The view from top

Saturday, 15 September 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Just as much as the much-talked about Sydney Opera House is an iconic landmark in Sydney, so is the Sydney Tower Eye. The tallest building in Australia, it stands out amidst the skyscrapers in the city. Its height is 309 metres (1014 ft).

A visit to the Tower is a ‘must’ for tourists and it is also a popular place for the locals from other cities.

Built at a cost of A$36 million over a period of six years, the Tower has been open for visitors for the past 37 years. It is claimed that its “striking design means it can withstand earthquakes, thunder-storms and extreme wind conditions”. The designer is an Australian architect – Donald Crone is his name.

Situated in the heart of the city we walked through the vast shopping centre run by the Westfield Group housing a wide range of shops marketing some of the world’s well-known brands, to reach the lifts to go up to the Tower entrance. It is generally accepted that it’s the most expensive shopping area in Sydney.

The admission ticket included a 4D cinema experience where we watched a short film on the places to see in the city. We were told it is the first 4D film produced in Australia.

Once we moved to the Observation Deck, a guide took us round. He was well-informed and gave us the history and other details of the places we were seeing. What a difference it was to see the places we pass through while going by bus or car, from such a height. Skyscrapers all round and we could spot the well-known places like the Sydney harbour, the harbour bridge, Opera House, the national parks and historic sites. Being a clear day we saw the blue waters, small islands and greenery at a distance.

The Observation Deck offers state-of-the-art technology, including high powered binoculars and multilingual touch screen panels that tell interesting facts about the famous landmarks.

The curios shop offers a wide range of souvenirs.

After the ‘tour’ we had lunch at the revolving restaurant at a lower deck spotting what we saw from top.

To be at the highest point above Sydney and enjoy 360 degree views of the city and distant places was a really a new experience.