s y d n e y at a g l a n c e
City at a glance:
Sydney The stunning harbour city of Sydney, Australia’s largest metropolis, is a hotpot of culture, arts, history and gastronomy
S
28
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015
photographS: richard wheeler/alamy, Q Station Sydney Harbour National Park Manly, InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, Merivale
The Mistresses of Mayhem welcome you into the theatrical realm of QT Sydney
photograph: QT Sydney
Words Tatyana Leonov l Photographs destination nsw
The Bay View Executive Suite at InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
ydney is not a city that can be confused with any other. Two iconic landmarks – the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House – sit centrestage, enticing visitors from far and wide. Circular Quay and The Rocks link the two landmarks, providing a good opportunity for a harbourside stroll with plenty of photo prospects along the way. Of course, there’s a lot more to Sydney if you scratch the surface and the population growth (Sydney’s population is predicted to top five million shortly) demonstrates that it’s not merely a popular spot to visit – but also to live. To put it in perspective, about one in five Australians reside in Sydney. Mild winters and long balmy summers means this city doesn’t hibernate! From the hipster inner-city hoods to the outlying suburbs, there’s always a new exhibition, performance or recital rolling out the red carpet for opening night. Barangaroo is the latest development on everybody lips. The $6 million development of the precinct saw the opening of Barangaroo Reserve in August this year, with plans underway to extend to residential space, a new plush hotel and casino in 2016. Another transformation, the $3.4 billion makeover of Darling Harbour, is scheduled for completion 2016/2017. This will be the biggest change that the waterside precinct has seen in 25 years! Key developments include the construction of Australia’s largest exhibition and convention centre and the opening of the five-star 600-room Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. Furthermore, revamps of two other hotels in the vicinity will see a total of 820 new rooms in Darling Harbour by 2017. Of course, there is no shortage of hotels to stay in currently and the offerings range
from lavish accommodations to historical hotels to quirky-cool stays. The assortment of lodging options on offer is an echo of Sydney itself – diverse and distinctive. The diversity of the city stretches a lot further – from culture and cuisine to entertainment and everyday life. It’s a well-known fact that Sydney is an incredibly multicultural metropolis (almost 40 percent of present-day Sydney residents were born outside of Australia) and diversity is both celebrated and endorsed. An important part of Sydney’s identity is, of course, its Indigenous history, and the Aboriginal tourism sector is designed to educate visitors about Australia’s past. Dance and musical performances are a powerful channel used traditionally by Aboriginal people to pass on information (a popular spot to catch a casual streetside performance is at Circular Quay); informative tours offer attendees an insightful way to learn about Aboriginal peoples cultures (The Rocks Dreaming Aboriginal Heritage Tour is one if Sydney’s most immersive offerings); and studying Indigenous art is an all-time favourite activity (The Yiribana Gallery at The Art Gallery of NSW is one of the largest spaces in the country dedicated to Indigenous artworks). The newest creative space attracting anyone who’s even a little bit in the know when it comes to arts is the Chippendale shopping and arts precinct. Just 10 minutes drive from the city centre, the trendy hub has a wide range of art, culture, cuisine and shopping attractions. Many of the shops and galleries are situated in chic
spaces inside former warehouses – a clever approach employed to repurpose space that would otherwise go unused. It’s a fitting representation of how Sydney goes about change. The pulsating city adapts and develops, always moving with the times. Sydney utilises what already exists and creates when needed. It’s a refection of the people that call Sydney home – pulled from all over the globe to call this city theirs. It’s this synthesis of the physical, mental and spiritual that makes Sydney a great place to visit.
BBQ meats at Mr. Wong
The wharf at Q Station Sydney Harbour National Park Manly
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015
29