Sydney’s Underbelly Uncovered - Kings Cross

The Underbelly TV series has put the spotlight firmly on one of Sydney's most vibrant and colourful areas – Kings Cross.

And now. thanks to Bounce Walking Tours you can experience a guided expedition through the 'underbelly' of Kings Cross.

This fascinating tour takes you through the colourful history of Kings Cross with its mobsters, murders, moles and mysteries as you follow in the footsteps of notorious criminals, prostitutes and crooked cops. With the Underbelly series currently screening, the tour is a great opportunity to hear the real stories behind characters such as Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh. You will stand on the site of unsolved mysteries, uncover the secrets of the sly grog trade and the now infamous razor gangs and visit the original bar that started the Ibrahim empire.

The Kings Cross 'Golden Mile' has undergone an immense gentrification program with trendy restaurants, boutique wine bars and upmarket clubs creating a sophisticated setting for the modern tourist, so you will need to scratch the surface to uncover the street's notorious past.

Sydney's Hot New Restaurant Guide

SYDNEY restaurants are constantly evolving. As soon as one disappears, a new one opens: each bigger, bolder and more fun than the last.

After a quiet period in 2009 in the post-GFC gloom, in the past 12 months the city's restaurateurs and chefs have become more adventurous than ever, spending large sums on interior designs and creating sumptuous menus and extraordinary wine lists.

But where do visitors to Sydney start on a flying visit to the city? Well, begin by following this guide to the capital's most alluring food hot spots.

1. Ms G's
Surely one of Sydney's most playful venues, this pan-Asian eatery inspired by David Chang's New York venue Momofuku is joyful, robust and fun. Chefs Dan Hong and Jowett Yu have put together a sharing menu that's a bit Vietnamese, a bit Korean, a bit Chinese and more.

Sample nibblies such as mini banh mi (Vietnamese baguettes) and move on to silky egg noodles with XO sauce, shredded duck and duck egg. The fit-out is urban, slick and fun.

More: 155 Victoria St, Potts Point. 8313 1000; www.ms-gs.com

2. Felix
Situated on the ground floor of the fanciful Ivy complex, this French bistro pays homage to the great bistros of not only Paris but Manhattan, including the wonderful Balthazar and Pastis.

The dining room is extravagantly splendid take special note of the tile mosaic on the wall. Chef Lauren Murdoch injects flair into a menu of bistro classics that includes skate with brown butter and flank steak with herb butter and fries, while head sommelier Franck Moreau has hand-picked an exhaustive cellar from his native France. The result is a venue that really sings.

More: 330 George St, City. 9240 3000; www.merivale.com

3. Porteno
If Felix doesn't win best fit-out of the moment, that's only because the title has already been claimed by Surry Hills' seriously cool Porteno. Like Felix, this Argentinean-themed venue is authentic with a capital A, even if it inhabits what was once a Greek taverna. Chefs Elvis Abrahanowicz and Ben Milgate, well-known to food lovers for their work at the South American tapas venue, Bodega, flame meats including suckling pig and saltbush lamb over an asado grill, and the results are spectacular. Be sure to have a drink in the chesterfield-and-chandelier-strewn upstairs bar before your feast.

More: 358 Cleveland St, Surry Hills. 8399 1440; www.porteno.com.au

4. Duke
Young gun chefs Thomas Lim and Mitch Orr have given Sydney dining a shake up at this quirky dining room upstairs at what used to be a little-frequented inner-city pub. The hunting lodge-meets-Shanghai Tang fit-out is matched by an arrestingly unusual menu that includes dishes such as kingfish gin and tonic and tater tots, gravy and endamame. It's mainly a young (read under-25s) scene, so be warned it's slightly too cool for school, but it definitely has an edge.

More: 65 Flinders St, Darlinghurst. 9332 3180; www.dukebistro.com.au

5. The Wine
Library Melbourne used to have the wood on Sydney when it came to wine bars with great food but that domination is long since over. One of the newer, flagship Sydney wine bars is Woollahra's the Wine Library, run by Todd Garrett and James Hird, the same chefs behind the ever-popular nearby Buzo restaurant. Sit at the zinc bar to enjoy glasses of quality Italian wine while nibbling on salumi plates and other Italian-inspired dishes including pasta and ragu.

