Page 97 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

CIT Y CENTRE AND D ARLING HARBOUR  95

5 Sydney Tower VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

With a design capable of withstanding earthquakes and Practical Information
extreme wind, Sydney Tower was conceived as part of the 100 Market St. Map 1 B5. Tel 1800
258 693. Open May–Sep: 9am–
original 1970s Centrepoint shopping centre, but was not 9:30pm; Oct–Apr: 9am–10pm
completed until 1981. About one million people per year Last entry: 1 hr before closing.
admire the stunning views. On the podium level, visitors 7 8 0 - =
enjoy a multimedia journey around Australia in the 4D ∑ sydneytowereye.com.au
Cinema Experience. Those with a head for heights can Transport
also venture outside the tower on a SKYWALK tour. @ Sydney Explorer, all city routes.
g Darling Harbour.  St James,
Martin Place, Town Hall.

The 30-m (98-ft)
spire completes the
total 309 m (1,000 ft)
of the tower’s height.
The water tank
holds 162,000 l
(35,500 gal) and acts
as an enormous
Sydney Tower Eye Observation Deck stabilizer on very
Views from Level 4 stretch north to Pittwater, windy days.
Botany Bay to the south, west to the Blue
Mountains, and along the harbour out to Skywalk
the open sea.
Level 4: Sydney
Tower Eye
Level 3: Private
The turret’s nine levels, with room to event space
hold almost 1,000 people at a time,
include two revolving restaurants, a Level 2: Buffet
coffee shop and the Observation Level. restaurant
Level 1: A la carte
The windows comprise three layers. The restaurant
outer has a gold dust coating. The frame
design prevents panes falling outwards. The 56 cables weigh
seven tonnes each. If
laid end to end, they
The shaft is designed to would reach from New
withstand wind speeds Zealand to Sydney.
expected only once in
500 years, and
earthquakes.
The stairs are two
separate, fireproofed
emergency escape
routes with 1,504 steps.
Double-decker lifts can
carry up to 2,000 people
per hour. At full speed, a
lift takes only 40 seconds
to ascend the 76 floors to
the Observation Level.
The 4D Cinema SKYWALK
Construction of Turret Experience is a virtual Visitors can take a
The nine turret levels were erected reality ride across 45-minute tour on a
on the roof of the base building, Australia, with a 180° platform around the
then hoisted up the shaft using cinema, 3D technology turret’s exterior.
hydraulic jacks. and special effects.