Isn’t the city of Sydney synonymous to the ‘Opera House’? That was the intention while designing the iconic building, but little did Jorn Utzon know that his piece of architecture will overshadow the other features of the city. This post makes an effort to shift the attention to the other elements in and around Sydney thereby giving you an overview of this city.

Blue Mountains:

A 45 minute drive, west of the city sees the towering ‘Blue Mountains’. A fascinating feature to note here is that for the people of Australia, any landmass that rises up to a 1000 m or so categorically classifies as a mountain range which being one of the reasons, this section of the ‘Great Dividing Range’ gets its name from. For the history enthusiasts, Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson were the three pioneers who traveled from Sydney across to the west of these mountains, their work being so extensive that the path in use today is the same as that used by the explorers. Eucalyptus trees extensively comprising the flora of this area, so much so that it forms about 90% of the total foliage. Oil molecules that tend to scatter light in the wavelength range of about 450 nm ( that is of the colour ‘blue’) are released during transpiration, thereby adding up to collectively radiate a blue halo from these mountains. To all those who are adrenaline freaks and nature lovers, this should be on the places to visit!

 

Did You Know?

Most trees in Australia are evergreen and the few species of deciduous trees that do exist are mostly exotic in nature, that is brought to the country by immigrants.

The City:

In addition to being one of the most expensive cities to live in, Sydney is also called the ‘Tunnel Capital Of Australia’ due to the extensive tunnels that are hollowed out from the pre existing bedrock of sandstone. Various sections of the city like the ‘Rock’, ‘Downtown’ or ‘Harbourside’ are all a conglomerate of architectural styles ranging from the Victorian facades, a consequence of Australia’s ties with the British Commonwealth, to a more modernistic form as in the case of the Convention Centre at Harbourside. The appeal to the city is like no other and would recommend every traveler to surely explore the street life of this robust city. The Indian-Pacific is a train that connects Perth to Sydney, another means of transport via which you can commute to and from the city. Regarding the food, you need not worry as there are cafes and restaurants on board: a lavish ride one must say!

Did You Know?

The Aborigines have inhabited Australia for the past 60,000 years, with 300 sub-communities all having their distinct language, their population adding to about 1.6 billion in number.

After providing an overview of the city, it seems only natural to analyse the various suburbs of the city. Here are some must visit parts of the city that are not as popular among the foreign tourists.

Leura:

Located on a dormant volcano, this village is a tad expensive in comparison to the neighbouring suburbs. Although, the expenses that are to be procured in the shops are compensated by the stunning sights on the streets of this village: magnolia and casuarina trees adorning the entire block. Be sure to carry a camera as you will not want to miss out on this picturesque location.

Did You Know?

The squiggly design on the highway of the Parramatta River in Sydney was conceived in the 1970’s its Aboriginal meaning being, ‘Where The Eels Are’ and hence the symbolism!

Woolloomooloo Area:

The naval area of Sydney which house the Australian fleet, its name has an Aboriginal origin and means a ‘Baby Kangaroo’ in the native tongue. The largest finger wharf in Sydney, one will be thrown back into the past during a time when the women came out to wish their husbands farewell as they embarked upon their journeys.

 

Hyde Park:

This park is credited for the augmentation of the first Australian horse race way back in the year 1810. Even till this day, the park has retained its original oval shape as a reminder of its past. The Anzac War Memorial is located in this park and a tribute is paid every morning to all the soldiers of Australia and New Zealand that lost their lives during the various wars.

Sydney continues to be an iconic city not only in Australia, but all across the world. From the little that I know of the city, architects must surely look into its meticulously designed landscape and travelers are ought to be mesmerized by the charm and the warmth that this city radiates.

Hooroo!