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121-583: WestConnex in Sydney , Australia is the largest and longest road tunnel in Australia, with a length of 22 km. A joint project of the New South Wales and Australian Federal governments, the motorway scheme created around 33 kilometres (21 mi) motorway with 6-10 lanes between Homebush and Kingsgrove , passing underneath Inner West suburbs including Haberfield and St Peters . The first of
242-718: A southerly buster , a powerful southerly that brings gale winds and a rapid fall in temperature. Since Sydney is downwind of the Great Dividing Range , it occasionally experiences dry, westerly foehn winds typically in winter and early spring (which are the reason for its warm maximum temperatures). Westerly winds are intense when the Roaring Forties (or the Southern Annular Mode ) shift towards southeastern Australia, where they may damage homes and affect flights , in addition to making
363-471: A Major Development Plan (MDP) was also required before major development at a leased airport could occur. Planning approvals from both the federal and state planning ministers were also required. A combined EIS and MDP was released for exhibition on 20 November 2019. The project was approved by the state planning minister on 27 August 2020. The project was approved by the federal planning minister on 23 September 2020. Expressions of interest to construct
484-518: A direct connection to the CBD. This proved a stumbling block in securing federal funding for the project, despite the risk of a motorway direct to the city competing with existing public transport services. With a change of government in 2013 , the federal government's opposition was reversed. By November 2013, the WestConnex was divided into three stages: The scheme underwent a number of changes from
605-541: A direct route for traffic between Port Botany , Sydney Airport and South Sydney. One option considered for this scheme was a truck-only tunnel for freight access between the port and airport to north-western Sydney. The tunnel would run under Sydenham Road and connect Parramatta Road in Lewisham to the Princes Highway at St Peters. The scheme did not progress and was never placed on public display. The concept of
726-519: A feature of Sydney's topography. After Phillip's departure in December 1792, the colony's military officers began acquiring land and importing consumer goods from visiting ships. Former convicts engaged in trade and opened small businesses. Soldiers and former convicts built houses on Crown land, with or without official permission, in what was now commonly called Sydney town. Governor William Bligh (1806–08) imposed restrictions on commerce and ordered
847-696: A few areas of wet sclerophyll forests in the wetter, elevated areas in the north and northeast . These forests are defined by straight, tall tree canopies with a moist understory of soft-leaved shrubs, tree ferns and herbs. The predominant vegetation community in Sydney is the Cumberland Plain Woodland in Western Sydney ( Cumberland Plain ), followed by the Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest in
968-511: A fresh water supply and a safe harbour, which Philip described as "the finest Harbour in the World ... Here a Thousand Sail of the Line may ride in the most perfect Security". The settlement was planned to be a self-sufficient penal colony based on subsistence agriculture. Trade and shipbuilding were banned in order to keep the convicts isolated. However, the soil around the settlement proved poor and
1089-696: A heavily congested area. A 2017 proposal by Lendlease was not accepted. The railway line duplication was separately managed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation . Stages 1 and 3 then formed the remainder of the project managed by the state government. The proposed alignment passes over Sydney Airport land, which is leased from the Federal Government . As such, the project required both state and federal planning processes. In addition to an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as required by state planning process,
1210-751: A pair of arch bridges over the Alexandra Canal and an eastbound flyover connecting Qantas Drive to the domestic terminal . It connects the Sydney Motorway network with the Sydney Airport and Port Botany precincts via the St Peters Interchange . The project provides significantly improved road links between the Airport, CBD and Port Botany, whilst reducing congestion. Construction began in early 2021 and sections of
1331-607: A pattern of resistance that was to be repeated as the colonial frontier expanded . A military garrison was established on the Hawkesbury in 1795. The death toll from 1794 to 1800 was 26 settlers and up to 200 Darug. Conflict again erupted from 1814 to 1816 with the expansion of the colony into Dharawal country in the Nepean region south-west of Sydney. Following the deaths of several settlers, Governor Macquarie dispatched three military detachments into Dharawal lands, culminating in
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#17327875490991452-486: A planner to design the street layout of Sydney and commissioned the construction of roads, wharves, churches, and public buildings. Parramatta Road , linking Sydney and Parramatta, was opened in 1811, and a road across the Blue Mountains was completed in 1815, opening the way for large-scale farming and grazing west of the Great Dividing Range . Following the departure of Macquarie, official policy encouraged
1573-624: A powerful 'Green Bans' movement ) and a deteriorating financial situation, halted work on inner-city projects, scaled back the under-construction Eastern Suburbs railway line and eliminated a number of the Cumberland Plan's inner-city road reservations. Though Wran's decision to sell off the M4 East corridor was later criticised, the Cumberland Plan's radial concept was anyway beginning to lose relevance. The city's passenger and freight gateway had shifted 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south of
1694-423: A rich ceremonial life, part of a belief system centring on ancestral, totemic and supernatural beings. People from different clans and language groups came together to participate in initiation and other ceremonies. These occasions fostered trade, marriages and clan alliances. The earliest British settlers recorded the word ' Eora ' as an Aboriginal term meaning either 'people' or 'from this place'. The clans of
1815-561: A severe dust storm towards the city . The Greater Sydney Commission divides Sydney into three "cities" and five "districts" based on the 33 LGAs in the metropolitan area. The "metropolis of three cities" comprises Eastern Harbour City , Central River City and Western Parkland City . The Australian Bureau of Statistics also includes City of Central Coast (the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire) as part of Greater Sydney for population counts, adding 330,000 people. The CBD extends about 3 km (1.9 mi) south from Sydney Cove . It
