Calling all action heroes. Line up here! For people who like their recreation with a big dose of get-up-and-go - or even with some real thrills and chills - there are plenty of options to choose from on the following pages.

In Sydney, whether you'd like to be on the Harbour, under the Harbour, or even flying over the Harbour, you'll see where to find your fun in our Adventure & Activities section.

Out of town too, our pages cover all the connections with all sorts of super - active sports, like kayaking and abseiling - and some quieter outdoor pursuits like horse riding - plus some exciting and unusual outings to suit kids and families.

- Family Fun -

Wonderland Sydney.....
Wonderland Sydney is Australia's largest theme park made up of seven exciting theme lands. Enjoy the sights and sounds of outback Australia at The Outback Woolshed or laze in the tropical surrounds of The Beach. Brave Transylvania, ride some of the world's most thrilling rides like The Demon and the Space Probe.

Hand feed a kangaroo or cuddle a koala at The Australian Wildlife Park. Visit Australia's yesteryear at Old Botany Bay and experience the life of a fosicker at Goldrush. A trip to Wonderland would not be complete without a visit to everyone's favourite Hanna Barbera Land. So rush to Wonderland Sydney, a day out for the whole family you'll never forget.

Wonderland Sydney, Wallgrove Road, Eastern Creek. Tel: (02) 9830 9100.

Sega World.....
Opened in early 1997, Sega World is Sydney's first indoor family theme park, with attractions, entertainment and rides never before seen in Australia. Sega World's elaborate themes and storylines, based on three different time planes - the Past, the Present, and the Future - offer all participants a great day, any day. With major rides, including a rollercoaster, a haunted house, a 360 degree cinema, an adventure playground, live performances and family games, Sega World is the highlight of a visit to Darling Harbour. Tel: 9273 9273

Jamberoo Recreation Park.....
Just a short drive from Sydney, south of Wollongong is where the Jamberoo Recreation Park is! Bobsleds, speed boats, racing cars, and rock, tunnel and water slides are all there for fun and action. And if you don't want too much excitement, there are plenty of other things to do! Albion Park Rd, Jamberoo. Tel: (02) 4236 0114

- Exciting Activities -

Whether adventure to you is the adrenalin rush of a tandem skydive, or abseiling off a cliff in the Blue Mountains, or whether you prefer the more romantic flight over the countryside in a hot air balloon at dawn, or a horseback ride in the forest, holiday time is the time to fulfil your fantasy...

City LifeStyle has surveyed the outdoor scene around the city and suburbs, up and down the coast, from the beaches and waterways, to the mountains and through the bush to find a wide range of enjoyable activities to introduce to our readers.

Whether you're a true adventurer always chasing the challenge, or prefer the softer style of an armchair sportsperson, you'll find something to suit you on these pages.

- National Horseriding Trek -

An epic Australian adventure on horseback, from Sydney, through Victoria to Healesville, then right across Tasmania.

From October 1998 to April 1999, Melanie Potter and Gabriella Schenk, with eight horses will undertake this magnificent ride, highlighting the existence of the National Bicentennial Trail for walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders alike. The trail is currently maintained by volunteers. It's a unique opportunity to see the Australian country and outback at first-hand. The girls invite fellow horse and bush lovers with experience to join them at appropriate times along their trek. Tel: 0418 486 285.

- 4WD -

Koombahla 4WD Tours.....
1-4 day safaris. Day trips only 90 minutes from Sydney. Tel: 9498 7189 or 0416 015 685.

Off Road Adventures.....
Sightseeing and canyoning in the Blue Mountains. 192 Paddington St, Paddington. Tel: 9362 9107.

- Go-kart Racing -

Racing Marrickville.....
Raceway Indoor Go-karts, Formula One style. Fast, fun and addictive. 24-26 Lilian Fowler Pl, Marrickville. Tel: 9516 1302.

Fastlane Carting.....
Sydney's largest outdoor Go-kart track. 20 Swettenham Rd, Minto. Tel: 9820 4422.