More: 18 Oxford St, Woollahra. 9360 5686; www.buzorestaurant.com.au

6. Manly Pavilion
This grand 1930s swimming pavilion on the Manly harbour foreshore had a sensitive renovation last year, returning it to its former glory and adding a modern outdoor deck. Chef Jonathan Barthelmess has brought in a much-praised mainly Italian menu, while the wine list is deep and engaging. Catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly and walk to the restaurant to enjoy some blissful water views over a glass of very good bubbly.

More: Commonwealth Parade, West Esplanade, Manly. 9948 4999; www.manlypier.com

7. The Cut
Another venue with beautiful design, this steak restaurant resides in the basement of the historic Argyle complex in the tourist heart of The Rocks. But don't think that because the Argyle is in a tourist area the food will be second-rate. Rather, chef James Privett offers a choice of steaks cooked under a 650C grill, as well as a contemporary menu with offerings such as mulloway on sweet corn puree. Also keep an eye out for the four-hour slow-roasted wagyu served from a trolley.

More: 16 Argyle St, The Rocks. 9259 5695; www.cutbarandgrill.com.au

8. Sake
Also in the Argyle complex is this beguiling Japanese restaurant with well-credentialled chef Shaun Presland at the helm. Set in a beautiful heritage building that has lovely exposed bricks and polished timber floors, as well as many Japanese elements including paper lanterns and old sake drums, dining at Sake is a sleek and sophisticated experience. While the menu isn't as adventurous as the design, Presland still does a great line in sashimi, while some of the more exotic dishes include miso-cream scallops, popcorn shrimp and tempura scampi.

More: 12 Argyle Street, The Rocks. 9259 5656; www.sakerestaurant.com.au

9. China Beach
Sydney's Daily Telegraph restaurant critic Simon Thomsen described the interior of this pan-Asian venue at Manly as being "as white as Shane Warne's teeth" and that about sums up the Iain Halliday design.

Not that this is a bad thing in a city obsessed with dark and gloomy interiors. With chef Mai Busayarat at the pans, this sister to Woolloomooloo's ever-popular China Doll serves a variety of Asian cuisines from Thai to Chinese to Korean with panache. All in one, of Sydney's most appealing beachside suburbs.

More: 2/43-45 North Steyne, Manly. 9976 0050; www.chinabeach.com.au

10. Four In Hand Restaurant
This fine dining room located in a historic Paddington pub is not new but is rising to great heights under the steerage of Irish-born chef Colin Fassnidge. On the stylish contemporary menu is Fassnidge's speciality, a 12-hour braised shoulder of lamb served with heirloom carrots, salsa verde and kipfler potatoes (the $84 dish serves two). Enjoy discovering this lovely watering hole, down a back street in among rows of wonderful Paddington terraces, and make sure to have a drink at the bar before settling in.

More: 105 Sutherland St (cnr Elizabeth St), Paddington. 9362 1999; www.fourinhand.com.au

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Sydney is World's no. 2 city - Survey

Sydney has been voted the top travel destination in the South Pacific, and the second top spot in the world.

Sydney has been voted the top travel destination in the South Pacific and the second top spot in the world after Cape Town in South Africa.

That's according to users of the TripAdvisor website and Facebook app in its 2011 Travellers' Choice Destination survey.

TripAdvisor's Emma O'Boyle says tourism's vital to the Australian economy so it's good to see Sydney outshining hotspots like Paris, New York and London.

Queenstown in New Zealand was second favourite in the South Pacific, followed by Melbourne, Perth and Byron Bay.

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

100 Years of Sydney Airport Flying

It was a flight that lasted less than 10 minutes and reached the not-so-dizzying height of 40 metres, but it marks an important milestone in Sydney Airport's history.

On April 18, 1911, Captain Joseph Joel Hammond flew a Bristol box-kite bi-plane over the site that today forms part of Sydney Airport.

Now, 100 years later, staff at the airport are celebrating the anniversary of that first flight that heralded the start of modern aviation in Sydney.

Advertisement: Story continues below Born in New Zealand, Capt Hammond was an early pioneer of aviation, known to his adoring public as "The Flying Man" and "The Bird-man".