1936-421: A worth of $ 1.65 billion. The 2015 business case estimated that building WestConnex will enable an extra 45,000 road trips per weekday by 2031. By 2031, Infrastructure Australia estimates that the population of Sydney will have grown by an extra 1.2 million people. For the purpose of calculating benefits and costs of the scheme, tolling was considered to be "a transfer payment from the user to operator",
2057-739: A year have temperatures at or above 30 °C (86 °F) in the central business district (CBD). In contrast, the metropolitan area averages between 35 and 65 days, depending on the suburb. The hottest day in the metropolitan area occurred in Penrith on 4 January 2020, where a high of 48.9 °C (120.0 °F) was recorded. The average annual temperature of the sea ranges from 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) in September to 23.7 °C (74.7 °F) in February. Sydney has an average of 7.2 hours of sunshine per day and 109.5 clear days annually. Due to
2178-545: Is a historical Victorian-style shopping arcade . Opened on 1 April 1892, its shop fronts are an exact replica of the original internal shopping facades. Westfield Sydney , located beneath the Sydney Tower , is the largest shopping centre by area in Sydney. Sydney Gateway The Sydney Gateway is a major road interchange between the WestConnex and the airport terminals of Sydney Airport , and includes
2299-491: Is bordered by Farm Cove within the Royal Botanic Garden to the east and Darling Harbour to the west. Suburbs surrounding the CBD include Woolloomooloo and Potts Point to the east, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst to the south, Pyrmont and Ultimo to the west, and Millers Point and The Rocks to the north. Most of these suburbs measure less than 1 km (0.4 sq mi) in area. The Sydney CBD
2420-451: Is characterised by narrow streets and thoroughfares, created in its convict beginnings. Several localities, distinct from suburbs, exist throughout Sydney's inner reaches. Central and Circular Quay are transport hubs with ferry, rail, and bus interchanges. Chinatown , Darling Harbour, and Kings Cross are important locations for culture, tourism, and recreation. The Strand Arcade , located between Pitt Street Mall and George Street ,
2541-656: Is now a separate Transport for NSW project and is no longer part of the WestConnex scope. The Sydney Gateway, which connects to the St Peters interchange, will be completed in 2024 instead. The first comprehensive plan for Sydney motorways, the Cumberland County Plan , was released by the then county council in 1948 and adopted in 1951 by the NSW Government. The Plan envisaged a radial motorway network centred on Sydney's CBD. Though construction of
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#17327875490992662-523: The Appin massacre (April 1816) in which at least 14 Aboriginal people were killed. The New South Wales Legislative Council became a semi-elected body in 1842. Sydney was declared a city the same year, and a governing council established, elected on a restrictive property franchise. The discovery of gold in New South Wales and Victoria in 1851 initially caused economic disruption as men moved to
2783-461: The Australian raven , Australian magpie , crested pigeon , noisy miner and the pied currawong . Introduced bird species ubiquitously found in Sydney are the common myna , common starling , house sparrow and the spotted dove . Reptile species are also numerous and predominantly include skinks . Sydney has a few mammal and spider species, such as the grey-headed flying fox and
2904-552: The City of Sydney called on the government to abandon the third and final stage of the project. Works on the WestConnex are split up into three stages: The Sydney Gateway project, now separate to the WestConnex project, was initially planned to be constructed and completed at the same time as the M4–M8 extensions. The Sydney Gateway's targeted opening date has since been pushed back one year to late 2024. Stage 1 works included widening of
3025-465: The Cooks River into Botany Bay. There is no single definition of the boundaries of Sydney. The Australian Statistical Geography Standard definition of Greater Sydney covers 12,369 km (4,776 sq mi) and includes the local government areas of Central Coast in the north, Hawkesbury in the north-west, Blue Mountains in the west, Sutherland Shire in the south, and Wollondilly in
3146-698: The Emerald City and the Harbour City . Aboriginal Australians have inhabited the Greater Sydney region for at least 30,000 years, and their engravings and cultural sites are common. The traditional custodians of the land on which modern Sydney stands are the clans of the Darug , Dharawal and Eora peoples. During his first Pacific voyage in 1770, James Cook charted the eastern coast of Australia, making landfall at Botany Bay . In 1788,
3267-637: The F6 extension (now called the M6) and the M2-F3 link (later called NorthConnex). iNSW released its strategy, entitled First Things First: the state infrastructure strategy 2012–2032 , the following year. The plan identified a 33-kilometre (21 mi) motorway, which it named "WestConnex", as the state's top road priority. The creation of WestConnex was one of the major points of agreement between two competing strategic transport reports, commissioned simultaneously in 2011 by
3388-609: The First Fleet of convicts , led by Arthur Phillip , founded Sydney as a British penal colony , the first European settlement in Australia. After World War II, Sydney experienced mass migration and by 2021 over 40 per cent of the population was born overseas. Foreign countries of birth with the greatest representation are mainland China, India, the United Kingdom, Vietnam and the Philippines. Despite being one of
3509-496: The Garden Island Tunnel System , the only tunnel warfare complex in Sydney, and the heritage-listed military fortification systems Bradleys Head Fortification Complex and Middle Head Fortifications , which were part of a total defence system for Sydney Harbour . A post-war immigration and baby boom saw a rapid increase in Sydney's population and the spread of low-density housing in suburbs throughout
3630-665: The Harbour Bridge " and costing "in current dollars, double the Snowy Mountains Scheme ", the project has been criticised on economic, social and process grounds and has been the subject of public protest. It has faced opposition from residents, pro-public transport groups, anti-toll groups, and councillors from impacted suburbs, including the Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore , and the Greens . In June 2017,