Mega Track Racing Super Centre.....
Open 7 days, 11am till late. 1 Garema Ct, Kingsgrove. Tel: 9750 2252.

- Cycling -

Bike Hikes Australia.....
Explore rainforests, mountains, river country and bush in remote North East NSW. Tel: (02) 537 233.

Backcountry Cycling.....
Mountain bike tours through the Byron Bay Hinterlands. Tel: (02) 857 449. Adventure Trail Bike Tours

Two day bike tours.....
15/313 Clovelly Rd. Tel: 9665 2281.

- Ballooning -

Cloud Nine Balloon Flights.....
Sunrise balloon flights, incl. champagne breakfast with a view over Western Sydney. Leaves from Parramatta Park. Tel: 9686 7777.

Balloon Aloft.....
Experience the beautiful Sydney skyline and the majestic Blue Mountains, whilst floating gently over Sydney's great outdoors. Champagne breakfast included. Tel: 1800 028 568.

- Horse Riding -

Centennial Park House.....
Hire horses in the middle of Sydney. Rides are escorted and lessons available. Centennial Park. Tel: 9361 4513.

Otford Farm.....
Trail Rides south of Sydney. Tel: 4294 1926. Freecall: 1800 642 749.

Glenworth Valley.....
Just a short trip north of Sydney. Tel: (02) 4375 1222.

- Skydiving -

Sydney Skydiving Centre.....
Tandem jumps and courses offered just an hour out of Sydney. Bankstown Airport. Tel: 9791 9155.

Australian National Skydiving Centre.....
Excellent facilities in the beautiful Hunter Valley. Specialists in solo freefall training. Tourism award winner. Tel: 9873 5929.

- Abseiling -

High 'n' Wild Adventures.....
Blue Mountains day trips. Tel: (02) 4782 6224.

Australian Climbing School.....
Central Coast area. Tel: (02) 927 087.

Feel Good Tours.....
Blue Mountains tours. Victoria St, Potts Point. Tel: 9357 2449.

- Kayaking -

Central Coast Kayak Tours.....
Sea Kayak tours on a variety of waterways from flatwater creek to coastal courses close to Sydney. Suitable for beginners to advanced paddlers. Tel: (02) 810 342.

Hawkesbury Kayak Tours.....
Enjoy paddling amongst the most beautiful bush setting in Australia on the magnificent Hawkesbury River. No experience necessary. Tel: 9875 2287.

Sydney Sea Kayak Centre.....
Mosman, Tel: 9969 4590.

- Sailing -

National Maritime Museum.....
Introductory sails daily. Darling Harbour. Tel: 9907 0004.

Sailing Windsor River Cruises.....
Cruises on the Upper Hawkesbury River, west of Sydney. Tel: 9831 6630.

Svanen Charters.....
Adventure offshore day sails and weekends on a 73 Old Barquentine Tall Ship. Tel: 9698 4456.

Balmoral Sailboarding Sailing School.....
Sailboarding and sailing. Performance hire and tuition to all levels. On the beach at Balmoral marina - beside Balmoral Baths. Tel: 9960 5344.

- Parasailing -

M & M Parasailing.....
Similar to hang gliding behind a speedboat. 552 Pittwater Rd. Manly. Tel: 9938 2669.

Sydney Harbour Parasail.....
Parasail on Sydney Harbour. Tel: 9977 6781.

- Diving -

Fun Dive Centre.....
Scuba dive courses. 255 Stanmore Rd. Tel: 9569 5588.

Aquatic Explorers Diving.....
7 Beach Park, Cronulla Arcade. Tel: 9527 1518.

Bondi Dive Academy.....
Learn to dive. Tel: 9369 3943.

PADI Dive.....
Internationally accredited courses. Willoughby. Tel: 9417 2800.

Pacific Coast Divers.....
Clovelly. Tel: 9665 7427.

- Surfing -

Manly Surf School.....
Learn to surf with qualified instructors at Manly Beach. Beginners to advanced. Boards and wetsuits included. 42 Pittwater Rd, Manly. Tel: 9977 3777.

