DK Travel : Sydney

Sydney is blessed with stunning ocean beaches, magnificent national parks and a wonderful subtropical climate that makes the great outdoors irresistible to its four million inhabitants. The Eora people, the Aborigines who settled around Sydney Harbour, arrived approximately 50,000 years ago, while the white settlers arrived just over 200 years ago. Free settlers soon followed in the wake of the First Fleet of transported convicts, and after them several waves of migrants seeking a new life. Now, two centuries later, the once far-flung penal colony has matured into a culturally diverse, tolerant and mesmerizing city. Ideally located on the world’s most beautiful harbour, Sydney is as exciting and bustling as it is laid back and relaxing.

Judy Davis

One of Australia’s most respected actors, Davis has taken some of film’s top honours; she lives in Balmain.
Juniper Hall

Robert Cooper (1776–1857) was one of Sydney’s more successful emancipists and a self-confessed smuggler. Originally sent down for receiving stolen goods, he made a small fortune as Sydney’s first distiller, specializing in gin flavoured with juniper berries: hence the name of this residence. Diagonally opposite the Town Hall, it was built in 1824 to house his 28 children from three marriages. The house was threatened with demolition for several years, but finally spared in the 1980s and restored by the National Trust. It is closed to the public, but you can view it from Oxford Street.
Justice & Police Museum

Sydney’s convict past was the start of a colourful history of crime and prosecution. Find out about the thugs of the past, the heroic cops who caught them, and Sydney’s current under-world. The museum has a vast collection of police and judicial evidence such as court records and mug shots.
Kaliman Gallery

This well-known gallery displays contemporary Australian art.
Kayaking

Get up close to Middle Harbour’s mansions by kayaking around the foreshore. While the more energetic prefer to join the fast-paced traffic of the harbour, others can slowly drift along simply admiring the view.
Kenneth Slessor (1901–71)

Poet Kenneth Slessor will always be remembered for his 1939 elegy “Five Bells”, written for a friend who drowned. Another poem, “Beach Burial” (1944), written while serving as a war correspondent near El Alamein, describes the burial of sailors washed up on shore after battles in the Mediterranean.
Ken’s at Kensington

Sydney’s original gay sauna and gym offers an indoor swimming pool, weights area, spa and steam room. There are also video and coffee lounges, towel-free nights and a DJ on weekends. Only men are allowed at Ken’s, an easy bus ride from Taylor Square.
Kiama Blowhole

A large fishing and resort town, Kiama is one of the most attractive coastal spots south of Sydney. Discovered by explorer George Bass in 1797, this 25-m (82-ft) blowhole originates in a natural fault in the cliffs. It erupts whenever a wave hits with enough force, which can be every few minutes. Water can be thrown as high as 60 m (200 ft).
Kids at the House

This excellent program at the Sydney Opera House introduces children to the world of performance art. The Babies and Family proms acquaint kids aged two to nine with musical forms, often through interactive performances. Older children can enjoy Australian and international theatre at venues such as The Studio.
Kids’ Deck

The National Maritime Museum runs Kids’ Deck, a programme of events for children aged 2 to 10. With events often linked to current exhibitions, kids might build their own harbourscapes or dress up as naval officers. There are also regular activity sessions, storytimes for preschoolers on Mondays and Mini Mariners sessions on Thursdays.