3751-589: The Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west. Greater Sydney consists of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are colloquially known as "Sydneysiders". The estimated population in June 2023 was 5,450,496, which is about 66% of the state's population. The city's nicknames include
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3872-784: The M2 Hills Motorway at Lane Cove. From there, another tunnel would follow the alignment of Pacific Highway and join the F3 Sydney–Newcastle Freeway . In 2009, the government released the M5 Transport Corridor Feasibility Study, which investigated strategic options for improving the M5 Motorway corridor. The study identified a preliminary preferred option, being the M5 East Duplication, consisted of duplicating
3993-659: The Middle East and Africa becoming major sources. By 2021, the population of Sydney was over 5.2 million, with 40% of the population born overseas. China and India overtook England as the largest source countries for overseas-born residents. Sydney is a coastal basin with the Tasman Sea to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north, and the Woronora Plateau to
4114-624: The St Peters Interchange , the junction of the M8 Motorway and M4–M8 Link , all of which were built as part of WestConnex . Viaducts have been constructed over Canal Road, the Port Botany railway line and Tempe Lands. Further southwest, the Sydney Gateway splits into two, leading to Airport Drive and Qantas Drive towards the west and east respectively. A section of Airport Drive had been closed permanently and traffic between
4235-610: The Sydney funnel-web , respectively, and has a huge diversity of marine species inhabiting its harbour and beaches. Under the Köppen–Geiger classification , Sydney has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) with "warm, sometimes hot" summers and "generally mild", to "cool" winters. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation , the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Southern Annular Mode play an important role in determining Sydney's weather patterns: drought and bushfire on
4356-645: The University of New South Wales are ranked 18th and 19th in the world respectively. Sydney has hosted major international sporting events such as the 2000 Summer Olympics , the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final , and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Final . The city is among the top fifteen most-visited, with millions of tourists coming each year to see the city's landmarks. The city has over 1,000,000 ha (2,500,000 acres) of nature reserves and parks , and its notable natural features include Sydney Harbour and Royal National Park . The Sydney Harbour Bridge and
4477-624: The University of Sydney (1854–61), the Australian Museum (1858–66), the Town Hall (1868–88), and the General Post Office (1866–92). Elaborate coffee palaces and hotels were erected. Daylight bathing at Sydney's beaches was banned, but segregated bathing at designated ocean baths was popular. Drought, the winding down of public works and a financial crisis led to economic depression in Sydney throughout most of
4598-556: The international and domestic terminals is accessed via Sydney Gateway. A pair of arch bridges has been constructed over the Alexandra Canal for the realigned traffic, and has been referred to as Twin Arch Bridge by the state government. A single traffic light is also located along the Sydney Gateway for access to and from Link Road, just east of the Twin Arch Bridge. This is the only controlled intersection along
4719-593: The "Aborigines of Australia" declared 26 January "A Day of Mourning " for "the whiteman's seizure of our country." With the outbreak of Second World War in 1939, Sydney experienced a surge in industrial development. Unemployment virtually disappeared and women moved into jobs previously typically reserved for males. Sydney was attacked by Japanese submarines in May and June 1942 with 21 killed. Households built air raid shelters and performed drills. Military establishments in response to World War II in Australia included
4840-627: The 1890s. Meanwhile, the Sydney-based premier of New South Wales, George Reid , became a key figure in the process of federation. When the six colonies federated on 1 January 1901, Sydney became the capital of the State of New South Wales. The spread of bubonic plague in 1900 prompted the state government to modernise the wharves and demolish inner-city slums. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 saw more Sydney males volunteer for
4961-486: The CBD, with long-distance passengers increasingly arriving via Sydney Airport , not Circular Quay or Central station ; and Port Botany increasingly supplanting Sydney Harbour as the city's main shipping hub. At the same time, employment was decentralising. Retailers were clustering in new suburban shopping malls; factories were moving to less constrained greenfield sites in the outer suburbs; and many companies were moving to suburban campus-style office parks. In 1987,
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5082-569: The CBD. In the warm season black nor'easters are usually the cause of heavy rain events, though other forms of low-pressure areas , including remnants of ex-cyclones , may also bring heavy deluge and afternoon thunderstorms. 'Snow' was last alleged in 1836, more than likely a fall of graupel , or soft hail; and in July 2008 the Upper North Shore saw a fall of graupel that was mistaken by many for 'snow'. In 2009, dry conditions brought
5203-481: The Cumberland Plain. Immigrants—mostly from Britain and continental Europe—and their children accounted for over three-quarters of Sydney's population growth between 1947 and 1971. The newly created Cumberland County Council oversaw low-density residential developments, the largest at Green Valley and Mount Druitt . Older residential centres such as Parramatta, Bankstown and Liverpool became suburbs of
5324-932: The Inner West and Northern Sydney , the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub in the coastline and the Blue Gum High Forest scantily present in the North Shore – all of which are critically endangered. The city also includes the Sydney Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland found in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park on the Hornsby Plateau to the north. Sydney is home to dozens of bird species, which commonly include
5445-709: The M4 East and the M8; the Rozelle Interchange , an underground interchange at the site of Rozelle rail yards with direct connections to the Anzac Bridge ; and Iron Cove Link, a one kilometre (0.62 mi) tunnel from the Rozelle Interchange to Iron Cove Bridge bypassing the congested Victoria Road corridor. In September 2022, it was announced that the M4–M5 Link would be renamed to extensions of
