SYDNEY'S ENDLESS SUMMER
Sydney's Endless Summer - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Sydney’s Endless Summer | |||||
| By: Andrew Conway, Issue 17 – Summer 2004 | |||||
| (Sydney, Australia, NSW, Opera House, Darling Harbour, Harbour Bridge) | |||||
| FROM THE SPARKLING HARBOUR TO ITS MAGNIFICENT BEACHES, AUSTRALIA’S UNOFFICIAL ‘CAPITAL’ SHINES IN SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER CITY IN THE WORLD. | |||||
| It was Captain Arthur Phillip, commander of the First Fleet, who presented Sydney with its first tourism accolade. “We arrived in Port Jackson early in the afternoon,” he wrote in his ship’s journal on January 26, 1788, “and had the satisfaction of finding the finest harbour in the world.” Almost 216 years later, as the nation prepares to celebrate Australia Day 2004, his words still ring true. Sydney Harbour has changed dramatically in that time – although the sharp-eyed Phillip would surely recognise the great swathes of bush-covered foreshore which have managed to resist the onslaught of urban sprawl – but two things remain constant: Sydney’s remarkable light and water, and how the two combine to cast their magic spell. At any given time of the day or night, especially in the hot summer months, Sydney shines with an intensity matched by few other cities. It happens at dawn when the pale sun rises over the Pacific Ocean and turns the sky from an inky black to a rose pink, burnished gold and finally powder blue. It happens again in the middle of the day when the cloudless sky takes on a deeper hue, and the glaring sunlight appears to strafe the harbour, causing it to shimmer and sparkle like a tray of brilliant diamonds. And it lingers long after the setting sun, as the colourful lights of the city, Harbour Bridge and famous sails of the Sydney Opera House dance on the water, their reflection broken only by the frothy wake of a passing ferry, pleasure boat, water taxi or cruise liner. If the weather is kind, summer in Sydney is arguably the most special time of year when the city, and its four million inhabitants, cast off the cares of the world, sit back and relax into the steady rhythm of holidays – the contours of each day blurred by many hours of sun, sand and surf, the air tinged with sea salt, sun cream and coconut oil, and the unmistakable sounds of summer: the thwack of cricket balls, the sizzle of barbecues, the shrill of cicadas, the splashing of kids in a swimming pool, and familiar chimes of the ice cream van. While many Sydneysiders leave the city for the coast or country, summer is a wonderful time for visitors and locals alike to discover the very essence of Sydney and what makes it so special and unique. From Bondi in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, the Royal National Park in the south to Ku-ring-gai Chase in the north, Sydney offers a deliciously bright and breezy lifestyle that’s the envy of the world. So where to start? While the geographic and demographic centre of Sydney is actually 24 kilometres to the west of the city in Parramatta, the emotional (some would even say spiritual) heart of Sydney is its sparkling harbour which supported the original inhabitants for centuries and so captivated the early European settlers when they sailed through the Heads in 1788. The ancient landscape may since have been covered with modern skyscrapers, the Aboriginal tribes people replaced by a melting pot of cultures from around the world, and the old high-masted sailing ships overtaken by sleek yachts and catamarans, but it’s a jaded local or visitor who wanders down to the harbour on one of those shimmering midsummer days and fails to be moved by its extraordinary beauty. Dawn at Mrs Macquarie’s Point in the Royal Botanic Gardens, or the historic white-washed lighthouse at Cremorne Point, on Sydney’s leafy Lower North Shore, is an ideal way to start the day, both offering dazzling views of the harbour, city skyline, sails of the Sydney Opera House and soaring arch of the Harbour Bridge, followed by a pleasant harbourside walk and a well-deserved breakfast at a local café. As the city comes to life, there are endless attractions to fill a leisurely morning: the marvellous harbour ferry ride from Circular Quay to Manly; a walking tour of the historic Rocks area; a visit to the excellent Art Gallery of NSW or Australian Museum; a ride to the top of Sydney Tower – and its breathtaking new rooftop Skywalk – or by monorail to Darling Harbour, the Sydney Aquarium and award-winning Powerhouse Museum. A light lunch can be followed by a spot of shopping at the historic Queen Victoria Building in George Street, perhaps a trip to the Sydney Fish Markets at Pyrmont, a tour of the harbour with Captain Cook Cruises, or the popular Harbour Bridge Climb with its amazing views of the city and harbour. Head north for Kirribilli, Cremorne Point, Taronga Zoo and beautiful Balmoral Beach; east to Paddington, ritzy Double Bay, the harbourside Nielsen Park and Watsons Bay, and popular Bondi and Coogee beaches; west for trendy Balmain, Olympic Park at Homebush (the venue for the ‘best ever’ Olympic Games back in 2000), and historic Parramatta; and south for Botany Bay and Bundeena, one of Sydney’s hidden gems with its crescent of golden sand, calm and crystal-clear water, and ancient Aboriginal rock engravings. From tiny swathes of sand in the main harbour to long stretches of beach on the city’s northern or