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

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CHAPTER 3 . SYDNEY
him- or herself. Some Frommer’s readers have criticized the place, saying it’s not
just minimalist—it’s simply unfathomable. By the way, that forest of poles filled
with hair, oyster shells, and crab claws in the courtyard adjacent to the industrial-design
cafe tables is called Edge of Trees. It’s a metaphor for the first contact
between Aborigines and the British. There’s a reasonable cafe out front. Allow
anywhere from an hour to a lifetime to understand.
37 Phillip St. & 02/9251 5988. Admission A$7 (US$4.55) adults, A$3 (US$1.95) children under 15, A$17
(US$11) families. Daily 9:30am–5pm. CityRail, bus, or ferry: Circular Quay. Sydney Explorer bus.
St. James Church Sydney’s oldest surviving colonial church, begun in 1822,
was designed by the Government architect, and former convict, Francis Greenway.
At one time the church’s spire served as a landmark for ships coming up the
harbor, but today it looks totally lost amidst the skyscrapers. It’s well worth seeking
out, though, especially for the plaques on the wall, which pay testament to
the hard early days of the colony when settlers were lost at sea, attacked by aborigines,
and died while serving the British Empire overseas.
Queens Sq., Macquarie St. & 02/9232 3022. Daily 8am–5pm.
St. Mary’s Cathedral Sydney’s most impressive worship place is a giant sandstone
construction between The Domain and Hyde Park. The original St. Mary’s
was built in 1821, but the chapel was destroyed by fire. Work on the present
cathedral began in 1868, but due to lack of funds remained unfinished until work
began in 1999 to build the two spires. The stained-glass windows inside are
impressive. St. Mary’s is Roman Catholic and was built for Sydney’s large population
of Irish convicts. In perhaps Sydney’s worst pre-Olympic planning, the
beautiful brown sandstone building was marred by a wide stretch of dark gray
paving outside—now the battleground of skateboarders and city council rangers.
The two spires were completed in extra-quick time for the Olympics, too.
College and Cathedral sts. & 02/9220 0400. Mon–Fri 6:30am–6:30pm, Sat 8am–7:30pm; Sun
6:30am–7:30pm.
State Library of NSW The state’s main library is divided into two sections,
the Mitchell and Dixon libraries, next door to one another. A newer referencelibrary
complex nearby has two floors of reference materials, local newspapers,
and microfiche viewers. Leave your bags in the free lockers downstairs. (You’ll
need an A$2/US$1.30 coin, which is refundable.) I highly recommend the
library’s leafy Glasshouse Café, in my opinion one of the best walk-in lunch
spots in Sydney. The older building contains many older books on the ground
floor, and often hosts free art and photography displays in the upstairs galleries.
A small library section in the Sydney Town Hall building has international
newspapers.
Macquarie St.& 02/9273 1414. Free admission. Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; Sat–Sun and selected holidays 11am–
5pm. Closed New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Christmas, and Boxing Day (Dec 26). CityRail: Martin Place. Sydney
Explorer bus.
Sydney Jewish Museum Harrowing exhibits here include documents and
objects relating to the Holocaust and Jewish culture, mixed with soundscapes,
audio-visual displays, and interactive media. There’s also a museum shop, a
resource center, a theaterette, and a traditional kosher cafe. It’s considered one
of the best museums of its type in the world. Allow 1 to 2 hours.
148 Darlinghurst Rd., Darlinghurst.& 02/9360 7999. Fax 02/9331 4245. www.sjm.com.au.Admission A$10
(US$6.50) adults, A$6 (US$3.90) children, A$22 (US$14) families. Sun–Thurs 10am–4pm; Fri 10am–2pm.
Closed Jewish holidays, Christmas, and Good Friday. CityRail: Kings Cross.