5566-442: The M4 and M8 when operational. Stage 3 was officially approved in April 2018, began construction in 2019. In February 2021, roadheaders carved from the M4-M5 Link tunnels into the M8 tunnel, connecting the two stages of the WestConnex project for the first time. The main tunnels extending the M4 and M8 opened on 20 January 2023, while the rest of Stage 3 opened on 26 November 2023. Construction of Rozelle Interchange and Iron Cove Link
5687-429: The M5 East and construction of a new connection from the M5 East at Arncliffe to Euston Road, Qantas Drive and Gardeners Road. The strategic concept for the M5 East Duplication was placed on public exhibition between November 2009 and March 2010 for community and stakeholder feedback. Feedback received was used to further develop and refine the scheme to become the King Georges Road Interchange Upgrade and New M5 projects of
5808-416: The M8 and the St Peters Interchange opened two weeks later on 5 July 2020. The M5 East Motorway also became tolled when the M8 opened, after being toll-free for 19 years since its opening in 2001. Prior to the toll, WestConnex had already taken over the operations and maintenance of the M5 East tunnels on 1 May 2020. Stage 3 works include building a new motorway tunnel (formerly known as M4-M5 Link) linking
5929-447: The NSW Government, from iNSW and Transport for NSW . O'Farrell accepted the recommendation, committing $ 1.8 billion to begin work. The initial scheme called for: The tunnel from the M4 to St Peters component would provide the first step towards an inner-city bypass , which was originally planned to connect the airport to the Victoria Road corridor. Transport for NSW , which released its long-term integrated transport plan around
6050-474: The Sydney Gateway commenced in July 2019. In October 2019, three bidders were shortlisted: In November 2020, the John Holland Seymour Whyte joint venture was awarded the design and construction contract. Construction began in early 2021. In August 2021, the project's Construction Environment Management Plan was approved by the state Department of Planning, Industry & Environment , allowing construction work to be started on state land. The Sydney Gateway
6171-444: The Sydney Gateway, with the rest of the Sydney Gateway being free-flowing traffic. A 800-metre (2,600 ft) long one-way elevated flyover in the eastbound/southbound direction has also been built linking Qantas Drive towards the Sir Reginald Ansett Drive and the domestic terminals precinct. The flyover bypasses two signalised intersections with Seventh Street and O'Riordan Street, and enables travel from Sydney's motorway network to
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#17327875490996292-420: The Sydney area occupied land with traditional boundaries. There is debate, however, about which group or nation these clans belonged to, and the extent of differences in language and rites. The major groups were the coastal Eora people, the Dharug (Darug) occupying the inland area from Parramatta to the Blue Mountains, and the Dharawal people south of Botany Bay. Darginung and Gundungurra languages were spoken on
6413-442: The Sydney region are grassy woodlands (i.e. savannas ) and some pockets of dry sclerophyll forests, which consist of eucalyptus trees, casuarinas , melaleucas , corymbias and angophoras , with shrubs (typically wattles , callistemons , grevilleas and banksias ), and a semi-continuous grass in the understory . The plants in this community tend to have rough, spiky leaves due to low soil fertility . Sydney also features
6534-568: The Union Jack 165 years earlier, commencing her Australian Royal Tour . It was the first time a reigning monarch stepped onto Australian soil. Increasing high-rise development in Sydney and the expansion of suburbs beyond the "green belt" envisaged by the planners of the 1950s resulted in community protests. In the early 1970s, trade unions and resident action groups imposed green bans on development projects in historic areas such as The Rocks. Federal, State and local governments introduced heritage and environmental legislation. The Sydney Opera House
6655-403: The WestConnex. Elected in 2011 on a promise to create an integrated transport strategy for the city, the Coalition government of Premier Barry O'Farrell established an independent advisory body, led by former premier Nick Greiner , to assess projects and determine priorities. Greiner's Infrastructure NSW (iNSW) evaluated a number of long-standing motorway proposals, including the M4 East,
6776-445: The WestConnex. Despite the M4 East and Marrickville Tunnel not eventuating, the government continued to develop the schemes. In October 2007, the government was considering a '3-in-1' tolled motorway being dubbed the Gateway. The proposal was estimated to cost at least $ 7 billion, and would be funded by a proposed retail sale of electricity. The three motorway sections that make up the proposal were: The government continued to develop
6897-427: The WestConnex. WestConnex was also supported by the state and federal Labor parties, whether in opposition or in government. When the project was first announced in 2012, Anthony Albanese , the federal shadow infrastructure and transport minister , voiced his support of the project and announced over $ 1.2 billion in funding despite the motorway impacting on residents in his electorate of Grayndler . The funding
7018-409: The World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House are major tourist attractions. Central Station is the hub of Sydney's suburban train, metro and light rail networks and longer-distance services. The main passenger airport serving the city is Kingsford Smith Airport , one of the world's oldest continually operating airports. In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip , the first governor of New South Wales, named
7139-422: The approaches to Anzac Bridge , causing eastbound queues to extend into the tunnels. The slot option could be constructed at a similar cost to the short tunnel, however, it was considered to not provide the same level of traffic benefits as the short tunnel option. Additionally, the option would need to acquire additional properties and the construction period for this option would be longer. Between 2003 and 2004,
7260-420: The armed forces than the Commonwealth authorities could process, and helped reduce unemployment. Those returning from the war in 1918 were promised "homes fit for heroes" in new suburbs such as Daceyville and Matraville. "Garden suburbs" and mixed industrial and residential developments also grew along the rail and tram corridors. The population reached one million in 1926, after Sydney had regained its position as
