Thomas Kjeldsen
Spring 2024 Study Abroad student from Aalborg University
Aalborg, Denmark
I really enjoyed my semester at UTS, where I got to meet a lot of new people and experience student life in Australia. On the weekdays, I spent much of my time on campus for lectures and tutorials, so weekends became my time to truly explore and experience what Sydney and its surroundings offer. Here are five places I recommend going.
Darling Harbour, Chinatown, Barangaroo and The Rocks
Explore the local neighbourhood! UTS is centrally located, making getting to the city centre quick and easy. Living in UTS Housing’s Yura Mudang residence meant attractions were just a short walk away. Darling Harbour is a lovely place to go and relax with its park areas, nightlife and ice cream shops (including “Andersen’s of Denmark”!).
On the way to the harbour, you can walk through the vibrant streets of Chinatown and its many food offerings. Walking to the end of Darling Harbour, you reach Barangaroo Reserve, a lovely waterfront park where you can swim in Marrinawi Cove. East of Barangaroo, at the base of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you can see the Sydney Opera House from The Rocks, which also has a nice market every Saturday.
Image 1: Darling Harbour at night
Image 2: Sunset at Marrinawi Cove, Barangaroo, after an evening swim
Bondi to Coogee Walk
One of the benefits of living in Yura Mudang is the many social events and excursions. One of our first weekend adventures was the scenic route from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach. This is a two-hour coastal walk with beautiful views of beaches, cliffs and bays. We went there during one of our first weeks in Sydney, and although it was technically “winter” in Australia, it was not too cold for a fresh swim at Coogee Beach before dinner.
For a few weeks in spring, part of the walk turns into a free art gallery with the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition with many different sculptures by local and international artists. One of my favourites was a rocket ship near Bondi Beach.
Image 3: Sculptures by the Sea seen from Bondi Beach
Blue Mountains
One of my favourite places outside Sydney is the Blue Mountains National Park, a two-hour train ride from Central Station. My first visit was a nice day trip with UTS Housing, where we went on the Three Sisters Walk. When you stand at the top looking towards the distance, you understand why it is called “blue” mountains.
ActivateUTS offers the Discover Sydney events programme, which organises outings in Sydney and beyond. With them, I went for an overnight trip to the Blue Mountains. Starting from Evans Lookout, the hike was another chance to meet friendly people while exploring a place reminiscent of “Jurrasic Park”, with dense forest with trees, ferns and cliffs.
On the second day, we hiked the steep path to Minnehaha Falls, where we went swimming. It was refreshing and beautiful but also much colder than the beach! The Blue Mountains are worth a visit—or two.
Image 4: Blue Mountains
Image 5: Minnehaha Falls, Blue Mountains
Royal National Park
Having met a whole group of hiking friends, we decided to hike in Royal National Park, starting with a hike to Burning Palms Beach. We decided to continue to the Figure Eight Pools along the rocky coastline. This turned out to be an exciting and slightly risky trip along the rocky coast, where large waves can wash over the shelves unexpectedly.
Back at the beach, we enjoyed a swim in the last minutes of sunlight before we headed back to take the train home to Sydney. It was a fun and adventurous day, and after walking nearly 30,000 steps, you’ll find you sleep incredibly well!
Image 6: Royal National Park
UTS Library
Admittedly, it’s not always the most fun experience to spend your weekends writing assignments, but when it must be done, the UTS Library is a great place to do it. There are many nice study spaces with cubicles and monitors and even meeting rooms for group work.
I became a regular at level 8, where the peaceful outdoor terraces are nice for taking a well-deserved break, so you still get some sunlight on a busy day. In the “winter garden” balcony on level 9, you can even sit and work on your laptop while enjoying the fresh air and birds chirping.
If you really need to focus on your reading or writing (or programming), the UTS Reading Room is not only a silent study space but also a beautiful one with its architecture and decorations.
Image 7: UTS Reading Room
Yorumlar