In this post, we will introduce you to interesting facts about Sydney, Australia. Follow us along this light-hearted post that will help you to quickly get the basics of this amazing city.
Are you learning English in Sydney? Have you got used to the city? Below, we’ve put together a fun list that will introduce you to interesting things about this amazing city in Australia.
Let’s test how much you know about Sydney!
See also:
Sydney: Useful Information You Need to Know
Interesting facts and figures
1. Sydney is often confused with Canberra and some even think that it is indeed the capital of Australia. This is because Sydney is Australia’s most populous city and it is also internationally famous.
2. Did you know that Sydney’s postcode (2000) is the same as the year it hosted the Olympics?
3. The city is situated at a similar latitude to Beirut, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Casablanca and Los Angeles (33' 55" South).
4. Sydney is one of the largest cities by land size, covering around 1120 square kilometers (700 square miles), just about the same as London and near double New York.
5. The climate of Sydney is relatively mild with the average maximum temperature of 25.80C in summer and 15.90C in winter. Interestingly, the average number of cloudy days per month in summer is twice as many as these days in winter (6).
6. Sydney is indeed a paradise of sunshine. It is without sunshine for only 23 days a year. Surprisingly, rain falls on 150 days or so each year.
7. Sydney was founded as a colony in 1788, but officially became a city in 1842.
8. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2016 global livability survey on 140 cities in the world, Sydney is the world’s second friendliest destination.
9. Australia is one of best countries to live, study and work. According to QS Best Student Cities 2017, Australia has 7 cities ranked in top 100 best student cities in the world. These are Melbourne 5th, Sydney 13th, Brisbane 20th, Canberra 22nd, Adelaide 44th, Perth 50th and Gold Coast 78th.
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10. Sydney is one of the world’s most multicultural cities. As estimated in June 2012 by the City of Sydney, 40.1% of the city’s population were born overseas. And top 5 countries for residents born overseas were England, China, India, New Zealand and Vietnam. Sydney’s multicultural nature means overseas students are readily accepted by others.
11. There is a Chinatown in Sydney. This multicultural city has a very large population of Asian origin.
12. In Sydney, you can get fabulous food from just about any national cuisine, from Japanese, Korean to Vietnamese, Spanish and Moroccan.
13. The longest line of pizzas at 221 metres set in the Guinness Book of Records was produced in Leichardt — the Italian quarter of Sydney.
14. Sydney is jokingly referred to as ‘Sin City’ for its ‘convict’ past. In 1788, ships from English sent their prisoners to the city and left them there as punishment.
15. The national day of Australia, Australia day, is celebrated on 26 January, because it marks the day of the first landing of British convicts in Sydney.
16. English is the main language spoken in the city. Four other languages, Arabic, Chinese, Greek and Vietnamese are also quite common among people living here.
17. Cricket is Sydney’s most popular summer sport.
18. With its abundance of breathtaking landscapes, Sydney has attracted about 3.5 million international visitors each year.
19. With Sydney’s beautiful climate, the best way to see the city is definitely by climbing abroad the hop-on hop-off bus. You can get off any of the 34 stops. The one time ticket is valid for 24 or 48 hours.
20. Australia’s oldest surviving building is Elizabeth Farm (Parramatta), 23 kilometres from the city centre (the second is Cadman’s Cottage). This family homestead was built in 1793 for John and Elizabeth Macarthur, pioneers of the Australian wool industry.
21. The uniquely shaped Sydney Tower, at 324.8 metres, is the Southern Hemisphere’s second tallest observation tower. There is a rotating restaurant at the top of the tower.
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22. To the West of Sydney Harbour, the elegant Gladesville Bridge, with a span of 305 metres over the Parramatta River, is the world’s longest concrete arch.
23. At 1,149 meters, 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 according to Guinness World Records.
24. When built, Sydney Harbour Bridge required so much paint that it was first painted grey. Grey was the only colour available in such a large quantity!
25. The Harbour Bridge is fondly called ‘the Coat Hanger’ due to its distinct shape.
26. Paul Hogan, most famous for his performance as outback adventurer Michael “Crocodile” Dundee in blockbuster Crocodile Dundee (1986), was once hired to repaint the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
27. The architect of Sydney Opera House was inspired to create it while eating an orange. If you were to combine all the sails of the Opera House roof, it would become a perfect sphere.
28. The world famous Sydney Opera House with a minimum of 3000 shows per year was originally intended to become a tram shed!
29. Built between 1811 and 1816, the Sydney Mint is the oldest public building in the Sydney Central Business District.
30. The Sydney Fish Market is the largest market in the Southern Hemisphere and the world’s 3rd largest fish market.
31. George Street is Australia’s oldest street.
32. According to radio carbon dating, the Sydney region has been inhabited by indigenous Australiansfor at least 30,000 years.
33. The smallest beach in Sydney is McKell Beach (Darling Point). It is accessible only by boat at low tide.
34. All beaches in Sydney offer picnic shelters, electric barbecues, play areas, kiosks, toilets and change rooms.
35. Bondi beach set the Guinness World Records for the largest swimsuit photo shoot with 1,010 women wearing bikinis in 2007.
36. The Bondi Burger served at Oporto restaurants is named after Bondi beach.
37. The popular cliff top coastal walk, the Bondi to Coogee walk extends for 6 kilometres in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs and takes about 2 hours to complete. The walk gives stunning views of beaches, parks, cliffs, bays and rock pools.
38. Manly beach in Sydney was named after the city’s English founder was impressed by the ‘manly behaviour’ of the indigenous inhabitants.
39. Constructed between 1893 and 1898, the Queen Victoria Building was named to commemorate the Queen of England’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.
40. The Greater Blue Mountains Area became a World Heritage Area by UNESCO on 29 November 2000. 13% of the world’s known species of eucalyptus are found in the Blue Mountains.
41. Sydney has become one of the coolest playgrounds of Hollywood stars, including Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Justin Timberlake, Paris Hilton and Sylvester Stallone.
42. Over 230 films has been set in or featured this city, including ‘Finding Nemo’.
43. The Australia Day Regatta in Sydney held since 1837 is the world’s oldest continuously-conducted annual sailing regatta.
44. Established in 1880, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is the most important public gallery in Sydney and Australia’s fourth largest.
45. Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD) is Australia’s largest office market with 4.6 million m2 of office space. Most of the demand comes from the finance, legal and services business sectors.
46. Woolworths’ Carols in the Domain is Australia’s largest free Christmas concert since 1982. It will be held on Sunday, 17 December, 2017.
47. ‘Sculpture by the Sea’ is Australia’s largest annual free-to-the-public outdoor sculpture exhibit. It began at Bondi Beach in 1996.
48. The Bronze Medals from the Sydney 2000 Olympics were created from melt-down Australian 1 and 2 cent coins — which had been phased out in 1991.
49. The above-ground section of rail rack between Edgecliff and Bondi Junction was meant to be Woollahra railway station.
50. 60% of top 100 companies in Australia are headquartered in Sydney.
Now that you know important facts about Sydney, it is time for you to enjoy the city life to the fullest!
Originally published at scotsenglish.edu.au.