7381-513: The arrival of the British, there were 4,000 to 8,000 Aboriginal people in the greater Sydney region. The inhabitants subsisted on fishing, hunting, and gathering plants and shellfish. The diet of the coastal clans was more reliant on seafood whereas hinterland clans ate more forest animals and plants. The clans had distinctive equipment and weapons mostly made of stone, wood, plant materials, bone and shell. They also differed in their body decorations, hairstyles, songs and dances. Aboriginal clans had
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#17327875490997502-419: The benefit to the operator is considered to cancel out the disbenefit to the user, and as such, tolling has a "neutral effect on overall benefits and costs". WestConnex was supported by the state and the federal Liberal Party governments, including former Premier Gladys Berejiklian and former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull . Both levels of government continually funded the planning and implementation of
7623-422: The coastal region. The rising sea level between 18,000 and 6,000 years ago flooded the rias to form estuaries and deep harbours. Port Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is one such ria . Sydney features two major soil types: sandy soils (which originate from the Hawkesbury sandstone) and clay (which are from shales and volcanic rocks ), though some soils may be a mixture of the two. Directly overlying
7744-415: The concept recommended by iNSW in 2012, in particular to the M4-M5 Link. In late 2014, the government realigned the M4-M5 Link to accommodate a link to a future second harbour road tunnel , with a view to one day completing an inner-city bypass. This would mean a large interchange at the site of the abandoned Rozelle Rail Yards close to the Anzac Bridge . The interchange, now known as Rozelle Interchange ,
7865-465: The cost of operations are accounted for, the total cost is forecast to be at least $ 20 billion and possibly as much as $ 45 billion. In August 2018, the NSW government sold 51 percent of WestConnex to a consortium led by Transurban for A$ 9.26 billion. The project has bipartisan political support from the coalition and Labor parties, at both a federal and state level. Described as "the biggest transport project in Sydney and Australia since
7986-473: The cove where the first British settlement was established Sydney Cove after Home Secretary Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney . The cove was called Warrane by the Aboriginal inhabitants. Phillip considered naming the settlement Albion , but this name was never officially used. By 1790 Phillip and other officials were regularly calling the township Sydney. Sydney was declared a city in 1842. The Gadigal (Cadigal) clan, whose territory stretches along
8107-412: The demolition of buildings erected on Crown land, including some owned by past and serving military officers. The resulting conflict culminated in the Rum Rebellion of 1808, in which Bligh was deposed by the New South Wales Corps . Governor Lachlan Macquarie (1810–1821) played a leading role in the development of Sydney and New South Wales, establishing a bank, a currency and a hospital. He employed
8228-450: The domestic terminals without stopping at a single traffic light. The flyover has been named Deborah Lawrie Flyover after Australia's first female commercial pilot Deborah Lawrie . Sydney Gateway is toll-free. However, WestConnex tolls still apply to traffic coming or going via St Peters Interchange, as traffic must use the WestConnex tunnels and cannot exit the St Peters Interchange onto Euston Road or Gardeners Road. In November 2017,
8349-463: The emigration of free British settlers to New South Wales. Immigration to the colony increased from 900 free settlers in 1826–30 to 29,000 in 1836–40, many of whom settled in Sydney. By the 1840s Sydney exhibited a geographic divide between poor and working-class residents living west of the Tank Stream in areas such as The Rocks , and the more affluent residents living to its east. Free settlers, free-born residents and former convicts now represented
8470-587: The existing M4 Western Motorway from two or three to four lanes in each direction between Parramatta and Homebush Bay Drive ; and the M4 East, new twin three-lane motorway tunnels between Homebush and Haberfield , connecting to the City West Link . The widening of the 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) M4 section east of Church Street, Parramatta, began construction in March 2015 and was completed in July 2017. WestConnex tolls were introduced on this section one month later on 15 August 2017. The M4 East began construction in mid-2016 and opened on 13 July 2019. The M4 East
8591-505: The existing M4 and M5 motorways, which is being done anyway to cross-subsidise to the new tunnels. The 2015 business case predicted WestConnex will deliver $ 22.2 billion in benefits, before deducting operating expenses. These benefits were mostly non-cash, estimates of the value to users of such things as travel time saved ($ 12.9 billion) and increased travel time reliability ($ 1.47 billion) as well as reduced operating costs ($ 6.18 billion). All other factors were estimated to have
8712-717: The first crops failed, leading to several years of hunger and strict rationing. The food crisis was relieved with the arrival of the Second Fleet in mid-1790 and the Third Fleet in 1791. Former convicts received small grants of land, and government and private farms spread to the more fertile lands around Parramatta , Windsor and Camden on the Cumberland Plain . By 1804, the colony was self-sufficient in food. A smallpox epidemic in April 1789 killed about half
8833-482: The first stage opened a week later on 19 November. On 11 February 2024, the westbound traffic was diverted via Sydney Gateway and temporarily via the eastbound arch bridge. On 21 April 2024, the westbound arch bridge opened and westbound traffic was moved onto the new bridge. The final stage opened on 1 September 2024. The South East Sydney Transport Strategy, released by Transport for NSW in August 2020, proposed
8954-404: The flyover from Qantas Drive to the domestic terminal buildings (later named Deborah Lawrie Flyover). The third stage would be the westbound direction including a widened Qantas Drive and the westbound arch bridge. The last and fourth stage would be the connection to WestConnex and St Peters Interchange, and new pedestrian and cycling paths. The second stage opened first on 12 November 2023, while
9075-466: The fringes of the Sydney area. The first meeting between Aboriginals and British explorers occurred on 29 April 1770 when Lieutenant James Cook landed at Botany Bay (Kamay ) and encountered the Gweagal clan. Two Gweagal men opposed the landing party and one was shot and wounded. Cook and his crew stayed at Botany Bay for a week, collecting water, timber, fodder and botanical specimens and exploring
