Sydney Harbour is a natural harbour on the East Coast of Australia in Sydney, New South Wales.
Originally the area surrounding Sydney Harbour was home to a variety of aboriginal tribes. Captain James Cook was the first person to find Sydney Harbour in 1770. Captain Cook did not go into the harbour, but sailed past the entrance on his way north up the East Coast of Australia. Cook named Sydney Harbour after Sir George Jackson. European settlement started on January 26, 1788, when Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet arrived from England.
Sydney Harbour is also the location of the famous Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Sydney Harbour reaches 20km inland where it meets the Parramatta River. It is called Port Jackson. The Harbour makes up a large part of the cities atmosphere, being a busy port and lively recreational area, offering swimming, sailing, walks and picnics amongst its beaches, islands, parks and waters.
The North and South Headlands mark the entrance to the harbour. The city can be found 8km inland. There are some great places all around the harbour from which you can get a great shot of the Sydney Harbour. A great place to view the harbour is from one of the headlands or from a boat. There are a number of ferry tours and sailing trips which you can go on.
There are also several small coves and beaches along the coast, including Camp Cove, Nielsen Park and Lady Bay (a nude beach), which are accessible by bus number 325 from Watson Bay.
Along the North Shore are some larger beaches including Balmoral accessible by bus numbers 247 then 257 from Wynyard, Chinaman's Beach accessible by bus numbers 175 or 178 from Wynyard, Clontarf accessible by bus numbers 131 or 132 from Wynyard and Manly Cove and Reef Beach both accessible on bus numbers 175 or 178 from Wynyard.
There are also a number of small islands inside of the Sydney Harbour including Clarke Island, Goat Island, Port Denison, Rodd Island, and Shark Island. If you would like to visit these Islands, then you should book through the Sydney Harbour National Parks Information Centre in the Rocks Ph:(02) 9247 5033.
A great way to see Sydney Harbour is on one of its many cruises. Captain Cook Cruises is one of the main cruise boats around the Sydney Harbour offering many different daytime and evening cruises. There are great photo opportunities, with vies of both the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and the Botanical Gardens.
Featured Sydney CBD Activities
TOUR NAME
LOCATION
RATES (AUD) from
Sydney City Tour(EX571) (Bushwalking, Nature & Wildlife) Sydney Harbour reputedly one of the most beautiful in world, will not disappoint. And the city that sits around it is one of fine weather, sunshine, glorious ocean beaches with a vibrant big city vibe...
Sydney City Tour with Opera House Tour(EX574) (Bushwalking, Nature & Wildlife) This tour is a great example of what Sydney has to offer. Tour for the main duration of the experience and at the conclusion of the Sydney City Tour you then join a guided tour of Australia's most fam...
Sydney Sunset(EX579) (Bushwalking, Nature & Wildlife) Sydney - a fast paced city with style and history set on one of the world's most beautiful harbours. Take a comprehensive look at Manly Tour 202 and meet our marine wildlife at the state of the art Sy...
Purchase this DVD that captures the sweeping contrasts of New South Wales. Includes footage of the Great Dividing Range to Bathurst, Goulburn and Albury, through the rich grazing lands.
Marvel at Dubbo's Western Plain Zoo and discover the rare opal at Lightning Ridge. Explore the Ghost Towns and outback city of Broken Hill and admire the splendour of the Menindee Lakes in the Kinchega National Park.
Investigate the Minnamurra Rainforest and enjoy the waterfalls of the Illawarra Plateau. Explore the snowfields of the Snowy Mountains, Mt Kosciusko and traverse the Murray River from the Alpine headwaters to Lake Hume. Moving on to the Southern Coast of New South Wales and the panoramic vistas's of Jervis Bay, the famous Blow Hole at Kiama and north to Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay.
PLEASE NOTE: The New South Wales travel destinations outlined above are only a small selection from the tens of thousands of Australian travel information pages available on Australian Explorer. A comprehensive list of destinations for New South Wales Holidays can be found on the main New South Wales Holidays location guide.
