Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

WHAT TO SEE & DO IN SYDNEY 135
Moments A Walk on the Wild Side: Climbing the Harbour
Bridge
At one time, only bridge workers had the chance to see Sydney from the
top of the main bridge arch. But since October 1998, Sydneysiders and
tourists have been able to experience the spectacular view and the exhilarating
achievement of climbing to the top of one of Australia’s icons. The
experience takes 3 hours from check-in at the BridgeClimb base at 5
Cumberland St., The Rocks (& 02/9240 1100, or 02/8274 7777; fax 02/9240
1122; www.bridgeclimb.com) to completion. The office is open daily from
8am to 6pm, and climbers leave in small groups every 10 minutes or so.
Climbers wear “Bridge Suits” and are harnessed to a line. Participants are
also breath-tested for alcohol and are banned from carrying anything,
including cameras. Climbs cost A$145 (US$94) for adults and A$110
(US$72) for children ages 12 to 16 on weekdays during the day and for
nightclimbs Monday through Thursday; and A$175 (US$114) for adults
and $125 (US$81) for children for twilight climbs daily, night climbs on Friday
and Saturday, and day climbs on Saturday and Sunday. Children under
12 are not allowed to climb.
two railway lines, and an eight-lane road. The 30-minute stroll across offers some
excellent harbor views. Once on the other side, you can take a CityRail train from
Milsons Point train station back to the city (to Wynyard—change here for Circular
Quay, Town Hall, or Central stations).
As you walk across, stop off at the Pylon Lookout (& 02/9247 3408), at the
southeastern pylon. Admission is A$5 (US$3.25) for adults, A$3 (US$1.95) for
children, and A$12 (US$7.80) for a family. From the top of this bridge support,
you are 89m (292 ft.) above the water and get panoramic views of Sydney Harbour,
the ferry terminals of Circular Quay, and beyond. An interesting museum
charts the building of the bridge. Reach the pylon by walking to the far end of
George Street in The Rocks toward the Harbour Bridge. Just past the Mercantile
Pub you’ll see some stone steps that take you onto Cumberland Street. From
there, it’s a 2-minute walk to the steps underneath the bridge on your right.
Climb four flights of stairs to reach the bridge’s Western Footway, and then walk
along to the first pylon. Note: Climbing up inside the pylon involves 200 steps.
The Pylon Lookout is open daily from 10am to 5pm (closed Christmas).
Sydney Opera House Only a handful of buildings around the world are
as architecturally and culturally significant as the Sydney Opera House. But what
sets it apart from, say, the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramids of Egypt is that this
white-sailed construction caught mid-billow over the waters of Sydney Cove is a
working building. Most are surprised to learn it’s not just an Opera House, but a
full-scale performing-arts complex with five major performance spaces. The biggest
and grandest of the lot is the 2,690-seat Concert Hall, which has the best acoustics
of any man-made building of its type in the world. Come here to experience opera,
but also chamber music, symphonies, dance, choral performances, and even rockand-roll.
The Opera Theatre is smaller, seating 1,547, and is home to operas, ballets,
and dance. The Drama Theatre, seating 544, and the Playhouse, seating 398,
specialize in plays and smaller-scale performances. The Boardwalk, seating 300, is
used for dance and experimental music.