Sydney

Lore & Background

There is evidence that Aboriginal Australians inhabited the Greater Sydney region at least 30,000 years ago, and their engravings and cultural sites are common. The traditional custodians of the land on which modern Sydney stands are the clans of the Darug, Dharawal and Eora. During his first Pacific voyage in 1770, James Cook charted the eastern coast of Australia, making landfall at Botany Bay. In 1788, the First Fleet of convicts, led by Arthur Phillip, founded Sydney as a British penal colony, the first European settlement in Australia. After World War II, Sydney experienced mass migration and by 2021 over 40 per cent of the population was born overseas. Foreign countries of birth with the greatest representation are mainland China, India, the United Kingdom, Vietnam and the Philippines.

In Their Own Story

The morning mist clings to the steel arch of the Harbour Bridge before burning off under the relentless sun. A ferry cuts through the glassy water of Circular Quay, its wake rippling against the stone walls where convicts once unloaded cargo centuries ago. On the Opera House sails, a street performer tunes a guitar, the sound competing with the distant roar of waves crashing at Bondi Beach miles away. Here, in the shadow of skyscrapers that scrape the sky, the city breathes in unison with the tide—a place where history is not locked in museums but lived daily on sun-drenched decks and crowded ferries.

Reader's Guide

Despite being one of the most expensive cities in the world, Sydney frequently ranks in the top ten most liveable cities. It is classified as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world. Ranked eleventh in the world for economic opportunity, Sydney has an advanced market economy with strengths in education, finance, manufacturing and tourism. The University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales are ranked 18th and 19th in the world respectively. Sydney has hosted major international sporting events such as the 2000 Summer Olympics, the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final, and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. The city is among the top fifteen most-visited cities worldwide, with millions of tourists coming each year to see the city's landmarks. The city has over of nature reserves and parks, and its notable natural features include Sydney Harbour and Royal National Park. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and the World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House are major tourist attractions. Central Station is the hub of Sydney's suburban train, metro and light rail networks and longer-distance services. The main passenger airport serving the city is Kingsford Smith Airport, one of the world's oldest continually operating airports.

Did You Know?

• In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip named the cove where the first British settlement was established Sydney Cove after Home Secretary Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney.
• The cove was called Warrane by the Aboriginal inhabitants.
• Sydney was declared a city in 1842.
• The Gadigal (Cadigal) clan, whose territory stretches along the southern shore of Port Jackson from South Head to Darling Harbour, are the traditional owners of the land on which the British settlement was initially esta