Let's Go Surfing.....
Learn to surf with fully qualified coaching team. All levels and all equipment provided. Tel: 9665 4473.

Sydney Surf and Bush Adventures.....
Day tour where you learn to surf and experience Aboriginal culture. Tel: 9314 0290.

- Swimming -

North Sydney Olympic Pool.....
Northern end of the Harbour Bridge. Tel: 9955 2309.

Victoria Park Pool.....
Cnr City Rd & Parramatta Rd, Broadway. Tel: 9660 4244.

Aquatic Centre.....
Olympic 2000 pools. Homebush. Tel: 9752 3666.

Parramatta Pools.....
O¹Connell Street. Parramatta. Tel: 9630 3669.

- Tours - Cruises -

Matilda Sail Venture Cruises.....
Everything for an unforgettable harbour cruise - from a luxurious jet-powered catamaran to an historic tall ship. Luncheon cruises depart daily from Darling Harbour at 12.15 pm and Circular Quay at 12.35 pm. (Fare with or without lunch is optional.) Harbour Express Cruise stops at Darling Harbour, The Rocks and Watsons Bay and offers great flexibility - passengers can leave and then rejoin any following Harbour Express. Ph: 9264 7377.

Bounty Cruises.....
Enjoy one of the world's most beautiful harbours from the decks of Australia's largest tall ship - plus fine wine and dining at the same time! Lunch cruise daily at 12.30 pm. Dinner cruise daily at 7.00 pm. Departs from Campbell's Cove, opposite the Opera House. Ph: 9247 1789

Sydney Showboats.....
Discover Sydney Harbour at your favourite time - at day, dusk or night on this excellent floating restaurant. Cruises daily at 10.30 am, 2.30 pm and 5.30 pm. Also, Luncheon cruise daily at 12.30 pm, Twilight Cruise daily at 5.30 pm - plus Cabaret Dinner Cruise daily at 7.00 pm and Starlight Dinner Cruise daily at 7.30 pm. Ph: 9552 2722

State Transit Ferry Harbour Cruises.....
Morning Harbour Cruise daily at 10.00 am and 11.15 am. Afternoon Harbour Cruise, weekdays 1.00 pm and weekends 1.30 pm. Evening Harbour Lights Cruise Monday to Saturday at 8.00 pm. All depart from Wharf 4, Circular Quay. Ph: 9207 3170.

Captain Cook Cruises.....
Coffee Cruise daily at 10.00 am and 2.15 pm. Dinner, Sunset, Explorer and Showtime Cruises also available. Departing Wharf 6, Circular Quay. Ph: 9206 1111

'The Basin' Ferry.....
For a refreshing change try this great "out of town" waterway. The Basin & Mackeral Beach Ferry Service bridges Palm Beach and the delights of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. From Palm Beach, the ferry traverses Pittwater to The Basin - providing excellent access to a wide range of bushwalks. Departing at approximately 1 hour intervals from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, from Palm Beach Wharf, Barrenjoey Rd, Pittwater Park. Ph: 9918 2747.

South Pacific Seaplanes.....
Spectacular scenic flights of Sydney's Harbour, beaches, & mountains. Departs Sydney Harbour 7 days by reservation. You can also choose from a fabulous selection of Fly-Dine restaurant packages and Getaway accommodation packages from Rose Bay, Palm Beach or Cronulla. For more info: 9544 0077.

Sydney Helicopter Scenic Flights.....
For your bird's eye view of Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the beautiful Hunter Valley, and many other areas, go on one of Sydney's helicopter tours. For a great scenic tour, experience the 'Grand Harbour Tour'. This helicopter tour lasts for approximately 30 minutes. From Parramatta to the leafy Upper North Shore suburbs of Turramurra and Wahroonga, across the National Parks to Narrabeen beach and south to Manly. Entering the Harbour, you view the colourful yachts, Fort Denison, the Botanical Gardens, the Opera House and Circular Quay. Then turning West, taking sights of Darling Harbour and Goat Island along, passing Parramatta River viewing many historic sites and riverside mansions, you reach the great scenes of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. A spectacular journey! Helishuttle: 9637 4455.

