Sydney

Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. It is located on Australia's east coast around Sydney Harbour, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Blue Mountains. Sydney is known by nicknames such as the Emerald City and the Harbour City.

The area has been home to Aboriginal Australians for thousands of years. In 1788, it became the first European settlement in Australia when the First Fleet of convicts arrived. Today, Sydney is a lively city with people from many countries around the world.

Sydney is one of the world's most liveable cities and a major economic centre. It is famous for hosting big events like the 2000 Summer Olympics. Tourists often visit famous spots such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House. The city also has many parks and natural areas to explore.

Toponymy

In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales, named the cove where the first British settlement was built Sydney Cove after Home Secretary Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney. The Aboriginal people called this place Warrane. Phillip thought about naming the settlement Albion, but this name was never used. By 1790, the town was regularly called "Sydney". Sydney became a city in 1842.

The Gadigal clan lived along the southern shore of Port Jackson from South Head to Darling Harbour. They are the traditional owners of the land where the British first settled, and they call their land Gadi (Cadi). The Aboriginal clans in the Sydney area often added the suffix "-gal" to names of places, food, or special items to create their clan names. Greater Sydney includes the lands of 28 known Aboriginal clans.

History

Main article: History of Sydney

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Sydney.

First inhabitants of the region

The first people to live in the area now called Sydney were Aboriginal Australians. They had moved from southeast Asia through northern Australia. Stones found in Western Sydney suggest people lived there between 45,000 to 50,000 years ago. Evidence from special dating methods shows people were active in the area around 30,000 years ago. Before British settlers arrived, there were about 4,000 to 8,000 Aboriginal people in the greater Sydney region.

These people fished, hunted, and gathered plants and shellfish for food. Coastal groups ate more seafood, while groups farther inland ate more forest animals and plants. They made tools and weapons from stone, wood, plants, bone, and shell. They also had special ways to decorate their bodies, hairstyles, songs, and dances. Aboriginal groups believed in ancestral spirits and had many ceremonies. People from different groups would meet for ceremonies, which also helped with trading, marriages, and making friends.

The British recorded the word 'Eora' meaning "people" or "from this place." The main groups were the coastal Eora, the Dharug (Darug) inland from Parramatta to the Blue Mountains, and the Dharawal people south of Botany Bay. Other languages spoken included Darginung and Gundungurra.

The first meeting between Aboriginal people and British explorers happened on April 29, 1770, when Lieutenant James Cook landed at Botany Bay (Kamay) and met the Gweagal clan. Two Gweagal men tried to stop the landing, and one was hurt. Cook and his crew stayed for a week, collecting water, wood, and plants.

Convict town (1788–1840)

The Founding of Australia, 26 January 1788, by Captain Arthur Phillip R.N., Sydney Cove. Painting by Algernon Talmage

Sydney Cove in 1788, by John Hunter

Britain had sent people to its American colonies for most of the 1700s. After losing these colonies in 1783, they decided to create a new settlement at Botany Bay. The First Fleet of 11 ships, led by Captain Arthur Phillip, arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788. It carried over a thousand people, including 736 convicts. The fleet moved to Port Jackson and set up a settlement at Sydney Cove on January 26, 1788. The colony of New South Wales was officially started by Governor Phillip on February 7, 1788. Sydney Cove had fresh water and a safe harbor.

The settlement was meant to be a self-sufficient colony based on farming. Trade and shipbuilding were not allowed to keep the convicts isolated. But the soil was poor, and the first crops failed, causing hunger and strict food limits. Help came with the Second Fleet in mid-1790 and the Third Fleet in 1791. Former convicts got small pieces of land, and farms grew around Parramatta, Windsor, and Camden on the Cumberland Plain. By 1804, the colony could feed itself.

A disease called smallpox in April 1789 killed about half of the Aboriginal people in the area. In November 1790, Bennelong brought survivors from the Sydney clans into the settlement, ensuring Aboriginal people stayed in Sydney.

Phillip didn’t have plans for building a town, but in July 1788, he suggested a plan for Sydney Cove. It included a wide main street, a government house, courts, a hospital, and other public buildings, but no shops or warehouses. Phillip didn’t follow his own plan, and Sydney grew without a clear design.

