In many cities, the city centre would be the first point of call for visitors, however in Sydney this is not the case with many of the attractions on the waterfront. This does not mean that Sydney city centre or Sydney central business district (Sydney CBD) as it is known is not without interest.
Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia and the city centre is where you will find of the city’s most significant buildings.
Walking in the Sydney CBD, you become aware that it is Australia’s main financial and economic centre with many international banks and businesses located here. It is also full of shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. Standing tall above the city is the Sydney Tower.
The main streets are George Street and Pitt Street with Macquarie Street, part of an historic area that houses such buildings as the State Parliament House and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Sydney’s CBD features a mix of old and new architecture; two of the most grandest Victorian buildings are the Queen Victoria Building and the Sydney Town Hall. The Queen Victoria Building or QVB as it known is a shopping gallery with over 190 shops, it is considered one of the most beautiful shopping galleries in the world and it certainly does have an appeal all of its own. The Town Hall is a popular meeting place and is rather grand in a very English sort of a way.
Much of the greenery in the city centre is in Hyde Park which has a number of interesting features, dominating the park is the stunning Anzac Memorial which commemorates those Australians killed serving their country. At nearly 100 feet high, the inside of the memorial is reached up a number of stairs leading into a small exhibition.
Other features in Hyde Park are the Sandringham Gardens and Archibald Fountain and across the road is the impressive St Mary’s Cathedral.
The Australian Museum is nearby and if you carry on you can go to Paddy’s Markets where the local population go for a rather different shopping experience.
With such iconic sights on the waterfront, it may be if you are on a relatively short stay that you decide to ignore the city centre but that may be a mistake. Sydney’s CBD gives a glimpse of the past and a taste of its bustling commercial present with a number of attractions to keep you interested.
Old Fogies Travels are the adventures of two elderly Londoners (The Old Fogies) as they explore their home town and travel around the world looking out for the strange, unusual and absurd.
Our articles are published on our blog but also listed on the website of our friends at Visiting London Guide.com here.
Old Fogies Travels 