eastern coastline, a pilgrimage to one of Sydney’s beautiful beaches (see page 92) is a must on any visit, holiday or weekend in the city. All this activity, of course, should come with a large dose of luxury whether you check into one of the city’s leading five-star hotels (page 94), dine at the latest restaurant (page 88) or cafe, shop for that must-have purchase, or relax with a soothing spa treatment (page 93), and Sydney can deliver it all on a seafood platter – topped, of course, with a dozen or two of its legendary freshly shucked rock oysters. The city’s nightlife has also improved in leaps and bounds in recent years with a swag of groovy new restaurants, cocktail bars, and nightclubs (page 92) opening their doors. The key to a successful Sydney sojourn is to choose a reliable guide book, slip on your most comfortable walking shoes, pack a decent map, and follow your instinct. The Sydney Visitor Centre in George Street at The Rocks is a good reference point, with an array of useful information to set you on the right track. When it comes to accommodation, the key words are location, location, location – preferably a luxury bolthole close to the harbour or the city centre. Circular Quay is Sydney’s dress-circle for the city’s leading hotels with the newly refurbished InterContinental Sydney, Sir Stamford at Circular Quay, Quay Grand Suites, Four Seasons Hotel, new Shangri-La Hotel (formerly the ANA), Marriott Sydney Harbour, and Park Hyatt Sydney providing the box-seat views of the harbour, Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, city skyline and Royal Botanic Gardens. All you have to do to go sightseeing is pull back the curtains. The city centre is another great place to stay with The Westin Sydney, Sheraton on the Park, Swissotel Sydney on Market Street, and Wentworth Sydney holding court in the CBD with some of the city’s best shops, restaurants, cafes, sights and attractions on the doorstep. The Observatory adds glamour to The Rocks; Star City towers over Darling Harbour; and Medusa in Darlinghurst, Establishment in George Street, and the ultra-hip W Sydney on The Wharf at Woolloomooloo are the darlings of the boutique hotel set. If real estate and property prices are an obsession in Sydney, food and wine come a very close second with more new restaurants and cafes opening by the day than you could poke a Christofle fork or wafer-thin biscotti at. Some, like the new Moorish and Icebergs at Bondi, are so hot you can barely reserve a table; others like Tetsuya’s, Rockpool, Level 41, and Claude’s just go quietly about their business, winning enough major culinary awards to fill a sizeable kitchen. There are the icons like Bathers’ Pavilion at Balmoral Beach, Doyles at Watsons Bay, and The Kiosk at Shelley Beach – who could resist a long lunch with a splash in the harbour or ocean between courses? – while the city’s myriad ethnic eateries, many of them still operating the popular BYO (bring your own wine and beer) policy, are the icing on Sydney’s culinary cake. Check the Sydney Morning Herald and Daily Telegraph restaurant guides for options. While the city skyline looks increasingly like New York, one of Sydney’s great surprises is its ‘greenness’, with vast swathes of the harbour and surrounding suburbs covered with thick bushland, exquisite plants and wildflowers, colourful birds and native wildlife from ring-tailed possums to fruit bats. Much of the harbour foreshore is dedicated national park with superb walking trails that are ideal for a picnic (pack the cossie for a refreshing swim and lots of bottled water for when the going gets hot). Another feature is Sydney’s ‘openness’, a relaxed and informal atmosphere, fostered by a breezy outdoor lifestyle which permeates the city, especially in summer. The city’s obsession with health and fitness means you’ll see almost as many joggers pounding the city streets and parks as sharp-suited office workers, and prepare to do battle with the ever-growing number of US military-style ‘boot camp’ fitness groups who seem to have commandeered many of Sydney’s public beaches. Sydney is hedonism personified. Unlike Melbourne, its more refined southern cousin, Sydney likes to show off, and why not? The city has the best of everything in Australia – it is, after all, the biggest city and the nation’s unofficial ‘capital’ – but it’s also far from perfect. Like many major upwardly mobile cities, crime, pollution, drugs, littering and graffiti are all too common problems. Much of the city’s rich architectural history has been all but lost forever, swamped by the tide of modern development, and Sydney’s Aboriginal heritage has largely disappeared from the cultural landscape. It still exists in certain museums, galleries, shops and scattered rock art sites, but you’ll have to search for it. On the upside, Sydney is a safe, friendly, exciting and physically beautiful city. It has a largely efficient and extensive public transport system, and many natural attractions – like its wonderful beaches and parks – are free. In summer, it’s hot and humid, and when it rains it pours down in buckets, but for the most part Sydney basks in glorious sunshine under a deep blue sky. Good food, fine wine, friendly people and the sort of attractions most countries would sell their souls for, all in one beautiful city. What more could you possibly want this summer? | |||||
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