The Sydney Traveler

Have you recovered from Christmas yet? Good! Sydney’s already moving on to the next thing, and that’s the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks! Every year is always bigger and better than the last, and this one promises to be no exception.
The $4 million display promises never-before-seen pyrotechnic effects and a dramatic “lightning show.” The lightning will be part of a staged storm designed to symbolically cleanse the harbour city. Have we been sinning this year? The biblical inspired storm will light up the sky before the much anticipated Bridge Effect is revealed at midnight. Then there’ll be another 12 minutes …read more

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Remember to slow down and buckle up if you’re traveling around New South Wales roads over the holiday period. Double demerits for all speeding and seatbelt offences will be in force from midnight tonight.
The dual penalties apply until January 4 in an effort to curb the state’s Christmas road toll. Road deaths have dropped 28% since the initiative was introduced in 1997, so it looks like it’s working!
“Double demerits help deter motorists from breaking the law during what is an exceptionally busy time on the state’s roads,” said the state’s roads minister Michael Daley.
“Motorists be warned: watch your speed, wear …read more

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Is it really less than a week until Christmas? Sure enough, there’s just six sleeps to go! So for this edition of Sydney Photo Friday, I figured I’d show you one of my favourite Christmas trees in the city. There are so many beautiful ones around Sydney, but I love this one inside The Galleries Victoria. Just look at those big gold bows, beautiful crystal ornaments, and that dazzling star on top! It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Image source: Sebastian Bergmann @ Flickr

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Sydney Wildlife World will be about more than just animals when it opens its Australia’s Dreamtime exhibit this Sunday.
The new attraction promises to be an interactive and authentic experience capturing the culture and traditions of Australia’s indigenous heritage.
Kids will love having their face painted with traditional dreamtime designs. The paint will be made from ground ochre mixed with water for that authentic touch.
There’s also a rock gallery art wall, embellished with paintings and etchings like those made by the native Aboriginals. They used to create these artworks to illustrate their traditional stories, document their daily lives, and encourage successful hunting. …read more

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Last weekend my husband and I treated ourselves to an overnight stay at the Sydney Marriott Hotel. We had a birthday party to attend in the city, and he’d just received word that his application for permanent residency was approved, so we had twice the reason to celebrate.
The hotel is conveniently located near Hyde Park, which is perfect if you’re like me and don’t fancy the stress of driving into the city. We caught the train to Museum and enjoyed an easy five-minute walk to the hotel door.
The room was gorgeous, with a big king size bed and stunning views …read more

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A few weeks ago I brought you a special on international shopping destinations in the city. But of course, the influence of multiculturalism doesn’t just affect what we buy. It also affects what we eat. We can’t all afford to travel around the world to try the best authentic ethnic cuisine, but you don’t have to if you’re staying in Sydney. Here are some of the best “eat streets” in the city.

King Street, Newtown offers a taste of Asia, with goat aloo at Delhi O Delhi, Cambodian food vegan-style at Green Palace, and contemporary Thai cuisine at Chedi.
John Street, Cabramatta …read more

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Seagulls are the scourge of the Sydney summer, right up there with blowflies and jellyfish. They’re noisy and demanding, especially if you’re eating hot chips. But then I see a photo like this one, and I think maybe seagulls aren’t that bad after all. Sure, when they’re photographed you can’t hear them squawking. But doesn’t this bird look so serene? Maybe I’ll give seagulls a chance this year after all.
Image source: Misty Bushell @ Flickr

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Tourists can enjoy a little extra luxury for free at some of Sydney’s top hotels.
Hilton Sydney, Sir Stamford at Circular Quay, and Pullman at Sydney Olympic Park are just some of the hotels participating in the Suite Dreams Sydney promotion.
The scheme sees the hotels offering room upgrades and “sweet treats” to guests until the end of January. Some of the sweet treats include complimentary breakfasts, desserts, and bottles of bubbly!
With Christmas just around the corner, this offer means we can all enjoy a little extra pampering without putting a hole in the budget!
Click here to see all the participating hotels …read more

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Tourism New South Wales has teamed up with MySpace to create MySpace MySydney, a website promising to be the ultimate resource for young Americans looking to spend time in Australia’s most vibrant city.
With the popularity of the Baz Lurhmann’s Australia and the economic crisis making US dollars go even further Down Under, everyone wants to know how to have an Aussie getaway. A landmark partnership between the Australian and US government makes it so easy.
Americans aged 18 to 30 can now enter Australia on a brand new Work and Holiday agreement, and stay, work, and study for up to a …read more

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Virgin Blue’s free loyalty program Velocity is a great way to earn free flights and score a bunch of great discounts.
It’s just become even more valuable to families, with Velocity and Tourism New South Wales giving members the chance to take kids to local hotels, restaurants, attractions and events for free!
Families will love the savings at places like Sydney Wildlife World, the Crown Plaza at Darling Harbour, and the Lindt Chocolat Café.
This offer is valid until 28 February 2009, allowing you to take full advantage of the Christmas holidays!
Click here to see all the places Velocity members can save!
Image source: …read more

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