9196-700: The goldfields. Melbourne soon overtook Sydney as Australia's largest city, leading to an enduring rivalry between the two. However, increased immigration from overseas and wealth from gold exports increased demand for housing, consumer goods, services and urban amenities. The New South Wales government also stimulated growth by investing heavily in railways, trams, roads, ports, telegraph, schools and urban services. The population of Sydney and its suburbs grew from 95,600 in 1861 to 386,900 in 1891. The city developed many of its characteristic features. The growing population packed into rows of terrace houses in narrow streets. New public buildings of sandstone abounded, including at
9317-505: The inland location, frost is recorded early in the morning in Western Sydney a few times in winter. Autumn and spring are the transitional seasons, with spring showing a larger temperature variation than autumn. Sydney experiences an urban heat island effect. This makes certain parts of the city more vulnerable to extreme heat, including coastal suburbs. In late spring and summer, temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F) are not uncommon, though hot, dry conditions are usually ended by
9438-504: The interchange were progressively opened from November 2023. The interchange opened on 1 September 2024. It was originally planned to fully open in late 2023 in conjunction with the connecting M4–M8 Link , the latter of which opened earlier in January 2023. The Sydney Gateway was constructed in conjunction with the duplication of the nearby Port Botany railway line by the Australian Rail Track Corporation . The Sydney Gateway starts at
9559-509: The interchange. Additionally, Campbell Street and Campbell Road in St Peters was widened and extended eastwards over Alexandra Canal and link with Bourke Road in Mascot . A recreation parkland was built alongside the alignment of Campbell Street. The M8, St Peters Interchange, and Campbell Road works started construction in mid-2016. The Campbell Road extension and the bridge over Alexandra Canal (Campbell Road Bridge) opened on 22 June 2020, and
9680-505: The main body of insurgents were routed by about 100 troops and volunteers at Rouse Hill . At least 39 convicts were killed in the uprising and subsequent executions. As the colony spread to the more fertile lands around the Hawkesbury River , north-west of Sydney, conflict between the settlers and the Darug people intensified, reaching a peak from 1794 to 1810. Bands of Darug people, led by Pemulwuy and later by his son Tedbury , burned crops, killed livestock and raided settler stores in
9801-462: The metropolis. Manufacturing, protected by high tariffs, employed over a third of the workforce from 1945 to the 1960s. However, as the long post-war economic boom progressed, retail and other service industries became the main source of new jobs. An estimated one million onlookers, most of the city's population, watched Queen Elizabeth II land in 1954 at Farm Cove where Captain Phillip had raised
9922-525: The most expensive cities in the world, Sydney frequently ranks in the top ten most liveable cities . It is classified as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world. Ranked eleventh in the world for economic opportunity, Sydney has an advanced market economy with strengths in education, finance, manufacturing and tourism . The University of Sydney and
10043-531: The most famous. The Nepean River wraps around the western edge of the city and becomes the Hawkesbury River before reaching Broken Bay . Most of Sydney's water storages can be found on tributaries of the Nepean River. The Parramatta River is mostly industrial and drains a large area of Sydney's western suburbs into Port Jackson. The southern parts of the city are drained by the Georges River and
10164-544: The most populous city in Australia. The government created jobs with massive public projects such as the electrification of the Sydney rail network and building the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Sydney was more severely affected by the Great Depression of the 1930s than regional New South Wales or Melbourne. New building almost came to a standstill, and by 1933 the unemployment rate for male workers
10285-562: The navy. The First Fleet of 11 ships under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788. It comprised more than a thousand settlers, including 736 convicts. The fleet soon moved to the more suitable Port Jackson where a settlement was established at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. The colony of New South Wales was formally proclaimed by Governor Phillip on 7 February 1788. Sydney Cove offered
10406-484: The new tunnels converge near Sydney's main container port ( Port Botany ) and airport. This suggests the primary objective was to improve road freight productivity. However, smaller truck-only toll tunnels would not have been financially viable. Therefore, general use toll tunnels were proposed instead, to generate toll revenue from passenger vehicles as well. This approach was described as "suburban motorists ... paying for an inner-city freight project". A list of objectives
10527-641: The older Hawkesbury sandstone is the Wianamatta shale , a geological feature found in western Sydney that was deposited in connection with a large river delta during the Middle Triassic . The Wianamatta shale generally comprises fine grained sedimentary rocks such as shales, mudstones , ironstones , siltstones and laminites , with less common sandstone units. The Wianamatta Group is made up of Bringelly Shale , Minchinbury Sandstone and Ashfield Shale . The most prevalent plant communities in
10648-569: The one hand, and storms and flooding on the other, associated with the opposite phases of the oscillation in Australia . The weather is moderated by proximity to the ocean, and more extreme temperatures are recorded in the inland western suburbs because Sydney CBD is more affected by the oceanic climate drivers than the western suburbs. At Sydney's primary weather station at Observatory Hill , extreme temperatures have ranged from 45.8 °C (114.4 °F) on 18 January 2013 to 2.1 °C (35.8 °F) on 22 June 1932. An average of 14.9 days
10769-487: The orbital, between Beverly Hills and the airport, remained contentious. Although a surface corridor had been reserved for much of the route, the Labor government of Bob Carr was anxious to minimise the surface impact. After last-minute revisions to the design, the resulting motorway, opened in 2001, was too steep for laden trucks returning from Port Botany, significantly increasing vehicle emissions and frequently overwhelming
10890-410: The preferred short tunnel option for M4 East was exhibited. The preferred option would also widen the existing motorway between Homebush Bay Drive and Concord Road. Members of the government were divided over the M4 East proposal and ultimately did not proceed with it in early 2005 due to community opposition. The preferred option eventually formed the basis of the concept design for the M4 East project of