After Phillip left in December 1792, military officers started buying land and bringing in goods from visiting ships. Former convicts began trading and opening small shops. Soldiers and former convicts built houses on government land, sometimes without permission, in what was now called Sydney town. Governor William Bligh (1806–08) tried to stop this by tearing down buildings on government land, including some owned by military officers. This led to conflict and the Rum Rebellion of 1808, when Bligh was removed by the New South Wales Corps.

Governor Lachlan Macquarie (1810–1821) helped develop Sydney and New South Wales. He set up a bank, created money, and built a hospital. He hired a planner to design Sydney’s streets and built roads, docks, churches, and public buildings. Parramatta Road, linking Sydney and Parramatta, opened in 1811, and a road over the Blue Mountains was finished in 1815, allowing farming and grazing west of the Great Dividing Range.

After Macquarie left, policies encouraged free British settlers to move to New South Wales. Immigration increased from 900 people from 1826–30 to 29,000 from 1836–40, many settling in Sydney. By the 1840s, Sydney had a split between poor and working-class people living west of the Tank Stream, like in The Rocks, and richer people living east of it. Free settlers, people born free, and former convicts now made up most of Sydney’s population, leading to demands for more control over their government and an end to sending convicts. Convict transportation to New South Wales stopped in 1840.

Conflict on the Cumberland Plain

In 1804, Irish convicts led about 300 rebels in the Castle Hill Rebellion, trying to march to Sydney, take a ship, and escape to freedom. They were poorly armed, and their leader Philip Cunningham was captured. About 100 soldiers and volunteers stopped the rebels at Rouse Hill. At least 39 convicts were killed in the uprising and later executions.

As the colony grew to the fertile lands around the Hawkesbury River, northwest of Sydney, conflicts between settlers and the Darug people increased, especially from 1794 to 1810. Groups of Darug people, led by Pemulwuy and later his son Tedbury, burned crops, killed animals, and attacked settler stores as a way to resist. A military base was set up on the Hawkesbury in 1795. From 1794 to 1800, 26 settlers and up to 200 Darug people died.

Conflicts happened again from 1814 to 1816 as the colony expanded into Dharawal lands in the Nepean region southwest of Sydney. After several settlers were killed, Governor Macquarie sent three military groups into Dharawal lands, leading to the Appin massacre in April 1816, where at least 14 Aboriginal people were killed.

Colonial city (1841–1900)

The New South Wales Legislative Council became partly elected in 1842. Sydney was declared a city that same year, and a governing council was set up, voting based on property ownership.

Finding gold in New South Wales and Victoria in 1851 first caused problems as men left for the goldfields. Melbourne soon became Australia’s largest city, creating a rivalry. But new people coming in and wealth from gold increased the need for homes, goods, services, and city places. The New South Wales government invested in trains, trams, roads, ports, telegraph, schools, and city services. Sydney and its suburbs grew from 95,600 people in 1861 to 386,900 in 1891. The city grew with many new buildings made of sandstone, like the University of Sydney (1854–61), the Australian Museum (1858–66), the Town Hall (1868–88), and the General Post Office (1866–92). Fancy coffee palaces and hotels were built. People could swim at Sydney’s beaches but only at certain times.

Dry weather, ending big building projects, and money problems caused a bad economy in Sydney for most of the 1890s. Meanwhile, George Reid, the premier of New South Wales, helped create Australia as a country.

State capital (1901–present)

When the six colonies joined together on January 1, 1901, Sydney became the capital of New South Wales. A disease in 1900 made the government improve docks and tear down old city areas. When the First World War started in 1914, many Sydney men joined the army, helping reduce unemployment. Soldiers returning in 1918 were promised good homes in new areas like Daceyville and Matraville. New neighborhoods and mixed housing grew along train and tram lines. Sydney’s population reached one million in 1926 after becoming Australia’s biggest city again. The government created jobs with big projects like electrifying Sydney’s train system and building the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sydney felt the Great Depression of the 1930s more than other parts of New South Wales or Melbourne. Very little new building happened, and by 1933, men’s unemployment was 28%, but over 40% in working-class areas like Alexandria and Redfern. Many families lost their homes, and small towns of tents grew along Sydney’s coast and Botany Bay, the biggest being “Happy Valley” at La Perouse. The Depression also caused political fights. In March 1932, when popular Labor premier Jack Lang tried to open the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Francis de Groot of the far-right New Guard cut the ribbon with a sword.

