Pacific Center - Migration Services
SYDNEY

SYDNEY OVERVIEW:

Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia's largest cities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby. Sydney Tower's outdoor platform, the Skywalk, offers 360-degree views of the city and suburbs.


The City of Sydney local area covers approximately 26.15 square kilometres, within the Sydney metropolitan region. Over the past decade the City has become the largest and fastest growing local government area in all of NSW.


Sydney is more often called 'The Harbour City'. The Sydney Opera House is one of Australia's most iconic buildings. The impressive sails of the building characterise Sydney City and provide a fascinating place to explore the culture and modern history of the country.

Sitting just across the harbour from the CBD, Manly has all the cosmopolitan buzz of the city centre combined with the laid back vibe of the Northern Beaches. It's one of Sydney's top surf beaches or you can join in a game of beach volleyball on the sand. You're spoilt for choice when it comes to fantastic cafes and cool bars lining the waterfront.


Bondi Beach is world renowned. Even if you haven't been, chances are you've heard of it and, once you see it, you'll realise why it deserves its reputation. The curved expanse of soft, white sand, the crashing waves and sandstone cliffs all combine to create a spectacular seaside suburb. Bondi epitomises Sydney's beach lifestyle and has something for everyone.


Hop on a ferry at Circular Quay for Taronga Zoo, Manly or Watsons Bay. You can also take a ferry to intriguing Sydney Harbour islands and Parramatta for delicious food and colonial heritage. Or jump aboard a Tribal Warrior cruise and explore Aboriginal culture, the world's oldest living culture.


Aboriginal people have a long connection with Sydney, dating back at least 50,000 years before the First Fleet arrived in 1788.

With spectacular views of the harbour, Sydney's much-loved Luna Park is a superbly restored 1930s amusement park where everyone goes - just for fun.


Take on crazy rides like the Tango Train or nostalgic favourites such as the beautifully restored Ferris Wheel. The little ones love the Space Shuttle and Dad will laugh his socks off on the Giant Slides.


There's even more fun and excitement to be had on the hilarious sideshow games. A trip to Luna Park just isn't complete without trying your luck on the Laughing Clowns, Crazy Crooners or Goin' Fishin', there are fabulous prizes to be won. Enjoy carnival favourites such as hot dogs, fairy floss, ice-creams and more.


Visiting the Sydney Opera House is an important part of any trip to Australia. This iconic landmark is not only a great place to experience some of the country's best-loved performances, but it is also a great place to explore the architectural history of the city and the cultural scene that imbues the region surrounding the building.


You can opt to simply marvel at the building from the outside, or you can head on in to watch a show or take a guided tour around some of the 1,000 rooms inside.

SYDNEY COST OF LIVING:

It is strongly recommended that you organize to bring with you enough funds to support you and your dependents during your study in Australia. Cost of Living per year is $20,290 for the main student, $7,100 per year for the student's partner and $3,040 per year for each child.

Initial establishment costs (in Australian Dollars)
Bond - one month rent in advance:


Bond refunded at end of lease period, provided there is
no damage to the property$600 - $720
2 weeks rent in advance$300 - $360

Utility fees:

Electricity, gas & telephone$250 - $500
Household items (furniture, linen, kitchen)$600 - $640
Approximate total cost:$1900 - $2400

Accommodation (sharing) per week (depending on suburb)$150 - $220

Food/Groceries per week$80 - $100

Travel per week (depending on distance travelled)$50 - $65
Phone and internet/other bills per week$25 - $55
Miscellaneous$30
Average Expenditure per week$335 - $470

Other costs (in Australian Dollars)

Ladies clothing per 6 months$30 - $80
Gents clothing per 6 months$30 - $80
Gents haircut per month$15 - $30
Ladies haircut per month$35 - $70
Shoes per 6 months$40 - $100
Doctor's (GP) consultation fee per month$50 - $60

Please note that the costs indicated above are not fixed and may vary based on student's lifestyle and accommodation arrangement.

SYDNEY LIFESTYLE:

Sydney is a very multicultural city, with over 250 languages spoken and over a third of its residents being born overseas. It's also very diverse in terms of landscape, with mountains, hills, beaches, national parks, forests, lakes, rivers and of course, the urban city centre and suburbia. It's a place where you can work in a thriving city centre during the daytime but retreat back to a beach resort in the evening.

While Melbourne has the reputation for coolness and culture, Sydney gives it a pretty good run for its money, and definitely has looks on its side. I would say Melbourne's city centre is more café orientated than Sydney's, with its cute little laneways such as Degraves, but once you get out into the Sydney suburbs you'll find a plethora of stylish, individual coffee shops and restaurants to choose from.

If there is one thing that shines in Sydney, apart from the skyscrapers, Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge at night, it is the abundance of beautiful beaches.

Sydney has much more to offer along its stunning coastline than these three beautiful but busy Sydney beaches. With over 100 beaches to choose from, any beach bum will be utterly spoilt living in Sydney.
It's not just the Pacific Ocean coastline that's sandy either; there are also gorgeous beaches around Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay, Pittwater and along various rivers.

