Sydney Harbour is like a big blue playground in the heart of the city, alive with ferries, yachts, tugboats and cruise ships. Laze on a chartered yacht moored in a secluded bay or unwind on one of the many cruise vessels that depart from Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.
Sydney Harbour islands – Fort Denison, Shark, Clark, Rodd, Goat and Cockatoo – have great cultural and historical significance. Some of the sites resonate with Aboriginal history, while others reflect a European past with convict-built structures and old forts. Cockatoo Island is one of 11 Australian Convict Sites that are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. All the harbour islands are accessible by boat or ferry.
Extending over 30 hectares over harbour foreshore, the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney occupies one of Sydney’s most spectacular locations. Sydney Harbour National Park includes most of the harbour islands and large amounts of foreshore.