One of the most famous features of Sydney is our beautiful harbour, and so what could be better than a ferry trip where you can see some of Sydney’s most famous landmarks from the water. The Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and Fort Denison are just some of the attractions that you will be able to see in the short 20-minute trip to the zoo. A cable car ride takes us to the top of the hill and then it is an easy stroll down the hill, enjoying the animals all the way.

Taronga Park Zoo, opened in 1916, is home to almost 4,000 animals, with special emphasis on the unique Australian wildlife. Iron bars and cages have been dispensed with, as many of the large enclosures use moats to separate the wandering public from the curious animal onlookers contained in environments closely resembling their natural habitat. The zoo is involved in the breeding of endangered animals, and readily donates or exchanges animals to capitalize on the worldwide "gene pool".

Wander by the koala house, see kangaroos and wombats, stroll through a unique platypus display. Orang-utan, white tigers, bears, giraffes and the Asian elephants are all there for you to see. Have a photo taken holding a koala bear, they are so soft and cuddly. There are plenty of places to stop and have a snack or lunch, as well as some shows, where the occupants of the zoo are the stars. Don’t forget to take in the views of Sydney from the zoo. There are also shops to buy those souvenirs to take home as a reminder of your visit. Strollers and wheelchairs are also available for hire.

At the end of the day we will travel back to Circular Quay by ferry, and on to Coogee by bus. Don’t forget good walking shoes and your camera.

Estimated cost (adults) $50.00 including bus and ferry transport and zoo admission.

Nestled at the foot of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, on the western shores of the Harbour, is the foundation stone of Sydney and a place of enormous historical significance. The Rocks is a combination of cafes and restaurants and tourist shops and stalls. These have been achieved without destroying the area’s Old World charm and historic buildings. Join our guided walking tour where we will encounter a maze of narrow streets, laneways, sandstone cottages, a beautiful old stone church, galleries, an archway sliced through a solid sandstone ridge and an observatory.

This tour takes approximately 1½ hours. After a short refreshment break we will stroll past Circular Quay, where you will see our ferries, water taxis and jet cats. At the end of the wharves we will find "Writers’ Walk", which leads us to the world famous Sydney Opera House. The "Walk" is a series of plaques set in the pavement at regular intervals featuring famous Australian writers, both past and present. Each plaque is dedicated to a particular writer, with quotations and a brief bibliography. Australian writers included are Miles Franklin, Peter Carey, Barry Humphries and Clive James. Visiting authors are not forgotten, with Charles Darwin, Joseph Conrad and Mark Twain among those also featured.

The Sydney Opera House, opened in 1973, is a spectacular site and a perfect photo stop. We will join a guided tour of the Opera House and see the complex of theatres and halls linked beneath the famous shells. We will hear a little of the history of this piece of architectural adventure, which took some 17 years to build.

At the end of our tour you may like to spend some time having coffee at one of the many coffee lounges nearby overlooking our wonderful harbour, or wander through the botanical gardens just a short stroll away.

The cost for our day at The Rocks and Opera House is estimated at $50 per head, with concessions available for children and pensioners. Once again don’t forget good walking shoes and your camera.

Additional information on The Rocks and the Opera House is available from the following web sites:

Other web sites of interest:

Please feel free to email me or talk to me about any other sights or places of interest you might like to visit. I will happily give you more information either prior to your arrival in Sydney or at registration. I will have some brochures of other attractions in Sydney and surrounds for those who are staying on after the conference.

TSOP 2004 Partners’ Program e-mail contact: