The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. In addition to representing Sydney, the opera house has also become a symbol for the country of Australia throughout the world. Resting
majestically on Bennelong Point as it reaches into Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Opera House is truly an unforgettable sight. The original plan to build the opera house was put forth in 1950, and designed by John
Utzon. Interestingly enough, his vision was more advanced than architectural and engineering abilities of the decade, and it wasn't until 1973 that his ideas were finally put into place. The doors were opened by
Queen Elizabeth II on October 20th of that year, with its opening show, War and Peace.
Today, the Sydney Opera House provides over 200,000 tours each year, and has over 1000 rooms. A diverse mix of dance, theatre, and musical performances are presented year round, and locals,
as well as tourists, make up the over 2 million guests this Australia opera house entertains each year.
Transportation to the opera house in Sydney is generally quite convenient from any place in the city.
Many hotels offer shuttle service to the Australia opera house. Or buses, commuter trains, and harbor ferries all makes frequent stops at the Circular Quay, an area for public transport services that is a quick five
minute walk to the opera house in Sydney. Car parking is also available for a fee. Guests will find the Sydney Opera House Car Park at the northern end of Macquarie Street, which is fully covered.
If your
opera house plans leave time for a meal, there are also a few restaurants and bars on the opera house grounds. The Opera Bar offers a stunning view of the harbor, as well as an array of creative cocktails and
delightful cuisine. This is also the best place to stop for a quick snack. Another great option for food is the Guillaume at Bennelong, with service before performances, as well as late night for patrons looking to
catch a meal after a show. There are also bistro and espresso stand options, open during the day, as well as during performance intervals.
To book the performance of your choice, it is generally recommended
to purchase tickets in advance. Tickets can be purchased online, or at the Sydney Opera House box office during the day. If you plan to attend more then one show, be sure to take advantage of the discount offered to
patrons who purchase tickets to three or more shows all at once. Families traveling to the opera house in Sydney will also find an excellent group of performances for children. The 2006 year marks the first year of
the International Children's Film Festival, showcasing a wide range of fascinating, and often educational, performances for children.
Whether or not you plan to take in a show, this Australia opera house is
certainly a must see when traveling to Sydney. Tours are available daily for a moderate fee. The opera house in Sydney has over 1,000 rooms, and is truly a marvel in architectural design and engineering.
Sydney Australia
Sydney Australia, known as the Harbor City, has both a unique landscape, as well as a unique history. The sheltered harbor of Sydney Australia made Sydney an excellent home for indigenous peoples, and later a useful
port for Europeans. On January 26th, 1788, 11 ships from Britain arrived in Sydney Cove. Called the "First Fleet", these ships carried British soldiers, along with British prisoners, sent to establish a
new colony. Modern Sydney still bears the mark of these early settlers. Some of Sydney's main streets run along the original trails carved out by European settlers.
Today, Sydney is known for its beautiful harbor, along with the Harbour Bridge that graces its waters. The Sydney Opera House is also a famous landmark for Australians and tourists alike, and an excellent stop on
your Australia sightseeing journey. The Opera House is open year round, and features some of the best in world dance, music, and theatre. Travel in Sydney is not complete without touring the house, or maybe even
seeing a show. You may even purchase tickets online when planning your trip. For travelers who are patrons of the arts, the Sydney Arts Festival is also a great option. Held each January during Australia's summer,
this event is completely free of charge. The arts festival is an exciting way to experience both European and Indigenous tradition, along with music, dance, and arts from around the world.
Art from around
the world can also be found in local shopping centers throughout Sydney. One of the most popular is the Queen Victoria Building. The Queen Victoria Building is a landmark in it's own right, as well as being one of
Sydney's premier shopping centers, both for personal and gift shopping.
Another of the more popular Sydney attractions, and a great stop as you continue Australia sightseeing in Sydney, is the beautiful
stretch of beaches along the city's coast. Tourists come to Sydney from around the world to surf, sun bathe, and scuba dive in and around the waters of Sydney. Another popular activity as you travel in Sydney is a
Harbour Cruise. Cruises are available for both lunch and dinner, and guests will have a chance to stroll and dine as they sail around the beautiful harbor.
For many travelers who are new to the city and
looking for Sydney attractions, a tour of the city itself provides a great way to become familiar with all things Sydney. Free walking tour brochures are available, free of charge, and have been provided by the City
of Sydney's Historical Program. Brochures can be found at any library or community center within the city of Sydney.
