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Australian National Maritime Museum -
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Sydney, the capital of the state of New South Wales and the host for the 2000 Olympic Summer Games, is located on the south-eastern seaboard of Australia, centred on Port Jackson.
It is Australia's main sea port and airport hub for trade and tourism and boasts on of the world's most spectacular natural harbours, the starting point for the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race. The harbour is dominated by the downtown city area and the futuristically designed Sydney Opera House on the southern shore, with the 503 metre main span soaring 134 metres above the water. The Sydney metropolitan area covers an area of 12,407 square kilometres and has a population of 3.8 million. The ports of Newcastle to the north and Wollongong to the south are the other main cities in New South Wales. Sydney is the centre for a booming mining industry in the state's interior and the country's largest and most diverse agricultural sector and is a major tourism centre in its own right. Some of New South Wales's most breathtaking tourist destinations are only a short distance from Sydney. The Blue Mountains, just one hours drive from the city, is a region of awe-inspiring scenery. Also, just an hours drive from Sydney, the Hunter Valley region is one of Australia's premier wine producing districts. The close proximity of many award winning wineries make a day of wine tasting a pleasant diversion. Sydney is known around the world for its beaches. An average of 240 days of sunshine combined with crystal clear water and golden sand create the perfect environment for surfing or just a refreshing dip. Australia's most famous beach, at Bondi, attracts more than 50,000 people on a hot summer's day. Sydney is the centre of the nation's financial and business world with the Australian Stock Exchange and Sydney Futures Exchange as well as regional headquarters for the South East Asian area for a number of multinational corporations.
Situated on the water's edge in Sydney's major tourism and recreational precinct of Darling Harbour is the National Maritime Museum which will play host to the BT Global Challenge yachts when competitors arrive in Sydney in February 1997. The public will be able to view the yachts during the Sydney stopover.
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