Crocodile Dundee actor Paul Hogan once worked as a Harbor bridge painter, and returned to inaugurate the vertigo-inducing Harbor Bridge Climb. Outfitted in stylish blue overalls and a chunky harness, climbers edge their way over arches, ladders and catwalks to the summit, 134 M (440 ft) above the water. They're rewarded with 360-degreeharbor views and the right to say "I did it." Prices vary from $100 and $150 per climb (it's cheaper to do it during the week). But be careful, Sydney and Northern New South Wales SYDNEY apparently the exhilaration can go to your head: over 100 marriage proposals have been made at the summit so far.
Views from under the Moreton Bay fig trees on Observatory Hill, the highest point in the city, are especially lovely at dusk, which is also the best time to visit the 1858 Sydney Observatory C (02) 9217 0485.lts heritage exterior belies the twentyfirst-century technology within. During the day visitors can view solar systems up to 4.5 million light years away and atnight zoom in on Neptune, The permanent exhibition includes interactive displays and compares the Greek mythology of the northern sky with the Aboriginal mythology of Australia's southern sky. Free entry 2 PM to 5 PM weekdays, 10 AM to 5 PM weekends, night programs vary but generally cost around $7.
The inside of the nearby pseudo-Gothic Garrison Church, built between 1840 and 1843, is adorned with the dusty flags of the British regiments who once worshipped here; the church is still used by the Australian Army. The main commuter terminal for harbor ferries, Circular Quay is also the only place Sydney’s bus, ferry and train services intersect (it was originally called Semi-Circular Quay, which makes a lot more sense). To confuse visitors, its five wharves are numbered from two to six Wharf 1 having succumbed to the gentrification of Circular Quay East.
Opposite the wharves, the imposing colonial Customs House building is now a cultural and gallery for those who dare, the Harbor Bridge Climb affords unparalleled views across central Sydney and the Opera House on Bennelong Point. Diamu means "I am here" in the language of Sydney’s traditional owners, the Yurahouses the Australian Museum's collection of indigenous art and cultural exhibits from Australia and the South Pacific, the largest of its kind in Australia.
From time to time the gallery hosts free cultural programs, including concerts and Aboriginal storytelling. Past Circular Quay, on Bennelong Point is the pearl-like sails of Australia's most famous urban icon, the Sydney Opera House. Inlaid in the paving from the Quay towards the Opera House are tributes to writers,Who are from or have written about Australia, among them Banjo Patterson, Robert Louis Stevenson, Ted Hughes (of The Fatal Shore), Mark Twain, and dozens of others.