So, whether you prefer calm waves to float in or surf-worthy whoppers, easy access to shops and bars or a backdrop of greenery, endless kilometres of sand or a hard-to-find haven that only the locals know about, Sydney is bound to have a beach for you.

Water sports such as surfing and kitesurfing are common, and it's a very fitness-orientated city in general - hit an Eastern Suburbs beach at sunrise and you'll be surrounded by joggers, swimmers, surfers and people sweating away at bootcamp classes on the sand.

With its subtropical climate and extensive coastline, a day at the beach is a standard summer activity for many people living in Sydney. There are also some stunning national parks nearby, such as Ku-ring-gai Chase, the Blue Mountains and the Royal National Park, so camping and hiking are extremely popular hobbies for Sydneysiders too.

SYDNEY WEATHER:

Sydney has a humid subtropical climate meaning mild cool winters and hot summers. Rain and sunshine is spread out evenly throughout the year.

Summer in Sydney starts in December and lasts until the end of March. In the summer months it is hot and the maximum average temperatures are between 22 and 30 degrees Celsius (71.6-86ᵒ Fahrenheit). In recent years heat waves and drought have become more common. July is the coldest month with an average of 17 degrees Celsius (62.7ᵒ F) in the day and the temperature is almost always above zero at night.

The best time to go to Sydney is in spring. In the months September and October it is quite dry and it is pleasantly warm without getting to hot. Sydney has 105 days of clear days a year making it a sunny destination.

During the month of March, April, May, September, October and November you are most likely to experience good weather with pleasant average temperatures that fall between 20 degrees Celsius (68ᵒF) and 25 degrees Celsius (77ᵒF).

The climate of Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, lying on the southeast coast of Australia, is subtropical oceanic, with mild winters and warm summers.

The wind blows frequently, especially from October to April, that is, in the warm season (being that it's in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons in Sydney are reversed in comparison to Europe or North America).

The sun shines on a regular basis, even though some cloudiness can form quite often, and sometimes, it can lead to showers and thunderstorms, which typically do not last long. However, every so often, the remnants of a tropical cyclone can get this far, bringing heavy rains and strong winds, especially from January to March.

Although the heat is generally not excessive, the wind from the desert can raise the temperature in a spectacular way, though for short periods. In January 2013, the temperature reached 46 ᵒC (115 ᵒF), though for just one day. The wind blowing from the desert is strong and dry, and sometimes, it can cause fires in the hills behind the town, so much so that the air can be filled with smoke.

SYDNEY TRANSPORT:

An efficient network of transport options makes travelling to attractions in Sydney and regional NSW affordable and enjoyable. The Sydney public transport system, provided by Transport for NSW, consists of trains, buses, ferries and light rail.

The Opal card is an easy, convenient way of paying for your travel on public transport in Sydney. It can be used on all public transport, including trains, ferries, buses and light rail. There are daily and weekly caps on the Opal network, meaning you can travel as much as you like within the Opal network and you never pay more than the capped fare. The Sydney Airport station access fee isn't included in the travel caps.

You can also pay with contactless-enabled American Express, Mastercard or Visa credit or debit cards or a linked device, by tapping on and tapping off at Opal readers. Contactless payments are available on all public transport in the Opal network and you will receive the same travel benefits of an Adult Opal card.

All ferries, trains and new buses in NSW are wheelchair accessible, providing easy access for prams and other mobility devices. You can ask for assistance boarding or leaving transport.

Buses form a key part of Sydney's public transport system, connecting all areas of the city, including those without rail or water transport. There are also NightRide services replacing most train routes between midnight and 4am.

Sydney's main terminus for local and regional trains and buses is Central Station at Railway Square, close to Chinatown. Trains operate North to the CBD and across the harbour to North Sydney and beyond, as well as east to Bondi Junction and South past and including Sydney Airport.

Trains depart Central Station for many NSW destinations, including the South Coast, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Central Coast, North Coast, Country NSW and Outback NSW.

The Inner West Light Rail network operates in both directions between Central Station and Dulwich Hill in Sydney's West. The CBD and South East Light Rail is a new light rail network, which includes the L2 Randwick Line connecting Circular Quay to Randwick and the L3 Kingsford Line between Moore Park and Kingsford at Nine Ways.

Ferries provide a fast and convenient way to cross the harbour, as well as offering a fantastic vantage point of the city. From Circular Quay you can take the Manly Fast Ferry or F1 to Manly, the F2 to Taronga Zoo and the F4 to Watsons Bay and Rose Bay.

A bicycle is a great way to get around Sydney. Cyclists use kerbside bike lanes and are permitted on most of Sydney's multi-lane roads.

REQUEST A QUOTE FOR SYDNEY:

OUR EXPERT TEAM AT THE MANLY OFFICE IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST YOU WITH
YOUR PLANS TO COME LIVE ABROAD. BY FILLING THE FORM YOU HELP ONE OF
OUR EDUCATION AND VISA SPECIALIST TO GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER AND
FIND THE BEST OPTION FOR YOU!