His flights attracted huge public interest, with thousands of Sydneysiders buying tickets to witness the incredible spectacle of a man flying.

Capt Hammond's bi-plane weighed about 500kg and his first journey took him just 40 metres high and 10 kilometres in distance.

Back then, the area he flew over was Ascot Racecourse - today, it forms part of Sydney Airport's east-west runway.

These days, an A380 taking off at Sydney airport weighs 560 tonnes, cruises at a height of about 12km and can travel more than 15,000km.

The first passenger to fly from the site was Capt Hammond's wife, Ethelwyn.

"I always feel quite comfy when I am in the bi-plane with my husband," Mrs Hammond was reported as saying in April 1911.

Today, more than 35 million passengers fly in and out of Sydney airport every year.

Capt Hammond went on to fly as a test pilot in World War I when an aircraft he was flying on a war bonds promotional tour crashed into a tree.

He died just seven weeks before the war ended in 1918.

The next year, flying enthusiast WB Love chose the cow pastures at Mascot as a site to establish an aircraft manufacturing facility and Sydney Airport was born.

It is one of the oldest continuing airports in the world.

On Monday, Sydney Airport staff will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first flight with a barbecue at Hammond Place.

A plaque marking Capt Hammond's achievement will also be unveiled.

"Capt Hammond was obviously a man with an adventurous spirit, but I doubt that he could have foreseen how Australia's aviation industry would develop over the next 100 years," Sydney Airport CEO Russell Balding said.

This would appear to be true.

"What's the use of long flights," Capt Hammond said in April 1911, "unless you're competing for a prize?"

Big Events Safe Under West Push: O'Farrell

NSW Barry O'Farrell has promised his push to hold more major events in Sydney's west won't see iconic favourites like the City to Surf or Mardi Gras moved.

Mr O'Farrell has said he wants more major events to be held in western Sydney to give the region a much needed boost and avoid traffic chaos in the city's CBD.

A week after a triathlon brought parts of inner Sydney to a standstill, Mr O'Farrell said major events and the tourism they generate shouldn't be to the detriment of all Sydneysiders.

But he added that inner-Sydney staples such as the City to Surf and Mardi Gras were "in no danger of being shifted" under his western push.

"We should at times welcome these headline events, but we know that closing the bridge, closing CBD streets, always creates chaos," Mr O'Farrell told Fairfax Radio Network on Monday.

"A triathlon or a half marathon through that lower Blue Mountains, which is picturesque, making better use of the Penrith lakes - there are some great opportunities to do events across this city.

"The importance of events is that they bring people to the city, they bring people to stay here to spend here, that helps with the local economy, it also showcases the city, and I'd like to showcase the whole of the city."

Patricia Forsythe, Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber, said priority should be given to expanding the events calendar to include new events in Sydney's West.

"To deny Sydney from using the Harbour Bridge or Opera House as a drawcard for major events would be like asking New York not to use the Empire State Building or Paris the Eiffel Tower," Ms Forsythe said.

Making motorists the "first and only priority" would be a wrong move for a global city, she added.

"The RTA and the police need to review what occurred last week and apply the lessons to their communication and road management."

50 Reasons Why Sydney is the World's Greatest City

Sydney the best ever? Keen grasp of the obvious, right? Maybe, but read on for a few things you might not know about the best place on the planet to call home

50. No worries mate, she'll be right
Nothing is too much hassle for locals (“No worries”), while outcomes are epitomized by stoicism ("She’ll be right").

Vertigo is yours for a mere $65.
49. Wobbliest tower
Sydney Tower -- naming rights sold to the highest bidder, in an interesting metaphor for what makes Sydney tick -- is filled with water to stabilize its sway. That means the most dramatic panoramic viewing of the world's biggest harbor might come during that cyclone we’ve all been waiting for.

In better conditions, the tower's 268-meter-high (880 feet) outdoor skywalk (adult $65, children $45) provides sufficient thrills. Indoor types can stay safe in the observation deck (adult $22.50, children $13.50) or revolving restaurant.

