20 Surprising Facts About Sydney, Australia

Welcome to the city in New South Wales, Sydney - a city full of vibrance, exotic destinations, and romantic getaways. From chasing your big shopping list and getting lost into the dewy evening on a beach, Sydney has it all covered for you. Let's take a look at some of the fantabulous surprising facts about Sydney!

As soon as I hear Sydney, the next thought that comes in my mind is the popular animated Pixar movie 'Finding Nemo.' The address 'P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney,' actually doesn't exist at all. Well, that's a surprise!!

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Sydney is also famously known by the name 'The Emerald City.' The beautiful coastal lines, top-rated and scenic beaches make this city a real glittering emerald.

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Let's read through to dig in some more surprising facts about Sydney and feel astonished about it.

The Australian Heritage Sydney Harbour Bridge is on top of every traveler's list visiting Sydney. It is also called by its nickname ‘The Coat Hanger' by the locals.

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Sydney Harbour Bridge is known to be the tallest and largest steel arch bridge in the world. It comes to the 6th position on being the longest bridge in the world. Also, it took a whole eight years to build this beauty.

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Out of 233 designs submitted for the Opera House design competition held in 1956, Jørn Utzon won the ₤5000 as the prize for his architectural design that we see today as live.

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The cost of the Sydney Opera House was estimated to be $7 million, but finally, the construction finished at the estimated cost of $102 million.

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Do you know that Sydney is not the capital of Australia? Yes, you read it right! Canberra is the capital of Australia. But since Sydney is a densely populated city on the continent, it is famous even internationally.

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Sydney is also known by the name 'Sin City' as Sydney has some 'convict' history associated with its past. The reason being when the ships arrived from England in 1788 to bring convicts and leave them in Sydney as a punishment. That's quite sinfully interesting!!

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After English, the other two languages that are famous among people living in Sydney are Chinese and Arabic.

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Well, it happens to be like that for those living in Sydney & its suburbs is known by as Sydneysider!! Quite a fascinating name!

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The best view of Sydney, as they say, can be viewed from the top of the Sydney Tower Eye. It is in the heart of the city. Earlier it was known as just 'Sydney Tower’.

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Not only the cosmopolitan feel to the city, but Sydney is also known for its beautiful natural appeal. The flora & fauna are well intact & this makes Sydney famous for fun nature trails.

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Ever seen a city bathing in lights and full of color? Sydney marks this special appearance with Vivid Sydney Festival.

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It is a festival of light, music, and ideas held every year in the May - June period. Vivid Sydney is witness to International travelers, performers from across the globe, and of course, the feat to locals.

If you happen to be a beach lover, then Sydney is just the right place for you. With over 100 beaches in the city, the best time to visit would be around 'Sculpture by the Sea festival' held annually.

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This year it will begin on October 22nd on the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk. It feels so breathtaking that the whole beach would turn into an open art gallery!

Sydney is one of the first big cities to be greeted with the New Year. The extravagant fireworks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge are a signature piece in Australia on the New Year. No wonder this city is as amazing as it seems.

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The popular sport in Sydney is Cricket during summer times. Australia is also referred to as Aussie or Oz as its short name. So it is quite apt to say that Aussie's love their summer cricket. Also, soccer is equally famous too. The name of the Australian National Team is 'Socceroos'.

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The Blue Mountains bordering Sydney’s metropolitan area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. It is also known for the largest network of walking tracks in Australia and home to about 1000 canyons and narrow trenches.

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Did you know? Without a slice of beetroot, an Australian Burger is never complete!! I wonder how delicious it would taste! The exotic flavors & savory smell filling the alleys nearby!

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Australians have a unique attachment with inviting their close ones for a barbeque! They love to spend much time sharing their culture. It so happens that Australians refer to sausage as Snags. Often served with soda, these Snags have become a vital part of Barbeque.

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Another food lover's fact is to enjoy your lunch & dinner at 360 Bar and revolving restaurant near the top of Sydney Tower. One full rotation takes about 80 minutes to view the scenic view of the city.

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"The Australians, it seems to me, thrive on their remoteness from the world and see it as a way of keeping up a code of "No worries, mate," while peddling their oddities to visitors: nonconformity is at once a fact of life for many, and a selling point." – Pico Iyer, Falling Off the Map