In January 1938, Sydney celebrated the Empire Games and the 150th anniversary of European settlement in Australia. A writer said, “Golden beaches. Sun-tanned men and women...Red-roofed houses above the blue harbor waters...Even Melbourne seems like a gray city of Northern Europe compared to Sydney’s warm beauty.” A meeting of Aboriginal people declared January 26 “A Day of Mourning” for “the taking of our country by white people.”

When the Second World War began in 1939, Sydney grew in factories. Unemployment almost disappeared, and women took jobs usually for men. Sydney was attacked by Japanese submarines in May and June 1942, killing 21 people. People built air-raid shelters and practiced drills. Military bases included the Garden Island Tunnel System, the only tunnel war system in Sydney, and the historic Bradleys Head Fortification Complex and Middle Head Fortifications, part of Sydney Harbour’s defense system.

After the war, many new people came to Sydney, mostly from Britain and Europe, causing fast growth and new houses in suburbs. The Cumberland County Council managed large housing projects like Green Valley and Mount Druitt. Older centers like Parramatta, Bankstown, and Liverpool became part of the city. Factories employed over a third of workers from 1945 to the 1960s, but later, shopping and service jobs grew more.

About one million people watched Queen Elizabeth II land in 1954 at Farm Cove, where Captain Phillip had raised the Union Jack 165 years earlier, starting her Australian Royal Tour. It was the first time a ruling monarch visited Australia.

More tall buildings in Sydney and suburbs growing past the “green belt” caused protests in the early 1970s. Worker unions and resident groups stopped development in historic areas like The Rocks. Federal, state, and local governments made laws to protect history and the environment. The Sydney Opera House was controversial for its cost and arguments between architect Jørn Utzon and government officials. But after opening in 1973, it became a big tourist spot and symbol of the city. Starting in 1974, tariffs were reduced, changing Sydney from a factory center to a “world city.” From the 1980s, immigration grew fast from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. By 2021, Sydney had over 5.2 million people, with 40% born outside Australia. China and India became the biggest sources of people born elsewhere, passing England.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Sydney

Sydney is a city by the sea. It has the Tasman Sea to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north, and the Woronora Plateau to the south.

The city has different landscapes. The area south and west of the harbour is mostly flat. The area to the north has steep valleys. The flatter parts were settled first. After the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built, the northern parts became more crowded. There are seventy surf beaches along the coast, and Bondi Beach is the most famous.

The Nepean River flows around the western side of the city and becomes the Hawkesbury River before reaching Broken Bay. Many of Sydney's water supplies are on rivers that flow into the Nepean River. The Parramatta River is mostly used for industry and flows into Port Jackson. The southern parts of the city are drained by the Georges River and the Cooks River into Botany Bay.

Sydney's weather is warm in summer and mild in winter. The city can get very hot, especially in the western areas. Cool breezes from the south often help to lower the temperature. Rain falls throughout the year, but it is usually heavier in the summer months.

Sydney has many types of plants and animals. You can find different kinds of birds, reptiles, and mammals, as well as many sea creatures in the harbour and beaches.

Regions

Main article: Regions of Sydney

The Greater Sydney Commission divides Sydney into three "cities" and five "districts" based on the 33 local government areas in the metropolitan area. The "metropolis of three cities" comprises Eastern Harbour City, Central River City and Western Parkland City. The Australian Bureau of Statistics also includes City of Central Coast (the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire) as part of Greater Sydney for population counts, adding 330,000 people.

Inner suburbs

The central business district (CBD) extends about 3 km south from Sydney Cove. It is bordered by Farm Cove within the Royal Botanic Garden to the east and Darling Harbour to the west. Suburbs surrounding the CBD include Woolloomooloo and Potts Point to the east, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst to the south, Pyrmont and Ultimo to the west, and Millers Point and The Rocks to the north. Most of these suburbs measure less than 1 km² (0.4 sq mi) in area. The Sydney CBD is characterised by narrow streets and thoroughfares, created in its early days.