11011-401: The project was in the design and planning phase that includes developing connections to the St Peters interchange, to Sydney Airport Terminals 1, 2 and 3, grade separation of Robey Street and O’Riordan Street in Mascot , the duplication of a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) section of the Port Botany railway line , within a complex stakeholder environment, with significant utility assets impacted and
11132-480: The project. Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia . Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 km (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 km (50 mi) from the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and
11253-533: The proposed M6 Motorway . The King Georges Road Interchange Upgrade began construction in July 2015 and was open to traffic in December 2016. The St Peters Interchange , located at the eastern end of the M8, is a viaduct road interchange that connects the WestConnex with local arterial roads such as Euston Road and Gardeners Road. It will also connect to the Sydney Gateway towards Sydney Airport . Recreational spaces are supposed to be provided surrounding
11374-604: The region's Indigenous population. In November 1790 Bennelong led a group of survivors of the Sydney clans into the settlement, establishing a continuous presence of Aboriginal Australians in settled Sydney. Phillip had been given no instructions for urban development, but in July 1788 submitted a plan for the new town at Sydney Cove . It included a wide central avenue, a permanent Government House, law courts, hospital and other public buildings, but no provision for warehouses, shops, or other commercial buildings. Phillip promptly ignored his own plan, and unplanned development became
11495-539: The roads progressed slowly – by 1971 only isolated sections were complete – the Plan ensured corridors were reserved, providing property owners with certainty about future infrastructure. This changed in 1976 with the election of the Australian Labor Party under Premier Neville Wran . Wran, faced with his predecessors' ambitious infrastructure plans, inner-city opposition to motorway projects (including
11616-420: The same time, committed to further planning work on the northern section of the bypass. iNSW estimated the benefit-cost ratio for WestConnex at "more than 1.5", noting that the removal of freight traffic from Parramatta Road could also facilitate urban regeneration along the Inner West's main road link. Focused as it was on journeys to and from the international gateways at Botany Bay, the scheme did not include
11737-607: The scheme was later developed to become the M4–M5 Link project (and later the M4–M8 extensions) of the WestConnex. In March 2007, prior to the state election later that month, The Daily Telegraph claimed the government was planning the Inner West Motorway, which was similar to the Marrickville Tunnel. It would be a tunnel which would run from St Peters underneath Enmore, Stanmore, Camperdown and Annandale to City West Link and Victoria Road. This claim
11858-458: The schemes secretly in 2009, with funding to be provided by the federal Labor government. The M4 East failed to receive funding in the 2009/10 federal budget . Also in 2004, the Marrickville Tunnel scheme between the M4 East and Mascot was being considered by the government. It was also known as Marrickville Truck Tunnel, Marrickville Motorway Tunnel or the M4 airport truck tunnel. It aimed to provide
11979-469: The south-west. The local government area of the City of Sydney covers about 26 square kilometres from Garden island in the east to Bicentennial Park in the west, and south to the suburbs of Alexandria and Rosebery . Sydney is made up of mostly Triassic rock with some recent igneous dykes and volcanic necks (typically found in the Prospect dolerite intrusion , west of Sydney). The Sydney Basin
12100-534: The south. Sydney spans two geographic regions. The Cumberland Plain lies to the south and west of the Harbour and is relatively flat. The Hornsby Plateau is located to the north and is dissected by steep valleys. The flat areas of the south were the first to be developed; it was not until the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge that the northern reaches became more heavily populated. Seventy surf beaches can be found along its coastline, with Bondi Beach being
12221-497: The southern shore of Port Jackson from South Head to Darling Harbour , are the traditional owners of the land on which the British settlement was initially established, and call their territory Gadi ( Cadi ). Aboriginal clan names within the Sydney region were often formed by adding the suffix "-gal" to a word denoting the name for their territory, a specific place in their territory, a food source, or totem. Greater Sydney covers
12342-592: The surrounding area. Cook sought to establish relations with the Aboriginal population without success. Britain had been sending convicts to its American colonies for most of the eighteenth century, and the loss of these colonies in 1783 was the impetus to establish a penal colony at Botany Bay. Proponents of colonisation also pointed to the strategic importance of a new base in the Asia-Pacific region and its potential to provide much-needed timber and flax for
12463-439: The temperature seem colder than it actually is . Rainfall has a moderate to low variability and has historically been fairly uniform throughout the year, although in recent years it has been more summer-dominant and erratic. Precipitation is usually higher in summer through to autumn, and lower in late winter to early spring. In late autumn and winter, east coast lows may bring large amounts of rainfall, especially in
12584-618: The then Department of Main Roads released Roads 2000 , which shifted the focus of motorway planning from completing the CBD-centric radial system and addressed the growing number of cross-suburban vehicle journeys instead. The Western Motorway , now known as the M4, was completed from Lapstone to Concord in 1992. The South-Western motorway , known as the M5, reached from Prestons to Beverly Hills by 1995. The unfinished M5 East section of
12705-509: The traditional lands of 28 known Aboriginal clans. The first people to inhabit the area now known as Sydney were Aboriginal Australians who had migrated from southeast Asia via northern Australia. Flaked pebbles found in Western Sydney's gravel sediments might indicate human occupation from 45,000 to 50,000 years ago, while radiocarbon dating has shown evidence of human activity in the region from around 30,000 years ago. Prior to
