Sydney The Place
In just over two centuries, Sydney has grown from a prison colony into an international metropolis. What can it do for an encore?
Sydney entered the 21st century with a population of 4 million, responsibility for the first major international event of the new millennium, and the knowledge that it is at the centre of the Asia-Pacific region, the focus of so many optimistic economic predictions.
After the 2000 Olympic Games drew the world's attention to the city, the hot topic of conversation has been Sydney's standing as an international city. Does it rank with Paris, Tokyo, New York and London in the eyes of the world? Some say yes; -others say no. Perhaps the question should be not whether Sydney matches up to other cities, but whether, with all its energy, light, sensuality, modernity and beauty, it might come to define what a city really is - a proto-type of the best that an urban environment can offer its residents.
Sydney's greatness lies in its schizophrenic ability to contain the best of big-city living within a superb natural environment. On the one hand, Sydney has all the features of a major metropolis - a flourishing arts and leisure scene, cultural diversity, exceptional tourist facilities, wonderful cuisine, the capacity for huge events and some noteworthy buildings.
On the other hand, it has a natural beauty so complete that it seems almost unfair. The rest of Australia sometimes seems to think so - say something complimentary about Sydney elsewhere and you might get back "Yes, it does have the harbour, and all those beaches...", almost as if there is something indecent about such a surfeit of scenery.
See also our online guide to Australia.