The Sydney Visitor Centre at The Rocks, First Floor, The Rocks Centre, Corner of Argyle and Playfair streets, The Rocks (tel. 02/9240 8788; www.sydneyvisitorcentre.com), is a good place to pick up maps, brochures, YHA cards, and general tourist information about Sydney as well as towns in New South Wales; it also sells books, T-shirts, DVDs, postcards, and the like. The office is open daily from 9am to 5pm. There's also the Sydney Visitors Centre -- Darling Harbour, 33 Wheat Rd., Darling Harbour, near the IMAX Theatre. It's open from 9:30am to 5:30pm daily. In Manly, find the Manly Visitors Information Centre (tel. 02/9976 1430), at Manly Wharf (where the ferries come in). It's open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and on weekends between 10am and 4pm.
Also in The Rocks is the National Parks & Wildlife Centre, in Cadmans Cottage (a little sandstone building, built in 1816, which is set back from the water in front of The Rocks), 110 George St. (tel. 02/9247 5033). This place has lots of national park information and runs boat tours to some of the islands in Sydney Harbour. It's open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4:30pm.
Elsewhere, there are City Host information kiosks, at Martin Place (between Elizabeth and Castlereagh sts.), on George Street (adjacent to Sydney Town Hall), and at Circular Quay (corner of Pitt and Alfred sts.). They provide maps, brochures, and advice and are open daily from 9am to 5pm. There's also a Visitor Centre at the International Terminal. If you want to inquire about destinations and holidays in Sydney or the rest of New South Wales, call Tourism New South Wales's help line (tel. 13 20 77 in Australia).
Electronic information on cinema, theater, exhibitions, and other events is available through Talking Guides (tel. 13 16 20 in Australia). You'll need a code number for each topic, which you can find on page three of the A-K section of the Sydney Yellow Pages. The service costs the same as a local call.
A good website is CitySearch Sydney (www.sydney.citysearch.com.au), for events, entertainment, dining, and shopping.
Special Attraction Passes -- Sydney Ferries have teamed up with Taronga Zoo and Sydney Aquarium to provide two discount passes. The Zoo Pass includes return ferry trips from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo, a trip on the Aerial Safari cable car to the top of the zoo, and a bus trip back to the ferry if you somehow end up back up at the top (which is unlikely, because generally you start at the top of the hill and work your way down). It costs A$39 (US$31/UK£20) for adults and A$21 (US$17/UK£13) for kids aged 4 to 15. A family ticket costs A$37 (US$30/UK£15) for the first adult, A$32 (US$26/UK£13) for a second adult, A$20 (US$16/UK£8) for the first child and A$12 (US$9.60/UK£4.80) for each additional child.
The Aquarium Pass includes return ferry travel from Circular Quay to the Sydney Aquarium and also entry. It costs A$33 (US$26/UK£13) for adults, A$17 (US$14/UK£7.50) for kids, and A$81 (US$65/UK£37) for a family of two adults and two kids. Buy tickets at Circular Quay.