12826-607: The tunnels, the M4 East , opened to traffic in July 2019. The second of the tunnels, the M8 Motorway , opened to traffic a year later in July 2020. The third of the tunnels which extend the M4 and M8 opened to traffic in January 2023. The final component of the scheme, the Rozelle Interchange , opened to traffic in November 2023. The forecast cost of WestConnex has grown from A$ 10 billion to over $ 45 billion. Once land acquisitions, network extensions development costs and
12947-480: The vast majority of the population of Sydney, leading to increasing public agitation for responsible government and an end to transportation. Transportation to New South Wales ceased in 1840. In 1804, Irish convicts led around 300 rebels in the Castle Hill Rebellion , an attempt to march on Sydney, commandeer a ship, and sail to freedom. Poorly armed, and with their leader Philip Cunningham captured,
13068-434: The ventilation system. The Labor government proposed a number of schemes in the 2000s. In July 2002, the M4 East scheme was proposed with three options: All three options would run below or parallel to Parramatta Road and/or City West Link. The short tunnel option was preferred for having lower costs both during construction and operation. The long tunnel option was considered to have the potential to increase congestion on
13189-401: Was 28 per cent, but over 40 per cent in working class areas such as Alexandria and Redfern. Many families were evicted from their homes and shanty towns grew along coastal Sydney and Botany Bay, the largest being "Happy Valley" at La Perouse . The Depression also exacerbated political divisions. In March 1932, when populist Labor premier Jack Lang attempted to open the Sydney Harbour Bridge he
13310-411: Was also controversial for its cost and disputes between architect Jørn Utzon and government officials. However, soon after it opened in 1973 it became a major tourist attraction and symbol of the city. The progressive reduction in tariff protection from 1974 began the transformation of Sydney from a manufacturing centre to a "world city". From the 1980s, overseas immigration grew rapidly, with Asia ,
13431-508: Was also on the condition that no tolls were placed on old parts of the road (referring to the existing M4 and M5 East). Prior to the 2016 federal election , federal Labor and opposition leader Bill Shorten also promised that if elected, he would honour the $ 3.5 billion federal funding commitment made by the Turnbull government . Former state Labor leaders and opposition leaders Luke Foley and Michael Daley have also both voiced support of
13552-415: Was also proposed to be modified to an overpass, with changes to surrounding pedestrian and cycling links and the layouts of surrounding intersections. The modification was approved on 30 September 2020. The strategic objectives that the scheme was originally conceived to address have never been made public. The initial application for federal funding was made under the 'National Freight Network' category, and
13673-553: Was also removed. On 17 November 2016, it was confirmed that the mid-tunnel point would be in "the 'triangle area' bordered by Parramatta Road, Pyrmont Bridge Road and Mallet Street". Stub tunnels were added to the New M5 to connect to a proposed F6 extension to the St George and Sutherland Shire areas. The proposed F6 extension is now known as M6 Motorway . In August 2019, the right turn from The Crescent northbound to eastbound
13794-399: Was delivered by a Leighton Contractors , Samsung and John Holland joint venture. Stage 2 works included upgrading the existing M5 interchange at King Georges Road , and building the new M8 Motorway , a new set of tunnels between the M5 at Beverly Hills and St Peters . The M8, known as the New M5 during the planning and construction, was also designed to allow for future connection to
13915-474: Was directly managed by Transport for NSW instead of WestConnex. The Rozelle Interchange was built to have future provision for the proposed Western Harbour Tunnel . Unlike the bulk of the WestConnex projects, the Iron Cove Link is toll-free. Stage 3 forms the southern section of an eventual Inner West bypass of Sydney's CBD. This stage also originally included Sydney Gateway , however the project
14036-494: Was dismissed by the government. In 2010, a report by consultancy Evans & Peck proposed the Inner West Bypass which followed a similar route. The bypass was estimated to have a $ 12 billion price tag, and would require four to five ventilation stacks. Under the proposal, the bypass would connect to another tunnel that would follow the alignments of Victoria Road and the cancelled Lane Cove Valley Expressway , joining
14157-514: Was formed in the early Triassic period. The sand that was to become the sandstone of today was laid down between 360 and 200 million years ago. The sandstone has shale lenses and fossil riverbeds. The Sydney Basin bioregion includes coastal features of cliffs, beaches, and estuaries. Deep river valleys known as rias were carved during the Triassic period in the Hawkesbury sandstone of
14278-491: Was included in the 2015 Business Case. However, the Business Case and list of objectives were written retrospectively, long after state and federal funding for the project was announced. Infrastructure Australia criticised the NSW Government for not adequately appraising alternative ways of meeting the project objectives. For example, road freight productivity could be improved, and congestion reduced, simply by tolling
14399-631: Was later moved underground with a large park to be built above the interchange. Additionally, a tunnel under Rozelle was added to bypass the congested Victoria Road corridor and connect with the Rozelle Yard interchange. On 9 November 2016, a new route for the M4-M5 Link took it under Annandale and the Hunter Baillie Memorial Presbyterian Church . An interchange with Parramatta Road at Camperdown
14520-507: Was originally planned to open in late 2023, together with the M4–M8 Link . However, it was announced in November 2020 that the project was behind schedule and completion of the project would be delayed until 2024. In mid-2023, it was announced that the Sydney Gateway would be open in stages. The first stage would be the eastbound direction including the eastbound arch bridge and the traffic light connection to Link Road. The second stage would be
14641-550: Was upstaged by Francis de Groot of the far-right New Guard , who slashed the ribbon with a sabre. In January 1938, Sydney celebrated the Empire Games and the sesquicentenary of European settlement in Australia. One journalist wrote, "Golden beaches. Sun tanned men and maidens...Red-roofed villas terraced above the blue waters of the harbour...Even Melbourne seems like some grey and stately city of Northern Europe compared with Sydney's sub-tropical splendours." A congress of
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