Central Station is Sydney’s hub for train travel with long-distance services departing upstairs (with coaches and trams stopping downstairs on Eddy Avenue). The station has all the facilities that you would expect including bars, shops, fast food outlets and lockers.
NSW TrainLink and CityRail both offer intercity train services although CityRail’s network extends only as far south as Goulburn and Nowra, west to the Blue Mountains and north to Newcastle and Scone. NSW TrainLink goes further afield within New South Wales and also runs a few interstate services (to Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne). The Indian Pacific to Perth (via Broken Hill and Adelaide) is a really long-distance train journey that is run by Great Southern Railway.
You can travel to Sydney on NSW TrainLink trains and coaches using the
Discovery Pass rail pass
The world’s widest long-span bridge and tallest (134m), but not the longest, steel arch bridge opened in 1932 becoming Sydney’s first internationally recognised landmark. The bridge is such an enduring symbol of the city that it deserves more than just a quick look. Walking across is the cheapest and one of the best ways to experience the bridge, although you can also take a bus or train across. If you’ve got the money the best experience by far is the BridgeClimb. One of the bridge’s southern pylons houses the Harbour Bridge Museum that has great views from the top.
Sydney Observatory is Australia’s oldest observatory. It features an exhibition on astronomy and its context in Australian history.
A daytime visit gives you access to the gardens and the exhibits inside the complex, but does not give you access to the telescope domes, telescope viewing or the planetarium.
Nighttime sessions run for around 90 minutes give you access to telescope viewing. If telescope viewing is not feasible due to sky conditions then a planetarium session will be provided instead.
Free entry with the iVenture Sydney card
Free day tour of the Sydney Observatory with the iVenture Card Sydney sightseeing pass
The Sydney Opera House was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and built over a 14-year period. It was finally completed, way over budget, in 1973. The Opera House is one of Australia’s two internationally recognised urban landmarks (the Harbour Bridge is the other) and is widely recognised for its unique design and imposing position overlooking the harbour at the tip of Bennelong Point. The Opera House has four auditoria and features ballet, classical music, theatre and opera performances. Front of house tours run frequently but backstage tours run less often and need to be booked in advance.
Free tour with the iVenture Sydney card
Free tour of the Sydney Opera House with the iVenture Card Sydney sightseeing pass
Sydney’s tallest building offers great views over the city centre and Sydney Harbour. Entry to the observation deck also includes OzTrek, a 35-minute virtual reality tour featuring 3D holograms and 180-degree cinema screens.
Free entry with the iVenture Sydney card
Free entry to the Sydney Tower Eye with the iVenture Card Sydney sightseeing pass
The Centrepoint Tower is also the venue for the Sydney Tower Skywalk. This adventure activity involves getting into a harness and venturing out onto the roof of the tower and walking along external walkways to a platform suspended over the edge of the tower that offers even better city views than the observation deck.
The Air Walk is 570m long and allows visitors to see the forest from an unusual perspective among the treetops at a height of between 25m and 45m above ground level.
Free entry with the iVenture Tasmania card
Free entry to the Tahune Airwalk with the iVenture Card Tasmania sightseeing pass
Tamworth has pretty good transport connections including buses to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and towns in New England and the New South Wales north coast. Buses stop at the bus terminal near the corner of Murray and Peel streets.
This is a tacky collection of country music memorabilia that includes a small wax museum and the big guitar.
Trains stop at Tamworth en route between Sydney and Armidale.
Tamworth train station is located at the corner of Brisbane and Marius Streets.
This is one of the few places in the world where visitors can hand feed wild dolphins in their natural environment and every evening, several wild dolphins swim here. The resort’s dolphin care programme staff supervises the nightly feedings to ensure the dolphins are not harmed in any way. Daily pelican feeding is another of Tangalooma’s natural animal attractions.
The Western Plains Zoo is Australia’s first open range zoo and one of the countries best zoos. The zoo was established to provide open spaces for – mostly African – animals that need more extensive grounds than could be provided in city zoos. It is home to 82 different species. Although the zoo has a focus on African wildlife, there are animals from around the world including many native Australian animals. There are extensive cycling and walking paths around the zoo. The zoo covers around 300 hectares so renting a bike is probably the best way to see it.
Taronga Zoo is one of Sydney’s most popular attractions. It is known as the zoo with a view and is one of the world’s more enjoyable zoos, partly because of its lovely harbourside setting. The zoo has the usual collection of animals from around the globe and a couple of good picnic and barbecue areas.
Free entry with the iVenture Sydney card
Free entry to the Taronga Zoo with the iVenture Card Sydney sightseeing pass
Tasman National Park is easily accessible from Port Arthur. The park’s rugged coastline is home to caves and natural features including Devils Kitchen, Tasman Arch and Tasman Blowhole. Seals, penguins, dolphins and whales are among the wildlife that can be seen at the park.
This wildlife park features Tasmanian Devils plus other animals such as kangaroos, wallabies and eagles.
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) on Dunn Place in central Hobart has exhibits of modern Australian art and artefacts depicting Tasmania’s convict history.
Both Tassielink and Redline coaches run between Devonport and most destinations in Tasmania. Tassielink stop outside the tourist information centre at 92 Formby Road and Redline coaches stop on Edward Street.
Coach travel is the main form of public transport in Tasmania, and Hobart is well connected to other destinations within the state. The Tassielink coach terminal is at 64 Brisbane Street.
Alice Springs was originally established as a telegraph station in 1871. This 2,000-hectare reserve, 2km north of the centre of Alice Springs, is situated on the site of the original settlement. It features some of the original structures including the old telegraph station, which is open to the public.
