The Sydney Harbour has many small islands that are worth exploring. Shark Island is one of these islands that dot the ocean around Sydney Harbour, Australia. It gets its name from its shape and not due to sharks being found in that area. Sydney itself is a modernistic urban place, but the islands around it are relatively untouched, and the natural beauty of these islands is very relaxing.

Shark Island is a part of the Sydney Harbour Park. It is just 100 meters from the popular Cronulla beach. The tiny island comprises of a rocky ledge that is surrounded by shallow waters. The natives call the island Boambilly. Till 1995 it served as an animal quarantine and naval depot. Then it became a picnic spot included in the Sydney Harbour National Park.

It has a scheduled ferry and tour operators take people to the island.

Since Shark Island is connected by ferry, and is just a kilometer away from Rose Bay, it has become a popular picnic destination. Picnic tables are set on the grassy park which is full of shady trees. It is known for its beaches, for fishing and also as a picnic spot where you can spend a peaceful day with your friends and family.

Shark Island is a popular destination for surfers and body boarders. The most popular event at Shark Island is the annual Shark Island surfing contest. On heavy days, the waves are so big, that only the very experienced surfers are advised to surf there. In fact adventure lovers think that the surf here is thrilling and risk the huge waves for the adrenalin rush.

Even if you are not a surfer or body boarder, you can visit the place and take the awesome pictures of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and also the Sydney Opera House. They look magnificent from this island.

Shark Island is available for special events like functions, weddings etc, and can accommodate up to 500 people. You can book your event in advance.

Facilities available on the Island

• Five picnic shelters consisting of one table, one attached bench each. Additionally there are four open picnic tables also having benches attached to them
• There is just one gazebo which can easily accommodate 25 to 30 people. The sad part is that this can not be booked. The first large group that visits the island can avail of it, so you need to be early to get this.
• They offer you facilities like drinking water and toilets.
  There are many shady spots and a small beach area for swimming.
  Since there is no shopping area, you should carry your own picnic basket and drinks along with you.

Shark Island is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm and during daylight saving from 8 am to 8 pm. To visit the island you have to book your trip in advance.

The ferry to Shark Island starts from Circular Quay and there are four trips a day. Of course you could hire a water taxi but it is expensive. The adventurous and more agile people could hire a canoe and paddle their way across to the Island from Rose Bay.

A visit to the Sydney tower gives you the opportunity to get to the highest point of Sydney – and so high is the place that in cloudy days the view from there gets obscured by the clouds, meaning that by climbing the Sydney tower, you get well into the clouds without having taken an airplane!

The height of the tower aside, though, fact is that it gives you a vantage point from where you can see much of Sydney and her surroundings. And it is also at the Sydney tower that you get the opportunity to do a skywalk- and perhaps get to fancy yourself as an astronaut out to fix some gadget on a shuttle somewhere in the outer space. In these respects, the Sydney tower space walk can be a truly exhilarating experience – and if you get to do it on your Sydney tour, it is an experience you will always live to remember.

Sydney tower has much more to offer besides sightseeing and sky-walking though.

The pass with which you gain entry to the Sydney tower is located also gives you access to the ‘Wildlife World’ – widely considered the Sydney’s newest attraction, for both residents and visitors to the city.

The wildlife world – to which you get automatic entry by paying for a visit to the Sydney tower is the place to watch the widest exhibit of Sydney’s unique and fascinating animals and plants. At the Wildlife world for instance, you will get to see a Koala – a very fascinating animal, uniquely associated with Australia. Here you also get to watch some of the unique reptiles for which Australia is famed for. Yet another unique species of animals to be found at the wildlife world is the yellow footed rock wallabies – and more.

And if you adventurous or daring enough – you can also throw yourself from the high wallaby cliffs – all in your visit to the wildlife world.

The beauty of the animals on display at the wildlife world is that the conditions in which the various animals are kept have been adjusted as much as possible to bring them as close as reasonably possible to the animal’s natural habitats.

And apart from giving you access to the highest point from which you can possibly view Sydney as well as entry into city’s newest attraction the wildlife world, the ticket with which you enter the Sydney tower also gives you access to what is referred to a virtual tour of Australia and through which you get the opportunity to catch up with the parts of Australia you might not have the opportunity to make it to on your tour. This virtual too is created to simulate a real tour as much as possible – complete with three dimensional displays and even real motion seating, which promises, at least the first time you experience it, to be like nothing you have ever experienced before.

With the experience that is a climb to the top of the Sydney tour – and the extras it comes with (including the entry to the wildlife world and the virtual tour of Australia), a visit to the Sydney tower is clearly an experience worth having and definitely offers you good value for your money.