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A Few Facts
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Population: 4 million
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +10
Telephone Area Code: 02
Sydney is Australia's most populous city and the oldest settlement in
Australia.
Lonely
Planet says the following about Sydney:
"Sydney wasn't a planned city and its layout is further complicated
by its hills and the numerous inlets of the harbour, the focal point of
the city. The centre of Sydney is on the south shore of the harbour, about
7km (4mi) inland from the harbour heads. Skyscrapers in the Central Business
District (CBD) vie for dominance and harbour views, but the city's relentlessness
is softened by shady Hyde Park and The Domain parkland to the east, Darling
Harbour to the west and the main harbour to the north. The Sydney Harbour
Bridge and the harbour tunnel link the city centre with the satellite CBD
of North Sydney and the suburbs of the North Shore. The city's airport,
Kingsford Smith (otherwise known as Mascot), is about 9km (6mi) south of
the city centre. Central station, Sydney's main train station, is in the
south of the city centre, and the main bus terminal is just outside it."
"Kings Cross is the city's budget accommodation centre and has a
well-developed travellers grapevine."
"The international hotels are concentrated in the city and the Rocks.
There are heaps of good restaurants in Darlinghurst, Kings Cross, Paddington
and Glebe, and a few around Circular Quay. For cafes, try Oxford and Victoria
Sts in Darlinghurst, Stanley St in East Sydney, King St in Newtown or
Norton St in Leichhardt."
The cafes Trios, Freckle Face and the Lounge are great in Milsons Point and Kirribilli.
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Bars, Clubs & Nightlife
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For bars a few of our picks are Scubar (near YHA Central), The Greenwood
(North Sydney), The Watershed (Darling Harbour), The Australian Hotel
(The Rocks), The Light Brigade (Woollahra), The Hopetoun (Surry Hills
- esp. hip hop), Home niteclub (techno, progressive house - Darling Harbour),
Beach Road Hotel (Bondi), The Palace (Coogee) and the Imperial (Kings
Cross).
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Tours
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RollerbladingSydney.com runs tours starting at Milsons Point. We follow a route across the Sydney Harbour Bridge checking out the sights along Sydney Harbour such as the Sydney Opera House and the Rocks close to the Central Business District (CBD). Sydney is an excellent city for rollerblading!
See also tours.
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Recreational Skate Scene
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Competent recreational skaters can be seen skating in large groups on
Wednesday nights around the city. RollerbladingSydney.com.au recommends
that you DO NOT go out on one of these skates IF YOU CANNOT STOP OR TURN
ON SKATES! See also Sydney
Bladers. Also before you go out on one of these city skates listen
to this Triple J radio piece. Having said all of that it really is
FUN! Consider getting a couple of lessons if
you're unsure. Apart from the cityskates... an increasing number of recreational skaters frequent Hyde Park (especially on Sunday afternoons), Centennial Park, Manly promenade, Bicentennial Park,
Brighton le Sands and the Luna Park foreshore. The best bridges to skate
across are the Anzac Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
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Aggressive Inline Skate Scene
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Skate facilities exist in Olympic Park (Monster vert, spine, park), Bondi Beach (park, bowl) Dulwich Hill (park, bowl,
ramp), Maroubra (park, bowl), Waterloo (park, ramp), Chatswood (park,
bowl), North Sydney (park), Mona Vale (vert ramp, bowl), Avalon (park), Keirle Park (park, 7ft mini-ramp),
Leumeah (park), Baulkham Hills (park), Summer Hill (park), St Ives (park) and
a few other spots. However if you're visiting Sydney and staying close
to the CBD the most accessible spots are Bondi, Maroubra, Keirle Park,
Waterloo, Chatswood and North Sydney.
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Slalom / Freestyle and Freeline skating Scene
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Sydney has a thriving slalom scene! Slalom and Freeline skaters meet on Sunday afternoons in Hyde Park and nearby.
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Other resources
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A few other resources to check out on the web about Sydney and surrounds are:
- Sydney.com
- Sydney Opera House
- Book a lesson / tour
- Hire skates in Sydney.
- www.freelineskating.com
- www.rollerbladingsydney.com.au
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