Sydney Tower is located in the new Westfield Shopping Centre at 100 Market St., rising above the corner of Pitt Street and Market Street. Head to Level 5 and look for the signs from the food court; tel. +61 (0)2 9333 9222

48. Coffee that's actually drinkable
If it isn’t gourmet, it isn’t Sydney coffee. You only realize how good our coffee is when you drink imitation lattes overseas.

With the rise of super-chains such as Starbucks, many vendors have now begun roasting coffee beans in-house. The highly competitive cafe scene in and around the city ensures café lattes come with their barista’s signature swirl.

Find the perfect ratio of beans, barista and machine at Campos Coffee. In Newtown, the shop draws on more than 10 blends of coffee from Africa to the Americas. 193 Missenden Road, Newton; tel. +61 (0)2 9516 3361, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

New Year's Eve 2011: a technical success.
47. World's most technically advanced sky
While 700,000 show up in London and a million in New York, the New Year's Fireworks display in Sydney attracts 1.5 million who crowd the harbor foreshore's 130 vantage points. A thousand personnel -- and a dozen computers -- drive the world's most technically advanced show, one that includes 4,500 kilos of fireworks.

46. Even the dogs are cosmopolitan
Kids have had fun for years rolling into cafes with their parents and ordering babycinos before hitting the playground. Sydney takes spoiling little ones a step further with dog cafes. At places such as Café Bones and Chew Chew, dogs can stroll in and, with help from their human slaves, order a lactose-free Pupaccino before smelling bums and getting down to the business of marking turf in the leash-free playground.

45. Accents you want to take to bed
Sydney has the world’s best accent, a global take on the Irish convict, isolated English accent, that turns inner-city-fast-talking into sexy-speak.

World's easiest commute.
44. Ferries that make work a cruise
Ride on the deck of a Sydney Ferry on your way to work, let the wind blow through your hair and realize that life (or your boss) isn’t so bad after all.

The Manly Ferry fleet that runs past Sydney Heads is named after northern beaches (where it ends up) while other ferries are named after female Olympic runners (such as Marjorie Jackson) and swimmers (such as Dawn Fraser) because they’re fast.

NSW Transport Sydney Ferries

43. Legal 'ecstacy'
Walking into a shop and buying pills that can get you high usually attracts the attention of the local constabulary -- but in Sydney it's legal. Buzz, Cherry Pop, X NRG, Empathy and Ignite are all herbal concoctions that dogs don't sniff and don't complicate airline travel. Bright and cheery Happy High Herbs stores are in Bondi and Newtown.

Happy High Herbs, 26a Cambell Parade, Bondi Beach; 347 King St., Newtown; tel. +61 (0)2 9300 8055

42. Wash shampoo out of your hair in nature
A ferry ride through from Pittwater takes you to Refuge Bay, where you can stand under a waterfall that's strong enough to wash shampoo out of your hair. Not only will it impress your hairdresser, it will save water, as the water's running anyway.

41. Dance in a morgue
For half a century, Kinselas was the residence of Charles Kinsela, Undertaker. He ran the city's busiest morgue. But Sydneysiders prefer life to death and dancing to resting. The place is now a nightspot with high art deco ceilings, and a function room called "The Chapel." If all the bodies inside make you feel stuffy, go to the veranda and look over Taylor Square.

Kinselas, 383 Bourke St., Taylor Square, Darlinghurst; tel. +61 (0)2 9331 3100

Read more: 50 reasons why Sydney is the world's greatest city | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/sydney/life/50-reasons-why-sydneys-best-city-world-291350#ixzz1InNMnrQf

"New Sydney" Showcased at ATE

Domestic and international travel media attended a press conference hosted by Tourism NSW at ATE today. Patricia Forsythe, Chair of the Greater Sydney Partnership, spoke about the “new Sydney” outlining the many exciting developments and billions of dollars worth of investment in the pipeline for this city.

The developments include:

- Redevelopment of UTS Business School featuring a breathtaking new Frank Gehry designed building
- Redevelopment of Star City
- The new multipurpose Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre
- $6 billion development of Barangaroo
- $26 million new wing of the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Lyndel Gray, Executive Director and General Manager, Tourism NSW spoke about key experiences in Sydney that set the city apart from other cities in the world including beaches, food and wine, nature and events. Attendees were shown a new short film which highlighted the developments planned and underway. To see the film click here. The press conference also featured a 'hype reel' with amazing images showing the vibrancy and beauty of Sydney and NSW.

