SYDNEY IS THE CAPITAL OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND THE LARGEST CITY OF AUSTRALIA. IT IS ALSO AUSTRALIA’S GREATEST PORT AND LARGEST MANUFACTURING CENTRE.
SYDNEY IS LOCATED ON THE PACIFIC COAST, AT LATITUDE 34`S, JUST NORTH OF BOTANY BAY. THE CITY HAS A PLEASANT CLIMATE BUT IS SOMETIMES RATHER HOT AND STICKY TOWARDS THE END OF SUMMER (FEBRUARY AND MARCH). AVERAGE TEMPERATURES RANGE FROM 22`C (72`F) IN THE SUMMER (JANUARY) TO 12`C (54`F) IN THE WINTER (JULY).
THE MAIN CITY IS SOUTH OF A MAGNIFICENT HARBOUR, WHERE THE LARGEST SHIPS CAN LOAD AND UNLOAD AT THE WHARVES. SYDNEY HAS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST DRY DOCKS. THE HARBOUR IS FORMED BY AN INLET AT THE MOUTH OF THE PARRAMATTA RIVER, AND IS CROSSED BY A STEEL ARCH BRIDGE, SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE, WHICH HAS A SPAN OF 503 METRES (1,652 FEET), AND WAS COMPLETED IN 1932. FURTHER WEST IS THE CONCRETE ARCH GLADESVILLE BRIDGE WITH A SPAN OF 305 METRES (1,000 FEET), COMPLETED IN 1964. THESE ARE THE ONLY BRIDGES€ROSS THE HARBOUR, WITH THE RESULT THAT THE APPROACH ROADS, PARTICULARLY THOSE LEADING TO THE HARBOUR BRIDGE IN THE CITY CENTRE, ARE SEVERELY CONGESTED.
NEAR SYDNEY IS TO BE FOUND EXCELLENT HONEY COLOURED BUILDING STONE AND THE CITY HAS MANY FINE BUILDINGS. THE STATE PARLIAMENT HOUSE AND ST. JAMES’S CHURCH DATE FROM THE EARLY DAYS. OTHER IMPORTANT BUILDINGS INCLUDE THE UNIVERSITY AND ALSO THE ANGLICAN AND THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRALS. ON BENNELONG POINT STANDS THE STRIKING OPERA HOUSE, OPENED IN 1973. SEVERAL BANKS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE TALL NEW OFFICE BUILDINGS IN THE CENTRE OF SYDNEY.
THERE ARE TWO PRINCIPAL INDUSTRIAL AREAS IN THE CITY, ONE IN THE SOUTH, STRETCHING AS FAR AS BOTANY BAY, AND ONE IN THE WEST AND SOUTH-WEST. THE CITY PRODUCES AN ALMOST LIMITLESS RANGE OF PRODUCTS, AND CONTAINS ABOUT ON-QUARTER OF ALL THE FACTORIES IN AUSTRALIA.
A FEW MILES TO THE EAST OF SYDNEY THE COAST-LINE CONSISTS OF BOLD SANDSTONE HEADLANDS WITH CRESENT-SHAPED SANDY BEACHES BETWEEN THEM. THESE ARE THE FAMOUS BATHING BEACHES SUCH AS COOGEE, MAROUBRE, BONDI, AND COLLAROY, WHERE THE GREAT SPORT IS SURFING, SUPPORTED BY A BOARD OR FLOAT, ON THE BREAKING WAVES.
THE POPULATION OF SYDNEY IS ABOUT 3,600,000 INCLUDING THE SUBURBS.
SYDNEY WAS FOUNDED ON 26 JANUARY 1788, WHEN A PARTY OF SOLDIERS AND CONVICTS UNDER GOVERNOR ARTHUR PHILLIP LANDED ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF FORT JACKSON HARBOUR. THE COVE WHERE THEY LANDED WAS NAMED SYDNEY COVE AFTER THOMAS TOWNSHEND, 1ST VISCOUNT SYDNEY, WHO WAS THE BRITISH MINISTER THEN LOOKING AFTER COLONIAL AFFAIRS. THIS WAS THE FIRST WHITE SETTLEMENT IN AUSTRALIA. THE CITY BEGAN AS A PENAL COLONY, TO WHICH CONVICTS WERE TRANSPORTED FROM ENGLAND. BUT WITH THE EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES IT GREW IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY INTO A PROSPEROUS CITY, WITH MANY HANDSOME BUILDINGS. THE CITY EXPANDED MOST RAPIDLY BETWEEN 1850 AND 1890. IT WAS DURING THIS PERIOD THAT SYDNEY’S DISTINCTIVE SUBURBAN HOUSES, WITH THEIR WROUGHT-IRON BALCONIES WERE BUILT. SYDNEY HAS THRIVED PATICULARLY SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II, WHEN AUSTRALIA LOOKED MORE TOWARDS ASIA AND NORTH AMERICA FOR TRADING PARTNERS AND LESS TOWARDS BRITAIN.
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