Several places, distinct from suburbs, exist throughout Sydney's inner areas. Central and Circular Quay are transport hubs with ferry, rail, and bus services. Chinatown, Darling Harbour, and Kings Cross are important locations for culture, tourism, and fun. The Strand Arcade, located between Pitt Street Mall and George Street, is a historical shopping area. Opened on 1 April 1892, its shop fronts are an exact copy of the original designs. Westfield Sydney, located beneath the Sydney Tower, is the largest shopping centre by area in Sydney.

Since the late 20th century, there has been a trend of making Sydney's inner suburbs more modern and comfortable. Pyrmont, located on the harbour, was changed from a place for shipping and trade to an area of tall buildings, places to stay for tourists, and entertainment. Originally located outside the city, Darlinghurst has historic buildings, places where things were made, and homes of different styles. The old homes have mostly stayed the same and Darlinghurst has become more modern since the 1980s.

Green Square is a place that used to be for factories in Waterloo which is now being made new and better with $8 billion. On the edge of the city harbour, the old suburb and docks of Millers Point are being built up as the new area of Barangaroo. The suburb of Paddington is known for its old homes, Victoria Barracks, and shopping including markets on Oxford Street every week.

Inner West

The Inner West generally includes the Inner West Council, Municipality of Burwood, Municipality of Strathfield, and City of Canada Bay. These areas stretch up to about 11 km west of the CBD. Historically, especially before the Harbour Bridge was built, the outer suburbs of the Inner West such as Strathfield were places for big homes for important people. By contrast, the inner suburbs in the Inner West, being close to transport and jobs, have traditionally been homes for workers. These areas have become more modern and comfortable in the late 20th century, and many parts are now very expensive places to live. As of 2021, an Inner West suburb (Strathfield) was one of the 20 most expensive places to live in Australia by house price (the others were all in Sydney, mostly in Northern Sydney or the Eastern Suburbs). The University of Sydney is located in this area, as well as the University of Technology, Sydney and a campus of the Australian Catholic University. The Anzac Bridge connects Rozelle to Pyrmont and the city, and is part of the Western Distributor.

The Inner West is today well known for its village centres with foods from around the world, such as the "Little Italy" areas of Leichhardt, Five Dock and Haberfield, "Little Portugal" in Petersham, "Little Korea" in Strathfield or "Little Shanghai" in Ashfield. Large shopping centres in the area include Westfield Burwood, DFO Homebush and Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre. There is a big community from many countries and a lively area on King Street, Newtown.

The area has Sydney Trains lines T1 and T2, including the Main Suburban Line, which was the first to be built in New South Wales. The L1 light rail line also goes through the area. Strathfield railway station is a big station for trains, built in 1876. The future Sydney Metro West will also connect this area with the City and Parramatta. The area is also served by Parramatta River services of Sydney Ferries, many bus routes and bike paths.

Eastern Suburbs

The Eastern Suburbs include the Municipality of Woollahra, the City of Randwick, the Waverley Municipal Council, and parts of the Bayside Council. They include some of the most expensive and well-off areas in the country, with some streets being among the most expensive in the world. As of 2014, Wolseley Road, Point Piper, had a top price of $20,900 per square metre, making it the ninth-most expensive street in the world. More than 75% of neighbourhoods in the Electoral District of Wentworth are in the top group for being well-off, making it the least disadvantaged area in the country. As of 2021, nine of the 20 most expensive places to live in Australia by house price were in the Eastern Suburbs.

Major landmarks include Bondi Beach, which was added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2008; and Bondi Junction, featuring a Westfield shopping centre and an estimated office workforce of 6,400 by 2035, as well as a train station on the T4 Eastern Suburbs Line. The suburb of Randwick contains Randwick Racecourse, the Royal Hospital for Women, the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney Children's Hospital, and University of New South Wales Kensington Campus.

Construction of the CBD and South East Light Rail was completed in April 2020. The project aims to provide good and strong tram services to people living in the City and South-East.

Major shopping centres in the area include Westfield Bondi Junction and Westfield Eastgardens.