Blue Thunder.....
Experience the magic of a scenic tour of Sydney on the back of a Harley Davidson motorcycle. For more info: Freecall 1800 80 0184.

M & J Sydney Bike Tours.....
Imagine gliding across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on the bicycle laneway or weaving down forgotten byways of the historical Rocks. Tours around the harbour and also Manly Beach. For more info: 9241 5990.

Classic Walks of Sydney.....
Visit The Rocks, City, Botanic Gardens and more or meander magnificent Manly, classic Paddington or downtown to Darling Harbour. All guided tours are escorted with a personal guide who will tell you fascinating stories about the area. Tel: 0411 080 489.

- Organised Tours -

Oz Trek.....
Excellent value and a great range of sightseeing in their Blue Mountains Daily Tour (800 am to 7.00 pm). Wild kangaroos, mountain bushwalks, clifftop lookouts, rain forests and waterfalls - plus an inclusive Sydney Olympic Site Tour as a bonus ! Ask about their 3-day Camping Safari too.Air conditioned coaches. Ph: 9247 1789

ATS Australian Travel Specialist.....
Want a trip to the Blue Mountains? What about the Hunter Valley? Or Canberra? By helicopter, or coach, airline, rail or luxury 4WD? Perhaps a charter vessel? ATS can help with all that and more, as the city's leading booking agent with five retail travel centres in Sydney, including Circular Quay, Harbourside and Manly Wharf. Ph: 9555 2700

Northern Beaches Golf Tours.....
Something special for the sportsman! For many years now, this organisation has provided a 5-star golf service. This not only provides hard-to-get tee times but also includes some of Sydney's top tourist attractions around your game. Popular full day tours include the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, Wildlife Parks and Sydney Beaches. Excellent access to some of Sydney's leading Championship and Private Clubs. Ph: 9975 7755

4WD Eco Adventure.....
One great day, packed with colourful sights and covering a wide range of scenery - Hawkesbury River, Central Coast, Brisbane Water National Park - and lunch at beautiful Terrigal Beach. Other highlights include ancient Aboriginal rock art and Australian flora and fauna. For 24-hour reservations call on 9251 6101.

Dal Myles' The Wine Tour.....
Perfect for the wine buff, the newchum, the tourist alike. Tour the beautiful Hunter Valley wine country and visit 4 premier wineries. Tasting seminar, private wine tasting, cheese tasting - and Italian-style lunch! Ph: 9977 5567

Gledswood Colonial Homestead & Farm.....
Another superb one-day tour with visits to an 1810 farm and an 1827 historic homestead - see sheep-shearing, working dogs and boomerang throwing - and enjoy a wine-tasting as a bonus! 24-hour reservations ph: 9251 6101.

Canberra Explorer and Sheep Station.....
This rich and varied two-day tour departs Sydney daily at 8.45 am and returns the following day at 10.00 pm. See Lake Burley Griffin, Regatta Point and the Australian War Memorial - enjoy a guided tour of both the National Gallery and Parliament House (where you'll have lunch) - and see sheep-shearing, wool classing and baling - and enjoy an Aussie barbecue. Ph: 13 22 51.

Dolphin Watch and Rainforest.....
Fabulous variety in a one-day tour ! Travel past spectacular ocean and beach views ­ vist the Blowhole at Kiama - embark on a 3-hour luncheon cruise with an excellent chance of a close-up look at bottlenose dolphins. The return trip diverts delightfully through sub-tropical rainforest ­ Kangaroo Valley, Fitzroy Falls and the tulip capital, Bowral. 24-hour reservations Ph: 9252 2988.

Sydney After Dark Night Tour.....
All the sparkling sights of Sydney after the sun goes down. Dine in Sydney's world-famous revolving restaurant, Sydney Tower. Tour the historic Rocks and colourful Kings Cross. Take in faulous Harbour views from Mrs Macquarie's Chair. Drop into Sydney's Hard Rock Cafe and finally, try your luck at the casino, Star City. 24-hour reservations Ph: 9252 2988.


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