Sydney Tower – The Tallest Building in Sydney

Sydney Tower is known by many different names, including Centrepoint Tower, AMP Tower, Westfield Tower, but regardless of what it is known as, Sydney Tower has been an iconic part of the famous Sydney skyline for over 30 years, since it was completed in 1981.

Sydney Tower is 309 metres tall, making it not only the tallest building in Sydney but the second tallest observation tower in the southern hemisphere. It once was the tallest building in Australia for over 20 years, until the Q1 in the Gold Coast, Queensland overtook it in 2005, standing at 322 meters tall. However, Sydney Tower has been built to withstand earthquakes and extreme wind conditions, making it one of the safest buildings in the world.

Read on to learn more about the fascinating city of Sydney…

1. Named after a Lord

Sydney was named after Lord Sydney, the British Secretary of State Home Affairs. He was the man in charge of deciding where to send the convicts from England and decided on Botany Bay. However, Lord Sydney later decided Botany Bay was unsuitable and moved further up the coast, where they found a freshwater cove, which was named Sydney Cove.

2. Home to the Oldest Street in Australia

George Street, located in the CBD of Sydney, is not only the oldest street in Sydney but the whole of Australia. Stretching for approximately 3km, George Street was Sydney’s original High Street, and remains one of the busiest streets in the city, connecting many different areas, buildings and shoppers. Beginning in The Rocks, George Street continues through the shopping district, through to Central Station, before turning into Parramatta Road to connect the city with the Western suburbs. 

From the longest street to the shortest, Atherden Street, located in The Rocks, is the shortest street in Sydney, at just 28 metres long.

3. The Oldest Neighbourhood in Sydney

The Rocks, Sydney’s oldest neighbourhood, is located under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, in the heart of the CBD. The Rocks were first established in 1788 when ships brought convicts from England to New South Wales. It is believed that the name is derived from the materials used to build the original buildings and structures – sandstone. Originally a dingy area of Sydney, today The Rocks is a hive of activity with many restaurants, cafes, pubs and a lively nightlife.

4. A World Famous Opera House

A newer addition to Sydney, the Sydney Opera House was officially opened in 1973 and was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon. The original cost estimate to build Sydney Opera House, which proudly sits on Bennelong Point, was $7 million, however, the final cost was $102 million, that’s 14 times the original estimate! Not only was the budget blown out, but building was only expected to take 4 years, not the 14 years it actually took to complete the magnificent structure. Despite the miscalculations, the Sydney Opera House is an iconic Sydney landmark and was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2007.

All of these iconic landmarks, plus 360-degree views of Sydney, can be viewed from the Sydney Tower Eye Observation Deck.