Sydney is home to some of Australia’s most iconic attractions and is regularly voted as being one of the most beautiful and liveable cities in the world, blessed with its natural harbour, beautiful coastline and warm climate.
The best way to see the breadth and majesty of the what Sydney has to offer is by a tour of Sydney. For an amazing Sydney experience, we recommend capturing the following interesting Sydney attractions on a Sydney HeliTours scenic flight.
Iconic Sydney Landmarks
- Opera House
Sydney Tower was the tallest structure when it opened in 1981, and still is the second tallest freestanding structure in all of Australia at 1,001 feet over the Sydney CBD. The tower provides 360 degree views of the Sydney skyline, Darling Harbour and the Blue Mountains in the distance.
- Opera House
Sydney Opera House is a thriving hub of art, culture and history. The cost of building the Sydney Opera House ended up at AUD102 million, 14 times the original estimate. The roof has 1,056,006 tiles. The Opera House attracts over 7 million visitors each year and hosts a minimum of 3000 shows per year.
- Sydney Harbour
Sydney Harbour is the deepest natural harbour in the world with 504,00 mega-litres of water. About half of Sydney Harbour has a depth of nine metres or more at low water, with a maximum depth of 24.4 metres at the harbour entrance. Sydney Harbour contains over 240 km of foreshore and extends over 55 square kilometres. There are about 20,000 boats registered in the harbour, which is about 52 per square kilometer. There are also over 20 swimming beaches in the harbour.
- The Blue Mountains
Just 50 kilometres west of Sydney, the Blue Mountains covers over 250 million hectares of mostly remote and inaccessible land and boasts 13% of the known species of eucalyptus around the world. Famous for its rock formation known as the Three Sisters, the Greater Blue Mountains Area is a World Heritage Area. The blue tinge of the Blue Mountains is caused by the dispersion of volatile terpenoids (oils) released by the eucalyptus trees. When these interact with short-wave light, dust and water vapour, it creates a blue haze. The Blue Mountains have been a popular spot for walkers, climbers and outdoor activities such as mountain biking and abseiling.
- Bondi to Coogee Trail
The coastal walk is a scenic six-kilometre stretch past Sydney’s eastern beaches. The trail begins at Bondi Icebergs pool, perched on the side of the hill and then winds past Aboriginal rock carvings at Marks Park. You will also walk by Waverley Cemetery, opened in 1877, it is noted for its largely intact Victorian and Edwardian monuments. It is regularly cited as being one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. The walk offers plenty of opportunities for a swim along the way.
- Royal Botanic Gardens
Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens are just a short walk from the Opera House. The Botanical Gardens are an extensive network of 30 hectares of themed gardens and a place of scientific research, running many educational programs. There are walking paths and free guided walks plus special Aboriginal Heritage Tours.
- Sydney Beaches
Sydney is surrounded by a pristine coastline with golden beaches, dramatic headlands, protected bays and estuaries of which are great for swimming, surfing, fishing and boating. Sydney has 34 accessible beaches. Many of Sydney HeliTours flight options incorporate flights over the rugged sandstone coastal sea cliffs with views of some of these beaches including Bondi and Manly Beach, two of the most famous.
- Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the widest long-span bridge and tallest steel arch bridge in the world and the 5th longest spanning-arch bridge. Known by Sydney locals as "The Coat Hanger" due to its distinct shape, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is a great engineering feat, originally opened in 1932. The arch can rise or fall by as much as 18 centimetres due to heating and cooling. Sydney Harbour Bridge, was finished in 1932 and took 272,000 litres of paint to cover - just for the first coat.
- Watsons Bay
The first European landfall in Sydney Harbour occurred in Watsons Bay on 21 January 1788, when Captain Phillip and his party came ashore and camped overnight. With stunning harbour views and gorgeous beaches, Watsons Bay is a great place to experience a Sydney sunset, as the sun goes down over the Harbour Bridge to the west. From the nearby lookout point, The Gap, you can look out towards New Zealand.
- Mrs Macquarie’s Chair
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair provides one of the best vantage points in Sydney. The historic chair was carved out of a rock ledge for Governor Lachlan Macquarie's wife, Elizabeth, as she was known to visit the area and sit enjoying the panoramic views of the harbour. It is the perfect spot for a picnic while taking in expansive views of Sydney Harbour.
Whilst guided tours of Sydney can be the best way to capture the best of Sydney and its surrounding areas, a guided helicopter tour allows the chance to capture it all from a unique perspective that will leave a lasting impression on visitors and locals alike.