers fantastic photo opportunities of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The ferry will drop you at the Zoo Wharf where you catch a Cable car up to the Top Entrance of the zoo, again get the camera out for great snaps as you look back over the harbour and the city.
Admission to Taronga Zoo is approximately $39 per adult and $19 per child over 4 yrs. Tickets including ferry and entrance fee can be purchased at Circular Quay to find out more click below:
www.taronga.org.au
Located approximately 3 min walk from one of Stranded’s accommodation locations is Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum.
Offering exhibits ranging from history, design, science, technology, music, space exploration and transport, there is something for everyone at the Powerhouse Museum. This is no ordinary Museum exhibits are presented in many different and interesting ways including; virtual reality 3D theatres, film, touch screen computers, science experiments, lectures and audio phones.
For more information visit:
www.powerhousemuseum.com
Darling Harbour is home to some of Sydney’s top restaurants, bars and clubs. Many cruises and boat day trips depart from Darling Harbour.
Harbourside Shopping Centre offers excellent shopping for anything fashion to souvenirs or to a little treat for yourself if you are missing some home comforts. The British Lolly shop offers all sorts of English and Irish treats including teabags, chocolate and even your favorite cereal!
Visit www.darlingharbour.com for more information.
Located in the Eastern suburbs Centennial Park is open from sunrise to sunset every day. There is always activity in the park whether its picnickers, joggers, dog walkers, horse riding, cycling but with all this activity you can still find a quiet spot if you wish as the Parklands span over 360 hectares!
If you head through the Centre of the park you’ll find plenty of different species of birds including cockatoos, galas, swans, ducks and even a few geese!
Dotted around the park are many barbeques coin operated with 20 cents. So grab a few snags, a footie and a couple of tinies and head out to Centennial Park for an afternoon!
For more information visit:
www.centennialparklands.com.au
Funds running low? Here’s a free activity to enjoy. A walk through and/or a picnic in the Royal Botanical Gardens is a fantastic way to spend the day. Located a stones’ throw from the Opera House and Circular Quay, the Royal Botanical Gardens offers a haven in the City, where you can enjoy the flora and fauna of Sydney.
For more information visit:
www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au
the world famous Bondi Beach is a 20-25min bus ride from Sydney’s CBD or you can catch a train to Bondi Junction and jump on a bus (380) for a 5 min ride to the beach.
Bondi’s beautiful sandy beach stretches about a kilometre in length. Life guards patrol the beach and will advise you to swim between the flags. The flags are positioned daily in the safest areas to avoid the rip; between the flags is where the guard’s eyes will be focused so keep safe and “Swim between the Flags”!
If you fancy your hand a surfing at the North end of Bondi there is a Surf School.
Visit letsgosurfing for more information or to book.
After your swim or surf you’ll have worked up a good hunger, Bondi has countless cafes, restaurants and bars to feed you needs. There’s every thing from Sushi to fish n’ Chips, burgers, salads, pizzas to choose from or you could lunch at the famous Ice Bergs Club at the South end of Bondi. Ice Bergs is a members swimming club but visitors are welcome to sign in and enjoy the view and a beer.
At the end of the day you can jump back on the bus back to the City or to Bondi Junction train station. There is usual a bus every 10 mins.
Bronte Beach
Bronte Beach although not as famous as it’s neighbour – Bondi, is just as beautiful and is home to the worlds first ever Surf Life Saving Club.
Bronte being a smaller beach than Bondi is subject to some nasty rips and currents so again use caution and “Swim between the Flags”!
If you love your coffee, Bronte boasts some excellent cafes and trendy restaurants. Keep an eye out you may catch a glimpse of some celebrities enjoying a coffee here.
For more information visit:
www.brontesurfclub.com.au
Manly beach is one of Sydney’s Northern Suburb beaches where as Bondi and Bronte are both located in the Eastern Suburbs.
