Sydney - Australia 2004 - page 144

Another option is Oz Jet Boat ( & 02/9808 3700; wwwozjetboating.com),
which departs every hour from the Eastern Pontoon at Circular Quay (on the
walkway to the Opera House). These large red boats are a bit more powerful
than the blue Harbour Jet ones, but you might not notice the difference. This
company offers a 30-minute ride for A$45 (US$29) for adults, A$30 (US$20)
for kids, and A$130 (US$85) for a family; and a 1-hour trip out to Sydney
Heads on weekends for A$80 (US$52) for adults, A$50 (US$33) for children,
and A$240 (US$156) for a family.
SEAPLANE ESCAPE Sydney Harbour Sea Planes ( & 02/8274 7777;
www.sydneyseaplanes.com.au) take off from Sydney Harbour, fly around and
over it, and go as far as Bondi (for A$110/US$72) or the Northern Beaches (for
A$190/US$124). Or zoom up to Cottage Point on the Hawkesbury River and
have a nice boozy lunch before swooping back down again (A$335/US$218).
Sydney Harbour Bridge One thing so few tourists do, but
which only takes an hour or so, is to walk across the Harbour Bridge. The bridge,
completed in 1932, is 1,150m (3,772 ft.) long and spans 503m (1,650 ft.) from
the south shore to the north. It accommodates pedestrian walkways, two railway
lines, and an eight-lane road. The 30-minute stroll from one end to the other
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,
89m (292 ft.) above the water, you 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 midbillow 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 per-
formances, and even rock 'n' 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.
The history of the building is as intriguing as the design. The New South
Wales Government raised the construction money with a lottery. Danish Archi-
tect Jørn Utzon won an international competition to design it. From the start,
the project was controversial, with many Sydneysiders believing it was a

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