100 Years of Tourism New South Wales

Key Themes

• Tourism Change
• Transport
• Accommodation
• Events
• Attractions

Attractions

Sydney Harbour, beaches, the Blue Mountains and the Snowy Mountains were the State's major natural attractions at the beginning of the 20th century. Bondi and Manly were always popular and crowds of around 55,000 were known to flock to Bondi on hot summer's days in the 1930s.

Pyrmont Bridge, which opened in 1902 as the world's first electronically operated swing bridge, attracted interest from Sydneysiders and international visitors.

The Harbour Bridge became the city's icon when it opened in 1932, followed by Luna Park three years later. Beachfront promenades, ocean piers and swimming baths attracted hordes of visitors, while the Blue Mountains was a popular destination for honeymooners.

The Opera House took on iconic status when it opened at Bennelong Point in 1973.

The famous bridge was again in the limelight when BridgeClimb opened in 1998 and 1.5 million people climbed its arch for a stunning view of Sydney in its first seven years of operation.