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Sydney Harbour Ferry
By Steve Willard

Look inside any guide or tourist publication in Sydney, Australia and you will be bombarded with advertisements for harbour cruises ranging in price from $25 up for a short cruise to expensive all day affairs costing a fortune.

Forget all of these. How does a 45 minute scenic cruise from Circular Quay to Manly Beach sound, for less than $8? Or an even cheaper trip to Taronga zoo ? There are plenty of options to choose from amongst the public ferry services departing from Circular Quay. Most services run half hourly, more often at peak times.

There are several ferry boat types in use so if you are hoping for a panoramic view during your cruise select one of the older, green and yellow ferry boats for your trip. They are slower than the glistening white jet cats that ply the same route but there are more outside seats available.

The ferry reverses out from Circular Quay then surges out into the harbour, Sydney's famous harbour bridge to your left, and the iconic opera house to your right. Your route takes you around the opera house and you will see the brilliance of its design as your perspective of this white-tiled creation changes as your ferry moves forward.

You also pass the convict era Fort Denison, a tiny island of iron and stone in the azure blue waters of the harbour. The ferry passes Woolloomooloo and many other Sydney harbourside suburbs.

Sydneysiders love their harbour and strive to live somewhere that has "harbour views" - hence the thousands of houses and apartments dotting the coast all around you.

On a clear day you will see hundreds of sailing boats and power boats out and about on the harbour, not to mention dozens of public and private ferry boats plying their trade.

Passing the imposing harbour "heads" - the huge twin cliffs that frame the ocean entrance to the harbour - the ferry turns left and heads towards Manly Wharf. The water gets rougher here as you feel the power of the pacific ocean pounding between the heads and rocking the ferry.

Then you catch sight of Manly, a thin strip of land bounded by harbour and the ocean, a long time favourite beach resort for Sydney residents. As the ferry approaches the wharf you can see Manly Oceanworld to your left with its collection of sharks and other sea creatures. Directly ahead of you and behind Manly Wharf are the Norfolk Pine lined streets of Manly with its shops and restaurants. Just a few hundred metres north of the wharf is beautiful Manly Beach.

Once you have had enough of the delights of the seaside, hop on a return ferry for the trip back to Circular Quay. It's a great day out for travelers on a budget and you will envy those locals who commute on the ferries each day and enjoy such views all year round!

If you need a hotel room or resort for your stay, check out our great rates on Sydney Hotels.

More articles on Australia : For a complete list of Australian Travel Guides on this site click here.
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