Destination: Sydney, Australia

Sydney's secret sights

There are little-known delights in the heart of the city

By JEFF MILLER -- Special to Sun Media

Sydney's famous sailing-ship Opera House and beautiful harbour get the top tourist billing. But visitors can also enjoy nature trails and Aboriginal landmarks. --- Jeff Miller, photos

 SYDNEY, Australia -- Seeing a familiar place in a different way can be one of the real joys of traveling.

 On a recent trip Down Under, we bushwalked little-known wilderness trails near downtown Sydney, joined a bike trip in a city not known for cycling and took an Aboriginal tour in a centuries-old urban centre.

 Each experience gave a new perspective of a place better known for its Opera House, harbour and historic shopping district.

 Bushwalking Sydney: The breeze wafted through the eucalyptus and pine trees as brightly coloured lorikeets and cockatoos flitted above. Ah, nature. Peace and quiet far from the madding crowd. But as we walked around a bend in the trail, Sydney's dramatic skyline was suddenly apparent.

 The waterfront is accented by headlands, inlets and bays which are part of Sydney Harbour National Park, a conglomeration of numerous parcels of land.

 Scattered throughout these parcels are hiking trails -- everything from urban promenades to wilderness paths, easy walks to moderately rugged hikes. Many provide spectacular views of the Opera House, skyscrapers and Sydney Harbour Bridge (the "Coathanger" to locals).

The Luna Amusement Park is just one stop on the city biking tour.

  To determine which trail to hike, start at Cadman's Cottage in the Rocks. The visitor centre has friendly staff who can supply maps and match the right trail to the right hiker. (Some trails can be tricky to enter or exit, so get exact instructions before heading off.)

 A representative track -- offering large doses of nature and downtown views -- is Bradley's Head Trail from Taronga Zoo Wharf to Clifton Gardens (5.8 km/3 hours). Across from the Zoo entrance, the trail navigates a narrow dirt track that meanders along the craggy coast.

 Trail highlights include cannons, fortifications, and sandstone stairs built by convicts in the 1800s, all at Bradley's Head; and Aboriginal carvings of kangaroos on a rock face at Taylor's Bay.

 Other excellent hikes: Manly Scenic Walkway (10 km/4.5 hours), which is half rugged nature path and half urban promenade; and the Hermitage Foreshore Walk (1.6 km/1.5 hours), which includes beaches and coves where the Cadigal Aborigines fished and lived for generations.

 Bicycling Sydney: "People think you can't cycle in Sydney because of the old narrow streets and lack of designated bike trails," says David Allport, owner of Boomerang Bicycle Tours.

 "It's true the city's not exactly bicycle friendly, but as long as you're careful about it, Sydney can be a fun and exciting place to ride."

 After a briefing about the bikes, safety rules and streets, we were off. Righ taway we coasted down a hill that swung under the Coathanger. At the bottom of the hill, and directly under the massive bridge, we explored Miller's Point, adjacent to the Rocks.

 Crossing the bridge was easy via a designated bike path. On the other side, we explored the north shore. Rattling over the wooden-planked promenades of the city's famous Luna Amusement Park, the vantage points were fantastic.

 Returning to the downtown side of the harbour, we rode to Circular Quay where we boarded a ferry for the seaside suburb of Manly. In a few minutes we were cruising along the esplanade with a wide expanse of beach and Norfolk pines on one side, and a line of restaurants and shops on the other. After a light lunch at a seaside cafe, we took the ferry back to downtown and our hotel.

 In the span of only four hours, we had stretched our tourist muscles, travelled long distances, been to new places and, better still, seen the city in a new way -- from the seats of mountain bikes.

 Aboriginal Tour: Before the Europeans came, before one stone was carved for the city, the Coastal Saltwater Aborigines called the region home. Today, in the glare and glitter of a modern international city, the culture and status of this ancient people is still noteworthy.

 Dallas Dodd and Margret Campbell are the husband and wife team who run Sydney Aboriginal Discoveries.

 As a member of the Coastal Saltwater people, Margret grew up with strong family ties and traditions, many passed on orally in "song lines" dating back hundreds of generations. She not only learned about Dreamtime -- the time before humans, when the world was run by spirits -- but practical things like where to find food and fresh water.

 Throughout the half-day tour which included a drive through downtown, stops at two parks, an Aboriginal rock art site and a morning tea break featuring Aboriginal food, the guides continued to help stretch our thinking. When we heard the lyrical call of the magpie at one stop, Dallas asked, "Where do you think the magpie got such a pretty call?"

 "To us," Margret said, "it came from the Dreamtime. As a Dreamtime spirit, the magpie was full of himself. He was all black and loved his colour so much he drove the other spirits crazy. One night, when he was asleep, the others painted white strips on him. After that, he was so humbled and acted so good that he was given a beautiful call to compensate for the strips."

 Such beliefs gave us a new view of Sydney. Before the tour, we saw a cosmopolitan city of concrete, chrome and glass. Afterwards, we began seeing the beautiful land that had nurtured one of the world's oldest cultures.

BOTTOM LINE: Boomerang Bicycle Tours has day tours Monday to Friday, subject to the number of cyclists. Bike, helmet, ferry and lunch in Manly for $90 (Australian) a day. The company has country bike tours as well.

 Aboriginal Tour: The half-day land tour lasts about 2 1/2 hours and costs $45 (Aus.) per adult. Other tours include a full-day tour with Aboriginal food ($95 Aus. per adult), and harbour cruises (1 1/2 hour, $45 Aus. per adult).

 MORE INFO: For an Australian vacation planning kit, call 1-800-369-6863;

 FOR THE AUSTRALIAN HELP line (a toll call), (805) 775-2000. Internet access at Australia.com; Sydney Harbour National Park at npws.nsw.gov.au; Boomerang Bicycle Tours at ozemail.com.au/- ozbike; Sydney Aboriginal Discoveries at easy.com.au/stone/abtours.

(First featured: February 1999)