Table of Contents
Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
At Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, you can see manta rays, sharks, and dugongs. Follow an underwater journey from The Great Barrier Reef to Shark Valley and from Sydney Harbour to the South Coast. You’ll be astonished by Australian sea creatures such as tropical fish, jellyfish, moray eels and seahorses, and of course the coral formations. For an adrenalin rush, you can swim with the sharks.
Wildlife Sydney Zoo
At Wildlife Sydney Zoo, you can get close to koalas, kangaroos, platypuses, Tasmanian devils, crocodiles, wombats and quokkas. In the nocturnal exhibit, you can see what the animals do at night. And don’t forget the butterfly house, where beautiful insects fly around freely.
Darling Harbour Children’s Playground
If you visit with your children, you can spend time at the Darling Harbour Children’s Playground. There are two main attractions here. Firstly, there’s the water-play area with climbing ropes, swings, slides and a flying fox. Secondly, you can visit one of the surrounding cafes, and watch your children play from a short distance.
The Surrounds of Sydney CBD
A short ten-minute walk from Darling Harbour is the Sydney CBD. Pitt Street Mall offers retail therapy. The Queen Victoria Building has more upmarket boutiques and beautiful architecture. Several bars and restaurants in Australia Square offer refreshments with views of the city. You can wander down George Street towards the Harbour Bridge to the historical precinct, The Rocks. This is a bustling spot with stunning heritage buildings, beautiful harbour views, interesting shops and the Museum of Contemporary Art. If you need to come to Sydney for a special event, be sure to consider a reservation at the best of the Darling Harbour function venues.
See the Submarines at the Maritime Museum
You can uncover Australia’s maritime history at the Maritime Museum which houses the world’s largest collection of floating vessels. There are permanent exhibitions of Indigenous culture, European exploration, immigration, sport and leisure, and defence. You can climb aboard the submarine, HMAS Onslow for a glimpse of submarine warfare.
Darling Harbour’s Culinary Life
In Darling Square, you will discover a culinary paradise. Maker’s Dozen in the Exchange Building offers craft beer, desserts, and fusion dishes. In Little Hay Street, there are vibrant cafes and drinks venues open long after dark. Steam Mill Lane has more exotic offerings. You can stroll around, and soak up the atmosphere, eat and drink and admire the gorgeous architecture.
The Darling Square Library
The Exchange houses Darling Square Library, a library with a difference. It is a centre for learning, creativity, and innovation. It offers free Wi-Fi, study areas, meeting rooms and a colourful children’s area. You can take part in all sorts of workshops focusing on, for example, 3D design and printing, robotics and electronics. Or you can simply borrow one of the 30,000 books housed there.
The ICC Convention Centre
This fully integrated convention, exhibition and entertainment centre opened in 2016 and has hosted some of the most wonderful events Sydney has seen. There’s always something interesting happening at the ICC.