Southern Sydney

The Southern district of Sydney includes suburbs in the local government areas of the Georges River Council (known as St George) and the Sutherland Shire (known as 'The Shire'), on the southern banks of the Georges River.

The Kurnell peninsula, near Botany Bay, is where James Cook first landed on the eastern coastline in 1770. La Perouse, a historic suburb named after French navigator Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse, is known for its old military building at Bare Island and the Botany Bay National Park.

The suburb of Cronulla in southern Sydney is close to Royal National Park, Australia's oldest national park. Hurstville, a large suburb with offices and tall buildings, has become a main place for the southern suburbs.

Northern Sydney

Further information: Northern Sydney

'Northern Sydney' includes suburbs in the Upper North Shore, Lower North Shore and the Northern Beaches.

The Northern Suburbs include several landmarks – Macquarie University, Gladesville Bridge, Ryde Bridge, Macquarie Centre and Curzon Hall in Marsfield. This area includes suburbs in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire, Ku-ring-gai Council, City of Ryde, the Municipality of Hunter's Hill and parts of the City of Parramatta.

The North Shore includes the commercial centres of North Sydney and Chatswood. North Sydney itself has a large area for offices, which contains the second most tall buildings in Sydney after the CBD. North Sydney is mainly for advertising, marketing and related jobs, with many big companies having offices there.

The Northern Beaches area includes Manly, one of Sydney's most popular places for holidays. The region also features Sydney Heads, a series of headlands which form the entrance to Sydney Harbour. The Northern Beaches area stretches south to the entrance of Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), west to Middle Harbour and north to the entrance of Broken Bay. The 2021 Australian census found the Northern Beaches to have, compared to the rest of Sydney, a large number of people from Britain and many people with European ancestry.

As of the end of 2021, half of the 20 most expensive places to live in Australia (by house price) were in Northern Sydney, including four on the Northern Beaches, two on the Lower North Shore, three on the Upper North Shore, and one covering Hunters Hill and Woolwich.

Hills district

The Hills district generally refers to suburbs in north-western Sydney including local government areas of The Hills Shire, parts of the City of Parramatta Council and Hornsby Shire. Actual suburbs and places considered to be in the Hills District can change. For example, the Hills District Historical Society says it is only the Hills Shire local government area, but its study area goes from Parramatta to the Hawkesbury. The region is named for its hilly shape as the Cumberland Plain rises up, joining the Hornsby Plateau. Windsor and Old Windsor Roads are the second and third roads built in Australia.

On 26 May 2019, The Sydney Metro Northwest, which goes from Chatswood to Tallawong, opened, with a big part going through the Hills District, meaning the Hills District, for the first time, started having trains. Before this, The Hills had bus services.

Western suburbs

Further information: Greater Western Sydney

The greater western suburbs include areas of Parramatta, the sixth largest business area in Australia, Bankstown, Liverpool, Penrith, and Fairfield. Covering 5,800 km² (2,200 sq mi) and having an estimated population of 2,288,554 in 2017, western Sydney has the most areas with people from many countries – Cabramatta is called "Little Saigon" because of its Vietnamese community, Fairfield has been named "Little Assyria" for its main Assyrian community and Harris Park is known as "Little India" with its many Indian and Hindu people. The people there mostly come from working-class backgrounds, with many jobs in factories and skilled trades. Toongabbie is noted for being the third mainland settlement set up after British colonisation began in 1788, although the actual settlement site is in the separate suburb of Old Toongabbie.

The western suburb of Prospect, in the City of Blacktown, is home to Raging Waters, a water park run by Parques Reunidos. Auburn Botanic Gardens, a garden in Auburn, gets thousands of visitors each year, including many from outside Australia. The greater west also includes Sydney Olympic Park, a suburb made for the 2000 Summer Olympics, and Sydney Motorsport Park, a race track in Eastern Creek. Prospect Hill, a historically important hill in the west and the only place in Sydney with ancient volcanic activity, is also listed on the State Heritage Register.