While taking your walking tour as part of your Australia sightseeing, you might happen to
stroll by The Rocks, a section of Sydney once known for it's squalid and disease ridden condition. Things have changed since the days of the prison settlements, and modern day tourists will see none of the destitute
buildings of the past. In the early 1970’s, The Rocks was completely renovated, to create one of the most charming neighborhoods for shopping and enjoying local cafes. The history alone makes this an interesting
stop when visiting Sydney Australia.
These are just a few of the fun and interesting landmarks and activities to be enjoyed in Sydney, Australia. However you spend your time, you'll be sure to find many
unique Sydney attractions and exciting things to do.
Commentary: Sydney, Australia greens its “world’s largest” New Year’s fireworks show via other means than the fireworks
Good effort, and some is better than none, but missing the point. Where are the stats about the perchlorate and particulate matter generated? Or about increases in both the days after such an event?
Happy New
Year, everyone! Thank you for reading Envirostats. May your year be full of good health, green joy and prosperity. [Envirostats author]
The City of Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks display is regarded as the largest and most technologically advanced annual fireworks display on the planet.
* The display draws larger crowds than in New York,
London, Paris or Berlin, with more than a million people watching from the Sydney Harbour foreshore.
* Fifteen months of design, planning and preparation for the Bridge Effect.
* Approximately 11,000
shells, 10,000 shooting comets, and a total of 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects will be incorporated into the display.
* 112 firing points on the Sydney Harbour Bridge itself
* More than 60,000
metres of wires and cables are required to interface with the computers to launch the display
* Fourteen 20 foot shipping containers full of pyrotechnic equating to 112,000kg of equipment.
* A pyrotechnic crew of 40.
* The fireworks on the Bridge and barges are fully digitally launched, requiring 12 computers that will shoot a total of 9,200 cues.
* The 9pm show will use four fireworks barges.
* There are seven barges for the midnight show, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
* Fireworks will be seen off eight city rooftops.
* The 2007
Bridge Effect, designed by Brian Thomson and bridge lighting display by Martin Kinnane, is approximately 36m x 36m and weighs more than 40 tonne. It is installed on the bridge in approximately 22 nights over a three
month period.
* 9,000m of rope light will be used to construct the effect. It is attached to a panel and truss system which uses over 50,000 cable ties.
* Programming the effect takes a year of planning and five days on-site using over 300 individual circuits.
* More than 4km of power cable is required to power the effect which will use up to 25,000kw of
green power from set up to dismantle.
* The fireworks display is designed by Sydney’s Foti International Fireworks. This is the sixth year in a row that the company has been involved in the event. The
Fireworks Director for the midnight fireworks is Fortunato Foti and Tino Pangallo for the 9pm Family Fireworks.
Sydney Harbour Bridge from the air
Sydney's Harbour
The Australian city of Sydney has one of the world's great harbours, which acts as the core around which the city has grown. However, what many people don't realize about Sydney's harbour is that it has a
name problem. Most people, including most Sydneysiders, refer to it as "Sydney harbour", but strictly speaking this isn't correct. It's not that there isn't a Sydney harbour, it's
just that this isn't it, in fact it's nowhere near - Sydney harbour is actually in Nova Scotia, Canada. If you want to be correct, then, you'll call Sydney's harbour "Port Jackson", but be
warned that you'll be the only person doing that!
I visited Sydney in January, but you definitely won't get a view like this in Nova Scotia at that time of year, because Canada's Sydney harbour is frozen for
three months of the year. In this photo you can see the Royal Botanic Gardens on the waterfront, with the Centerpoint Tower poking up a total of 320 meters, with an observation deck at 250
meters. On the right, of course, is the famous opera house and on the far right is one end of the area known as The Rocks, which is where Sydney's first convict inhabitants were forced to set up
camp. Hidden behind the opera house is Circular Quay, which is where most of the harbour ferries arrive and depart.
Sydney's iconic Opera House was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on my tenth birthday, but somehow I missed out on getting an invitation. Although Australians are very proud of it now, the opera house had a
very troubled gestation and birth process, taking about 12 years longer to build than expected, and costing far more than was originally projected. The Danish architect, Jorn Utzon, left the project
about halfway through after many acrimonious disagreements with the Australian government.
