Top 50 Things To Do In Sydney

47 Balmoral

Pricey or classy Balmoral depending upon the size of your wallet. Balmoral is one of the largest of Sydney's harbour beaches with an extensive esplanade, green reserves and Bathers Pavilion . Balmoral is quite scenic with views out to Sydney Heads. With a mixture of tourists and locals Balmoral is a good spot for soaking up the sun and sights. Cafes, restaurants (including the Watermark, apparently the most expensive restaurant that used to be a public toilet in history but you still have to book) or just lunch on the grass or beach. Balmoral has a regular bus service saving you the arduous trip up the hill to Mosman.

48 Sydney Olympic Park – site of the Sydney Olympics

Stop and wonder was Sydney Olympics worth it? For some countries I think the answer might have been no but for us sports mad Aussies it was a fantastic two weeks and we won loads of medals so come on Aussie come on. The fact that Olympic Park is mostly empty a lot of the time just makes it a shrine and an interesting place to visit. Beware, however, than it can get hot so pick your day. Sydney Olympic Park has a modern train station and you can also float along to Olympic Park by ferry.

Sydney Olympic Park
P. S. Olympic Park is cycle friendly.

49 Featherdale Wildlife Park

About hour west of the city you'll discover the compact Featherdale Wildlife Park. A common stop for tours heading out to or back from the Blue Mountains this is a great opportunity to shuffle up to a Koala (why do we do that) or pet and/or feed a Kangaroo or Emu.

Tucked away in the wilds of suburbia you can almost feel the winds of commuterdom rushing frantically across the confines of an enslaved Marsupial Kingdom. The fact the parks backs onto a train line only serves to emphasis the unwildlyness of it all.

Featherdale is a functional quick stop 'tick it off the list /done that' kinda place. It is brilliantly easy to see many varieties of Australian animals you could only dream of seeing in the bush.

Its attraction is its downfall. So much in such confined spaces make for happy inmates(?). The proud Cassowary left to stare through a wire mesh. Overfed Kangaroos lazing in their animal/people(?) refuges. This could be unkindly described Featherdale Sadlife Park.

But hey - if the animals were meant to roam free we wouldn't have created cages. This a great way to see alot in short space of time with minimal effort so it makes the list. There is a solution of course - Featherdale could move to larger premises. You heard it here first.

One final point. Watch out for the 80's milk bar style cafe and bring your own food or you'll be into the chips like everybody else (they were yummy 'but').

Featherdale Wildlife Park

50 Nielsen Park / Shark Beach

Shark Beach can get a little crowded as the well off and less so get down to their local beach to soak up the sun and admire the panoramic views of Sydney Harbour. Close by you'll find the pleasant Nielsen Park with its own kiosk.

Chances of being taken by a Shark in Sydney