To the northwest, Featherdale Wildlife Park, a zoo in Doonside, near Blacktown, is a major tourist attraction. Sydney Zoo, opened in 2019, is another big zoo in Bungaribee. Established in 1799, the Old Government House, a historic house museum and tourist spot in Parramatta, was added to the Australian National Heritage List on 1 August 2007 and World Heritage List in 2010 (as part of the 11 penal sites making up the Australian Convict Sites), making it the only site in greater western Sydney to be on these lists. The house is Australia's oldest surviving public building.

Further to the southwest is the region of Macarthur and the city of Campbelltown, a big place to live until the 1990s considered a separate area from Sydney proper. Macarthur Square, a big shopping place in Campbelltown, has become one of the largest shopping places in Sydney. The southwest also has Bankstown Reservoir, the oldest raised water storage made of reinforced concrete that is still used and is on the State Heritage Register. The southwest is home to one of Sydney's oldest trees, the Bland Oak, planted in the 1840s by William Bland in Carramar.

Urban structure

The Sydney CBD is home to many tall buildings, including famous landmarks like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Sydney has some of the tallest buildings in Australia.

Architecture

See also: Architecture of Sydney, List of heritage houses in Sydney, and List of tallest buildings in Sydney

Sydney's early buildings were simple, but later leaders like Governor Macquarie set higher standards. Today, Sydney has buildings listed as world heritage sites and many others protected for their history.

In 1814, a convict named Francis Greenway began designing important buildings like the Macquarie Lighthouse. He also designed the Hyde Park Barracks and St James's Church. Different styles became popular over time, such as Gothic Revival and Victorian Gothic.

From the 1850s, buildings started using Classical styles. Famous examples include the Australian Museum, the General Post Office, and the Town Hall. As Sydney grew wealthier, buildings became taller. The Harbour Bridge, finished in 1932, is one of the city's most famous structures.

Modern architecture arrived in the 1940s, with the Opera House becoming a World Heritage Site. Today, Sydney has many tall modern buildings, with Sydney Tower being the tallest.

Housing

Sydney has some of the most expensive housing in the world. Most homes are detached houses, but there are also many apartments, especially in the inner city. Different types of houses from different times can be found, like terrace houses, Federation homes, and California bungalows.

Parks and open spaces

Main article: Parks in Sydney

Sydney has many beautiful parks and gardens. The Royal Botanic Garden is one of the most famous, with many plants and scientific activities. Other large parks include Centennial Parklands, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, and Western Sydney Parklands.

Hyde Park is the oldest public park in Australia. The Domain and the Royal Botanic Garden are also important green spaces, used for both relaxation and scientific research.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Sydney

Researchers have found that Sydney is one of the top cities in the world for being connected to the global economy. It is known as a major financial hub in the Asia–Pacific area and has many international banks and companies.

Sydney's economy started during early colonial times and faced challenges at first. By the 1840s, it became more like a market economy as more people settled there and industries like wool and shipping grew. Today, Sydney's economy is strong, with finance and insurance being major parts of its work and jobs.

Businesses

There were many businesses in Sydney, including some of the biggest companies in Australia. The city attracts global companies partly because of its time zone, which fits well between North America and Europe. Many foreign companies have offices in Sydney.

Domestic economics

Sydney is one of the more expensive cities in the world. Workers there earn good wages but also face high costs for housing and living. Many people in Sydney work full-time jobs, and the city has many jobs in healthcare, professional services, retail, and construction.

Financial services

Sydney has a long history with banking and finance. The first bank in Australia opened there, and today Sydney is a key financial centre. Many international banks have offices in the city, making it an important place for finance and insurance.

Manufacturing

Main article: Manufacturing in Australia

Sydney has been a place for making things since the 1920s. Though the number of jobs in manufacturing has gone down over time, Sydney is still a big player in making products, especially in high-tech areas. The Smithfield-Wetherill Park Industrial Estate in Western Sydney is a major spot for manufacturing.

Tourism and international education

Main article: Tourism in Sydney

Sydney is a popular place for visitors from around the world. Many tourists come to see famous spots like the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The city also attracts many international students, who study at its universities and help the local economy.

