About Sydney

Potential visitors who learn about Sydney are usually anxious to visit the city when they find out about its many hotels, restaurants, museums, zoos, stores, casinos, clubs, beaches, and other attractions. It's a family-friendly place that welcomes people from all cultures to visit the Land Down Under.

Sydney History

The official history of Sydney stretches back to 1788, although indigenous people made it their home long before settlers arrived. The city was founded by English settlers who arrived on 11 ships. The vessels were packed with over 700 convicts, as well as guards, livestock, and food to help them establish their new home. Non-convict settlers followed in 1793. The city was named for Thomas Townsend, also known as Lord Sydney, a British Secretary of State who recommended establishing Australian colonies.

Life in Sydney was harsh, with laws strictly enforced and ongoing conflicts with the natives. It was once governed by William Bligh, infamous for his role in the mutiny on the Bounty, but he was overthrown for incompetence.

Today, modern Sydney is much more laid-back. It's a multi-cultural city with over four million inhabitants, including natives and immigrants from around the world. It even had the honor of hosting the 2000 Summer Olympics. Its sights and activities draw nearly three million international tourists annually, as well as millions from other parts of Australia. While they might not find Crocodile Dundee, they'll experience a rich mix of culture and fun.

Visiting Sydney

Sydney is a coastal area, with many things for tourists to do. It has sports like rugby, cricket, and soccer, museums, beaches, boating, clubs and casinos. There are plenty of family-friendly activities if you're traveling with children, like the Taronga Zoo, the Luna Park amusement park, the Sydney Aquarium, and the Powerhouse Museum. Kids will also enjoy taking the ferry to Manly, an area with dining, shopping, and other activities that will keep the whole family busy.

It's easy to find hotels in Sydney, whether your taste runs to luxury hotels and boutique properties or you prefer the familiarity of chain hotels. Most Sydney hotels are family-friendly, and many even provide child-sized bathrobes and other amenities and activities. Your hotel might have a paid babysitting service or be able to recommend a local child care firm so you can get out and enjoy Sydney night life.

Eating in Sydney

People sometimes associated Sydney with exotic-sounding foods like kangaroo meat or Vegemite. It's true that natives hunted and ate local animals, but this isn't widespread anymore, although you can try kangaroo at many places if you're feeling adventurous. Vegemite, which got an exotic reputation in "The Land Down Under" by Men at Work, is really just a yeast-based spread, manufactured by Kraft Foods, that is often eaten by people in Sydney on toast or sandwiches.

There are restaurants serving traditional and modern Australian cuisine, as well as a wide variety of ethnic cuisines, like Italian, Turkish, Asian, Indian, and Mexican fare. Cafes are popular for dining with a family in Sydney, and food carts offer tasty, authentic items like meat pies and sausage rolls. If you prefer a sit-down meal, the Rocks, Circular Quay, Darling Harbor, and Bondi Beach are all popular places for restaurants.

Sydney Customs

Many Australian customs are apparent in Sydney. Australians are very accepting of other cultures, so you'll run into people of many nationalities in the city. Sydney is an excellent place to find certain ethnic foods, like Chinese, Indian and Turkey, because of its openness to immigration.

Australians are friendly and tend to make eye contact when talking to others. It's acceptable to shake hands as a form of greeting, much as you would do in the United States. You can dress casually when visiting Sydney. Focus mainly on comfort, although it's appropriate to dress up a bit more if you're visiting theater in Sydney. Wearing little clothing, or donning swimwear, is customary in beach areas like the Rocks.

Australians speak English, but they speak their own form of Australian English and use their own slang. It's not difficult to understand the context, and you can get familiar with some common phrases before visiting. For example, if someone in Sydney asks if you want a "cuppa," they're referring to tea or coffee. "Fair dinkum" is a phrase that means "Really?" or "Is that true?" "Bloke" refers to a man, and if someone asks "How ya goin'?" it's the equivalent of saying, "How are you?" in the United States. If you're looking for restroom facilities, be aware that they're referred to as the "loo" or the "dunny." "Arvo" means afternoon, and someone who is "crook" is not feeling well.

If you're lucky enough to be invited to a barbeque, expect to be served meat, salad, and bread. It's customary to offer to bring a plate, which means bringing some food item along with you for sharing. You might just get to try authentic "shrimp on the barbie," although your host is more likely to call them prawns.

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