The best way to travel to Manly from the City is via Ferry from Circular Quay this will take approximately 30 mins. Enjoy breath taking views of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge as the ferry travels out of Circular Quay across the harbour to Manly.
Manly which stretches about 1.5kms in length is a popular destination for surfers and surfing wannabes. One of the best surfing schools is Manly Surf School.
www.manlysurfschool.com
Feeling a little brave, you can go diving with sharks at Manly Oceanworld! Or for the not so brave take a stroll around Oceanworld and take in the sharks, rays and turtles from a safe distance – behind the glass!!
www.oceanworld.com.au
For all you Home and Away fans out there, you can’t come to Sydney and not visit the site of so many emotional scenes from the TV show – Palm Beach. If you’re lucky you may even see them filming on the beach.
Palm Beach is approximately and hour drive out of Sydney City, the 190 bus also runs from the City to Palm Beach.
Take a stroll up the hill to the light house to capture some great photos looking down over the beach.
p: 02 9528 9900
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The Historic Como Hotel
Built in 1878 and almost destroyed by fire nearly 100 years later, this historic site has been restored to it's former sandstone glory.
A favourite watering hole of the famous Australian poet Henry Lawson who lived at Como in the 1900's, local legend has it that Lawson "used to row a boat from his house to the hotel and sell or recite his poems for beer".
The hotel is still a shire favourite for a lazy afternoon lunch and to savour the spectacular view overlooking parkland, Scylla Bay and the beautiful Georges River.
Main Bar
Tuesday Night- Pool comp from 7.00pm, get a free drink & hot dog, great prizes to be won.
Badge Draw - Thursday's 6.30pm & Sunday's 4.30pm ( 2 draws both days)
Free Courtesy Bus - Friday evenings & Saturday all day! available for local pick up & drop off's.
For more information visit:
www.thecomo.com.au
Bondi to Coogee Walk
This is a must when visiting Sydney and it won’t cost you a cent! The walk begins at the North end of Bondi Beach, know to the locals as Ben Buckler Point, from this point it is a 6km walk to Coogee Beach, allow 2 hours approximately. There are plenty of great Cafes and beaches along the way so to take time to enjoy these allow more than 2 hours.
The walk is pretty easy going, anyone of a reasonable or average fitness level will have “No Worries”! The majority of the path is level with a couple slopping sections.
So you’re on the way! Down along the Bondi Beach Promenade, at the South end of Bondi you will pass the famous Bondi Iceberg’s Club. This is open for visitors and offers excellent bar food and views.
Your next port of call is Mackenzies Point where you can find some old Aboriginal carvings of a whale carved into a rock formation near the lookout.
The next beach along the path is Tamarama this beach is probably used mostly by locals. If you stop here for a swim be careful, it is a beautiful small beach but the surf can be dangerous and rough.
Moving on to our next beach around the corner from Tamarama, we find Bronte, home of the World’s first Surf Club. Again it is a glorious beach but the current can be strong so “Swim between the Flags”. Some trendy Cafes for a coffee break or another day’s activity could be to make use of all the BBQ’s on the grass area behind the beach. Just remember to bring a few 20 cent coins to operate them.
As you follow the coast along from Bronte Beach you will reach Waverley Cemetery, the path continues along the edge of the Cemetery but you may like to stop and read the head stones of some famous Aussies. You will think to yourself what a magnificent place to be laid to rest.
Clovelly is next along the coast; this is a sheltered beach, ideal for kids and a fabulous place to snorkel and say hello to the resident Blue Groper.
Just a car park separates Clovelly and Gordons Bay, one of the Eastern Suburbs popular dive sites. There is an underwater trail mapped out with chain for divers to follow.
You’re nearly there – next stop Coogee.
Coogee is a similar to Bondi in its popularity with backpackers and tourists and you will see why. Surf is not usually is big here as at Bronte or Tamarama but it has its days. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes, pubs, shops here to help you unwind after your walk.
At the bus station here you can catch a bus to the City or back to Bondi or if you’re feeling energetic you could walk back to Bondi!!