Housing affordability

In recent years, Sydney has become one of the least affordable places to buy a house, with prices rising sharply. This has led to many people struggling to find affordable places to live.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Sydney

Sydney's population has grown a lot over time. In 1788, there were fewer than 1,000 people. By 2021, the number of people living in Greater Sydney reached 5,231,150. Experts think it will grow to 6.5 million by 2033–34. Many people live very close together in some parts of Sydney.

Most people in Sydney are married, and many families have children. The average age is 37, and about 15% of people are 65 or older.

Ancestry and immigration

Many people in Sydney come from different places. The most common backgrounds are English, Australian, Chinese, Irish, Scottish, Indian, Italian, Lebanese, Filipino, Greek, Vietnamese, German, Korean, Nepalese, and Australian Aboriginal. Almost 41% of Sydney’s residents were born in another country. The most common countries people come from are mainland China, India, England, Vietnam, the Philippines, and New Zealand.

At the 2021 census, 1.7% of Sydney's population identified as being Indigenous — Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders.

Language

In Sydney, many families speak a language other than English at home. The most common languages are Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Hindi.

Religion

Christianity is the most common belief in Sydney, with Catholicism and Anglicanism being the largest groups. About 30% of people say they have no specific religion. Other common beliefs include Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Judaism. Some people also follow traditional Aboriginal beliefs.

Crime

Main article: Crime in Sydney

Sydney is considered a safe city. In 2019, it was ranked as the fifth safest city in the world. However, some people struggle with drug use. To help reduce violence linked to alcohol, special rules called lockout laws were put in place in 2014 but were removed in 2020.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Sydney

Sydney has a rich history and many places where you can learn about the past. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is special because it has many old drawings made by Indigenous Australians, some almost 5,000 years old. These drawings, along with other important places, help us understand the people who lived there long ago, like the Garigal people.

Sydney is also home to many museums and libraries. The Australian Museum, opened in 1827, is the oldest natural history museum in Australia. The Museum of Sydney tells the story of how the city grew. Other museums include the Powerhouse Museum and the Australian National Maritime Museum. The State Library of New South Wales has one of the oldest collections in Australia.

Sydney has many places for entertainment, too. The city has many theatres, like the State Theatre and Theatre Royal, and famous companies such as the Sydney Theatre Company. The Sydney Opera House is a famous building where many performances happen. Sydney also has many writers and filmmakers who have made important contributions to Australia's culture.

Sydney holds many festivals during the year. The Sydney Festival is the largest arts festival in Australia. Other festivals include the Royal Easter Show, Vivid Sydney, and the Sydney Writers' Festival. The city also has many places to enjoy food, music, and nightlife in areas like Darling Harbour, The Rocks, and Oxford Street.

Sport and outdoor activities

Main article: Sport in Sydney

Sydney has a long history of loving sports. Early settlers brought their passion for games but had few places to play. The first organized sports were boxing, wrestling, and horse racing, starting in 1810 in Hyde Park. Horse racing is still popular today, with big events like the Golden Slipper Stakes drawing lots of fans. Cricket began in 1826, and many exciting matches have been played at the Sydney Cricket Ground since 1878.

Rugby became very popular in Sydney by the 1880s. Many people watched matches between New South Wales and New Zealand. Today, Sydney has many rugby teams and hosts big international games. The city also has teams in other sports like soccer, Australian rules football, basketball, and more.

Major sporting venues

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  Stadium Australia

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  Sydney Cricket Ground

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  Western Sydney Stadium

<a href="/wiki/Sydney_Football_Stadium_\(2022\)">Sydney Football Stadium</a>

People in Sydney also enjoy outdoor activities. Swimming became popular in the 1800s, and the first surf lifesaving club started at Bondi Beach. The City2Surf run is a big annual event that draws thousands of runners.

Sailing has been a favorite since the 1800s, with the famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race beginning each year on Boxing Day. Sydney has many places to play golf and other sports, and the city built many new sports facilities for the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Sydney was one of the host cities for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with matches played at Sydney Football Stadium and Stadium Australia.

Government

See also: Local government areas of New South Wales

The first leaders of New South Wales had a lot of power, and Sydney was where they made their decisions. Over time, more people could vote for leaders, and Sydney became an official city with its own local leaders to handle things like street lights and drains.

