Spectacular by day and by night, Darling Harbour is Sydney’s thriving entertainment and leisure district, jammed packed with entertainment complexes, museums, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Originally opened to celebrate the 1988 Australian Bicentenary, Darling Harbour was built on the site of and old railways goods yard and shipping wharves.
Today, Darling Harbour is home to the Sydney Exhibition Centre which houses huge exhibitions like the Australian International Motor Show, The Sydney Convention Centre, Imax Theatre, Sydney Entertainment Centre, Powerhouse Museum, The Sydney Aquarium and National Maritime Museum and Start City Casino. Dozens of pubs, bars, restaurants and shops dot the area, along with expansive park lands and some of the cities largest hotels.
A light rail system links Darling Harbour with Paddy’s Market, China Town and Central Station. Ferries also service this entertainment precinct that are a fantastic way to take a ferry under the Harbour Bridge to Circular Quay.
Many of the tourist cruises leave from Darling Harbour or the opposite Cockle Bay Wharf.
Darling Harbour was one of Sydney’s major venues for the 2000 Olympic Games, and is home to many of the city’s major events thorough the year.
One highlight not to be missed is the historic Piermont Street Bridge, which is the oldest electric powered bridge in the world. The bridge swings to allow large boats into the Darling Harbour- It is quite an amazing sight to see this engineering feat in full swing. The bridge revolves on weekends.
