If there's a platypus and didgeridoos it must be Australia

Thinking about Australia often gets us thinking about kangaroos, koala bears, dingoes, Tasmania devils and didgeridoos. But there’s more to see and down there than wildlife and beautiful landscapes: modernity is a great aspect in the Aussie Island.

Let’s focus on Sydney. Did you know that the local inhabitants of that city are called Sydneysiders?, and this word has got no equivalent in Spanish?

Sydney is the largest city in Australia, 4.3 million estimates in 2008. It’s located in the state of New South Wales, one out of eight Australian states (the others are Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Canberra-Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania.

The city was established in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, admiral of the First Fleet from Britain.

Sidney often is called ‘the Harbour City’ since it is built around Port Jackson, which includes Sydney Harbour. The city is home to the iconic Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and its beaches. The metropolitan area is surrounded by national parks, containing many bays, rivers and inlets. The city has hosted international sporting events, including the 1938 British Empire Games, 2000 Summer Olympics and the final of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The main airport serving the area is the Kingsford Smith International Airport, commonly referred to as Sydney Airport.

Sydney is one of the most multicultural cities in the world; it is Australia’s most expensive city, and the 15th most expensive in the world. According to 2006 census, the most common ancestries identified for Sydney residents were Australian, English, Irish, Scottish and Chinese. The Census also recorded that two per cent of Sydney’s population identified as being of indigenous origin and 31.7 per cent were born overseas.

Sydney goes to Hollywood!
Sydney’s role in the film industry has increased since the opening of Fox Studios Australia in 1998. Prominent films which have been filmed in the city include Moulin Rouge, Mission: Impossible II, Star Wars episodes II and III, superman Returns, Dark City, Son of the Mask, Happy Feet, Australia and The Matrix. Films using Sydney as a setting include Finding Nemo, Muriel’s Wedding and Independence Day.

What to see and do around Sydney?

Sydney’s urban area is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the East, the Blue Mountains to the West, and the Hawkesbury River to the North and the Royal National Park to the South.

Bondi Beach (pronounced "BOND-eye", or /'bɒndaɪ/) is a popular beach and a suburb in Sydney. It is about one kilometre long and receives many visitors throughout the year. It’s a popular place among surfers and backpackers worldwide. >>


Sydney Central Business District, CBD and also referred to as the City, is the main commercial centre of Sydney. Its north-south axis runs from Circular Quay in the North to Central railway station in the South, and its east-west axis goes from a chain parkland, including Hyde Park, Royal Botanical Gardens to the Darling Harbour and the Western Distributor in the West. It’s the largestand busiest central business district in Australia.

<< Port Jackson. It is the natural harbour of Sydney. Known for its beauty and as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Royal Botanical Gardens. They are the largest of three major botanical gardens open to public in the city, along with the Mount Annan Botanic Garden and the Mount Tomah Botanic Garden. The Royal Botanic Gardens is the oldest scientific institution in Australia and has played a major role in the acclimatisation of plants from other regions.

Botany Bay. A few kilometres south of the CBD lies Botany Bay flowed by the Cooks and the Georges Rivers. On 29th April 1770, the Bay was the site of James Cook’s first landing of HMS Endeavour on the Australian Continent. Later the British planned Botany Bay as the site for a penal colony. >>


Education. Sydney is home to some of Australia’s most prominent universities, and is the site of Australia’s first university, the University of Sydney, established in 1850. there are other five public universities operating in the city: the Australian Catholic University, Macquire University, university of New South Wales, the University of Technology at Sydney and the University of Western Sydney. Other universities which operate secondary campuses ins the city include the University of Notre Dame Australia and the University of Wollongong.



Toronga Zoo. Divided into eight zoogeographic regions, Toronga Zoo is home to over 2.600 animals on 21 hectares, making it one of the largest of its kind. Animals are housed in a large variety of exhibits, including:
+ Wild Australia
+ Australian Walkabout
+ Koala Encounters
+ Platypus House
+ Australian Nightlife
+ Australian Rainforest Aviary
+ Australian Bush Birds
+ Creatures of Wollemi
+ Helmore Parrot Aviary
+ Backyard to Bush
+ Other Wild Australia
+ Great Southern Oceans
+ Moore Park Aviary
+ Serpentaria
+ Amazonia
+ South American Aviaries
+ African Waterhole
+ Chimpanzee Park
+ Gorilla Forest
+ Wild Asia
+ Three Shrew House
+ Himalayan Mountains
+ Cats of Asia
+ ‘Dog Row’
+ Orang-utan Rainforest
+ Bear Canyon
+ Giant Tortoises


Transport. Most residents travel by car though the system of roads and motorways. Sydney is also served by an extensive train, taxi, bus and ferry networks.
Sydney trains are run by CityRail. The city has one privately operated light rail line, Metro Light Rail, running from Central Station to Lilyfield in the West. A net of buses connect the city and inner suburbs. Sydney Ferries run numerous commuter and tourist services on Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River.

Extra Info:

Australia

Notre Dame - Australia

Sydney Opera House Paper Model - build your own Opera House FREE!! (copy and print)

Toronga Zoo photoshots

Sydney Opera House

Australian Music

14th june

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