Today, Sydney doesn’t have one single local government for the whole area. Instead, there are many smaller local governments, each taking care of things like libraries and local roads. The state government handles bigger jobs like schools and public transport. Sydney is also where important state leaders meet, and it has special homes for the country’s top leaders. The main court for the state is also located here.

Infrastructure

Education

Main article: Education in Sydney

Education has been important in Sydney since the 1870s when public schools started and schooling became required. By 2011, most adults in Sydney had some schooling, and many had finished high school. Many people also went to university. Sydney has six main public universities, including the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. There are also many other schools and training centers for students of all ages.

Health

Sydney’s first hospital was a small tent setup. Over time, many hospitals were built, including important ones like Sydney Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children. Today, Sydney has many public hospitals managed by the government, ensuring healthcare for all residents.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Sydney

Roads

Since World War II, cars have shaped how Sydney grows. Many people need cars to get around because of the city’s spread-out suburbs. Sydney has busy roads, especially during peak hours, and many families own one or more cars. Public transport is also widely used, especially in the city center.

Suburban trains

Sydney has a big network of trains that help people travel around the city. The train system started in the 1850s and has grown a lot since then. Trains are easy to use with Opal cards, and Central station is the main hub for all the train lines.

Metro

The Sydney Metro is a modern, driverless train system that’s growing to help more people move around the city quickly. It’s faster than the regular trains, with trains coming every few minutes.

Light rail

Main article: Light rail in Sydney

Sydney used to have many trams, but now it has light rail lines that connect different parts of the city. These lines have grown over the years to serve more people, especially in areas like the Inner West and Darling Harbour.

Buses

Main article: Buses in Sydney

Bus services in Sydney are run by private companies but use the same Opal cards as other public transport. There are many bus routes, including night buses called NightRide that run late at night.

Ferries

Sydney’s ferry service was once the biggest in the world. Today, ferries still run from Circular Quay to places like Manly and Parramatta, helping people travel across the harbour.

Airports

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport is located in Mascot. It is Australia’s busiest airport, handling many passengers and flights. A new airport, Western Sydney International Airport, is being built and will open in 2026. There are also smaller airports and seaplane terminals for other types of travel.

Utilities

Sydney gets its water from rivers and dams, with big reservoirs like Warragamba providing most of the supply. The city also has a desalination plant to make sure there’s enough water. Electricity comes from local companies that manage a large network of power lines.

Environmental issues and pollution reduction

Main article: Environmental issues in Australia

Further information: Climate change in Australia and Renewable energy in Australia

Air quality

As climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution have become big problems for Australia, Sydney has faced criticism for not focusing enough on reducing pollution and keeping water clean. The release of the Metropolitan Air Quality Scheme helped the government understand pollution better and respond properly.

The bushfires of 2019–20 badly affected outer Sydney, causing very poor air quality and a smoky haze that lasted for days. The air quality got so bad that it was compared to smoking many cigarettes a day. Since Sydney is surrounded by bushland and forests, bushfires can create a ring of fire around the area.

The City of Sydney became the first council in Australia to achieve carbon-neutral certification in 2008. The city has cut its carbon emissions and reduced energy use in buildings. Programs like Sustainable Sydney 2030 aim to help homes and offices use 30% less energy. Solar panels on many buildings help reduce carbon pollution.

The city also has a plan to grow its urban forest by planting more trees. This helps clean the air and cool the city during hot weather. Sydney leads in building green offices and requires all new buildings to be energy-efficient.

Car-dependency

Australian cities, including Sydney, often rely heavily on cars. Sydney has the lowest car dependency among major Australian cities but still uses cars a lot. However, Sydney also has high public transport use, comparable to cities like New York.

To reduce pollution from vehicles, Sydney encourages public transport, builds high-density housing, and introduced many electric cars—the largest order in Australia. Electric cars help fight climate change because they don’t produce certain harmful gases. Cycling has also grown a lot in Sydney’s inner city, with more people riding bikes to work. New transport developments aim to make public transport even better.

Sister cities

Sydney has several sister cities around the world. These include:

• San Francisco, United States of America
• Wellington, New Zealand
• Florence, Italy
• Nagoya, Japan
• Portsmouth, United Kingdom
• Guangzhou, China