First visit to Sydney - Memories from down under
Sydney – Australia
A glimpse of down under
A glimpse of Sydney through my eyes
Flashback to 2010:
My first thought as I set foot in Australia: I didn’t realise Sydney had so many wetlands. In fact, the entire Australia has a multitude of wetlands. I have since found out that they cover approximately 8.1 million hectares (81 000 square kilometres) of the 7.692 million km² of Australia with salty marshes, swamps, coastal estuaries and a whole lot of other wetland areas, including billabongs.
Fun fact: What is a billabong?
It is an isolated pond left behind after a river changes its course, leaving the former branch with a dead end.
My ignorant image of Australia was one of the dusty outback, a desert like kind of landscape with the juxtaposition of the great barrier reef in the Coral Sea. Naturally between those two I knew a few more facts and features about this land down under, such as one of its famous landmarks, the idiosyncratic Sydney Opera House or its infamous Bondi Beach.
I was looking forward to discovering more about Australia’s vibrant cosmopolitan capital. Sydney is Australia’s largest city and in 2010 we were a mere dust particle of the over 32 million visitors per year that it receives.
From the moment of stepping onto Australian soil, it brought back memories of my childhood. Yes, I know I spent my youth on another continent, vastly different, but I felt an affinity with Sydney.
I could use all the superfluous adjectives to describe this cosmopolitan capital, but I don’t think I need to. Instead I will show Sydney to you through my eyes and my photos.
Hornby Light on South Head
We frequented so many of the popular sites of Sydney from Circular Quay to Manly Beach, from Darling Harbour to Centennial Park. We even had lunch at the Sydney Fish Market, a sight to behold.
Centennial Park
I never realised that Sydney had so many undulations. There are numerous beautiful areas to meander through and we spent hours on the coastal walks, through hills and valleys, marvelling at the diverse architecture and scenery. We even heard and saw a kookaburra in the suburbs of Sydney but didn’t get a worthwhile photo of one. In fact, we were fascinated by many birds such as the Corellas and galahs.
Corella
The males of my family subjected themselves to an adrenalin rush by going on the Thunderjet in the harbour. I preferred to stroll around the Tarpeian Way in front of the Sydney Opera House, watching people.
Tarpeian Way between Circular Quay and Sydney Opera House
I also loved spending hours on the ferries just enjoying the views.
Attractions of Sydney
Circular Quay
There is a continuous buzz of ferries departing and arriving at Circular Quay, the main ferry terminal in Sydney. The Harbour Bridge and the Opera House are easily accessible from this terminal which is a vital link for Sydneysiders commuting to and from work.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
There are two most famous landmarks of Sydney. One of them is the harbour bridge that links the southern city centre with the northern residential areas. It took eight years to build and also includes a railway line. If you are wanting a 360 degrees panoramic view over Sydney, then be sure to do the bridge climb. We unfortunately didn’t climb it.
Sydney Opera House
The other famous landmark of Sydney, the opera house is situated on Bennelong Point. It is an architectural genius but was an engineering nightmare. In spite of that, it is still a well used arts centre.
Darling Harbour
Adjacent to the city centre of Sydney, Darling harbour is a hub for shopping, entertainment, culture, art and museums.
Darling Harbour
Fort Denison
A heritage fort on an island in Sydney Harbour, it was a former defence facility and today is a top tourist attraction.
Royal Botanic Gardens
Situated on the shores of Farm Cove the gardens are a delight to walk through. Mrs Macquarie's Chair offers one of the best views of Sydney Harbour but sadly I never took a photo of it or the view. The sandstone bench was carved in 1811 by convicts for Governor Macquarie's wife.
Accommodation in Sydney
Hornby Light
The lighthouse signalled the arrival of vessels into Sydney Harbour from the South Head in 1788.
South Head Heritage Trail
The trail includes lightkeepers cottages, the Hornby Light house, gun pits and fortifications from the mid 1800’s.
Manly beach
Manly is a beach side suburb and surfers paradise near Sydney’s Northern Head. We took a ferry from Circular Quay.
Manly Cove
Manly Beach
Bondi beach
This beach needs no introduction, being Sydney’s most iconic beach. It is a gathering place for surfers, swimmers, backpackers, walkers and joggers. It is also the start (or end) of the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk.
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
This coastal walk on the cliff tops, bays and beaches of Sydney’s eastern suburbs has fantastic vistas. Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk offers access to popular surfing and fishing spots, as well as other activities in and out of the water. If you feel in need of a rest, there are plenty of places to admire the view or stop for a quick drink or snack.
Clovelly
Coogee Beach
Rose Bay – seaplane
An affluent eastern suburb on the shores of Sydney Harbour, Rose Bay is a waterfront nucleus for yachts, speedboats and kayaks as well as the water sports that go with it. It even has seaplanes.
Sculptures dotted around Sydney
No matter where you walk, you will find various sculptures around Sydney, big or small, so be sure to keep your eyes open for those and read their inscriptions behind their motivation.
Slit drum from Vanuatu at Royal Botanic Garden
Weedy Seadragon sculpture
I hope this image gallery has given you an insight into the beauty of Sydney. Even though we saw so much, I think we only scraped the surface of what this capitol of Australia has to offer.
Who wouldn’t like to go back to explore more?
Not that we were bored of Sydney, but we went on a coastal road trip to Depot Beach in Murramarang National Park. Click here to see which of Australia’s marsupials we saw.
Considering that we travelled halfway around the world to see family down under, how could we not visit friends in Adelaide, South Australia for a few days. After all, we had not seen them for absolute ages!
Click on image to pin for later
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About the Author
ALMA VAN AS | ROAMING FOX
Alma is a South African travel blogger and writer. She hopes to inspire you with facts and fables about her adventures, road trips and international travel.
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Looking for travel inspiration when you visit the land down under? Or are you wanting an insight into some of the Australian culture? Think of Australia and you think of beaches, barbies and beers, right? A relaxed lifestyle thrown in with no worries. There’s that but there is more.