Sydney Tower Eye

It may not have quite the reputation of the Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, but Sydney Tower is one landmark that you quite literally cannot miss. At 309m tall, it is Australia’s tallest building, and while it is beaten to the title of tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere by Auckland’s Sky Tower, it is worth noting that the actual observation deck of the Sydney Tower sits fully 50m higher than that of its New Zealander counterpart. Designed by Donald Crone, construction on the tower began in 1975 and was completed six years later at a total cost of A$36 million. Since then, as well as being a major tourist attraction, the tower has been used as part of various celebrations, including as a launching platform for fireworks every New Years’ Eve. One of the more bizarre annual events hosted here is the Sydney Tower Run-Up, in which participants race up the 1,504 steps from Pitt Street Mall to the observation deck as quickly as they can.

Walking in the Air

The Sydney Tower Eye itself is the name given to the observation deck. Standing 250m above the Central Business District below, the views on a clear day are spectacular, ranging from the nearby beaches to the misty Blue Mountains some 50km distant. For the even more adventurous, you can step out onto the Skywalk for an extra fee. This mildly terrifying experience involves heading up another 18m to an entirely transparent outdoor viewing platform, where you can, after attaching yourself to a safety cord, walk around at your leisure, look down at the city directly below your feet, and even lean over the platform rail.