9 Amazing Facts About Sydney to Know for Your Next Trip
Unfortunately, once again, Sydney is in lockdown. However, this situation won’t last forever, so you might want to start planning your Sydney adventure as early as possible if you want to fit in all the amazing things this city has to offer into one trip. Without a doubt, Sydneysiders will stand united during the pandemic and come out stronger and better, so expect your future trip to be absolutely amazing. If this is your first visit to the biggest Aussie city, here are a few facts about Sydney that will blow your mind.
A little bit of history
Before learning a few crazy facts about Sydney, you need to know a few very true and important historic information. Sydney is the place where the first British colony in Australia landed, and it was set up in 1788. The city was originally going to be named Albion, but the founder changed his mind. Arthur Phillip chose to honor Thomas Townshend Lord Sydney and his efforts to establish the colony instead. Today, the general area of the city is divided into 38 separate districts spreading over an area of more than 1600 square kilometers.
Sydney is expensive
Sydney is a very urbanized city, maybe the most urbanized of them all, mainly thanks to its unbelievable number of skyscrapers per capita—more than any other in the world. However, it’s also very expensive, both for residents and tourists. It regularly takes up top spots in the list of most expensive cities in the world, usually due to its property prices that are among the world’s highest. Despite high living costs, Sydney also regularly ranks among the 10 best cities to live in. Ask any Sydneysider and they will attest to that!
It’s a city of expats
As stated above, Sydney is an urban development which means it offers plenty of opportunities for everyone, thus it’s very popular among immigrants and expats. According to research, nearly 40% of all Sydneysiders were born overseas. Thanks to that, the population is very diverse and you can find countless different cultures wherever you turn. Also, you can find top-notch pizza, curry, gyros and pho! Today, the population of the city is over 5 million, which makes Sydney the most populous city in Australia. English is the most widely spoken language in Sydney, followed by Vietnamese, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Greek and other 250 languages spoken across the city.
Celebrate Australia Day
The national holiday, Australia Day, is celebrated on January 26th and it marks the day that the first fleet of settlers landed in Botany Bay in Sydney. Recently, however, the holiday attracted some controversy. Many Australians want to change the date of Australia Day so as not to celebrate colonialism and stealing of indigenous lands.
Sydney Harbour is worth exploring
Did you know that Sydney Harbour is the deepest natural harbor in the world? Very scary right? But, this harbor is also one of the most beautiful and very much worth exploring. Luckily, you can easily find a boat for hire in Sydney and spend an entire day on the water, sailing the harbor, fishing and enjoying the sun. Make sure to take your boat under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, one of the city’s biggest icons. This giant will forever stand the test of time. After all, it was tested by supporting 96 steam trains and it held up!
Visit the famous Bondi Beach
Sydney has over 100 beaches, but the most famous one is Bondi. It also holds one super fun Guinness record—the largest swimsuit photoshoot. In 2007, 1,010 women in bikinis gathered at the beach that day.
It used to be all about rum
Australians are famous for their love of beer, but in the 18th century, they were obsessed with rum. This drink used to be a popular payment form, but in 1808, the governor banished this practice. Naturally, the ringleaders of the rum trade, the New South Wales Corps, didn’t agree with this decision, so they performed a successful military coup known to this day as the Rum Rebellion.
Today, it’s all about coffee
It used to be all about rum, but modern Sydneysiders are obsessed with coffee. They are some of the biggest coffee drinkers in the world and they make this steaming beverage so well. Make sure to try it when you visit Sydney.
Don’t be scared of drop bears
Drop bears live in eucalyptus trees where they stalk their prey and drop on it, killing it with their big claws and teeth. Just kidding, drop bears are not real—they are just a story locals tell to tourists. However, what you should be scared of during your Australia trip is crazy traffic (they also drive on the left side of the road), the sun (it can be relentless in the summer), box jellyfish (they are more than real and very deadly) and unpredictable ocean currents.
Hopefully, these interesting Sydney facts will help you not only plan your Sydney adventure but stay patient until the situation stabilizes and you can finally travel to this wonderful city.