(Source: Insights, 4th April 2011)

Sydney Streamed 33 million Times on YouTube

On 20 March the Grand Finale of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 was held at Sydney Opera House and live-streamed to the world on YouTube. More than 100 musicians from 33 countries joined together for the first time in Sydney.
The Grand Finale was streamed 33 million times around the world to 189 countries. This included 2.8 million mobile live-streams, making it one of YouTube’s biggest ever streaming events to date, on mobile and desktop. That means the event was streamed to nearly one-and-a-half times the entire population of Australia including external footage of the Sydney Opera House and the orchestra inside.
The top 10 countries viewing the performance online were the United States, Germany, Italy, France, Poland, Russia, Australia, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Taiwan.

Happy Birthday Sydney Harbour Bridge

On Saturday 19th March 2011, Sydney Harbour Bridge turned 79.

Apart from celebrating so many years since the opening of the world famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, the day also represents the official start to the much anticipated countdown for the 80th anniversary next year, a colossal milestone for the Bridge and its harbour city.

The Bridge opened on Saturday 19 March 1932 and has proved to be the iron lung of the city of Sydney. Its construction recruited over 2500 people during the Great Depression and the Bridge now connects the populations of North and South Sydney by currently supporting approximately 156,590 vehicles on a daily basis.

Through its grand beauty and meticulously engineered stature the Bridge has also proved to be a quintessential Australian landmark, and along with the Sydney Opera House is recognisable across the world and an absolute "must-see" experience during the recent visit by Oprah Winfrey.

On Sunday 20th March, BridgeClimb Sydney, the company who shares the Bridge's secrets and showcases its spectacular view every day, celebrated the Bridge's 79th birthday with Climbers from Australia and around the world.

The company's Managing Director, Todd Coates says "BridgeClimb Sydney is privileged to celebrate with our Climbers the 79th anniversary of this engineering masterwork. This is the penultimate celebration before the 80th anniversary, and a moment to honour the cultural and historical significance of this global icon".

International Visitor Numbers Up - Sydney Tourism News

In the year ended December 2010 total international visitors to NSW rose by 4.7 per cent to 2.8 million and international visitor nights increased by 6.4 per cent to 65.2 million. These results were included in today’s release of the International Visitor Survey by Tourism Research Australia.

Other key results for NSW were:

NSW retained the leading market share in total international visitors (52.2 percent), nights (34.8 percent) and expenditure (35.4 percent).

In 2010, an additional 3.9 million international visitor nights were spent in NSW, most of which came from people visiting friends and relatives (up 18.7 per cent compared with the previous year). This growth was driven by a particularly strong increase from the Indian family market visiting relatives in NSW.

One million additional nights were spent in NSW by holiday visitors leading to a holiday nights’ market share increase of 2 percentage points to 35.6 per cent.

Three of the top five source markets to NSW for the year have experienced strong visitor growth. These were Korea (up 23 per cent), China (up 19 per cent) and New Zealand (up 10 per cent). New Zealand retained its recent lead over the United Kingdom as the top source market for international visitors to NSW, while China retained its lead in international visitor nights.

Other markets that performed well were Singapore (up 25 per cent), Japan and India (each up 18 per cent for the year).

Visitor expenditure was up slightly by 2 per cent.
(Source: INSIGHTS, Tourism NSW Industry News, 9th March 2011)

Luna Park celebrates 75 years - Sydney Tourism News

Luna Park, Sydney’s iconic amusement Park, has announced a line up of activities to celebrate its 75th anniversary to take place during the Spring School Holidays (Sept 25th – Oct 10th). To celebrate 75 years of history and fun, Luna Park have launched a ballot on www.lunaparksydney.com and is inviting Australians to register online for their chance to win limited tickets to the Park’s celebrations, including, a John Farnham concert, live in the Big Top and free rides all day on Luna Park’s 4th October birthday. Everyone who registers online will also receive a $15 off voucher for any Unlimited Rides Pass purchased throughout the Spring School Holidays.