Surrounding Australia's stunning gateway city, Sydney Harbour National Landscape unfoldsfrom spectacular waterways at every turn. Iconic native wildlife, ancient bushland, rich marine life and intriguing heritage lie just minutes from a vibrant modern city. This bewitching natural environment stretches along the New South Wales coast from Barrenjoey Headland in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, through Sydney Harbour National Park, west to Parramatta Park and south to Royal National Park. It takes in Port Jackson, Botany Bay, Port Hacking and the rivers and inlets of the Parramatta, Lane Cove, Hawkesbury and Georges Rivers.

Nature trails, picnic areas and superb swimming spots are enhanced by ancient Aboriginal sites, stories of the Dreamtime and convict sites that provide a glimpse into the life of early European settlers.

AN EXTRAORDINARY LIVING HARBOUR

Port Jackson, the natural harbourof Sydney and Australia's most iconic estuarine system, was formed by the flooding of an ancient river valley Beneath the bustling water traffic lives an incredible wealth of marine life - including morethan 580 fish species, migrating whales, dolphinsand kelp forests with seahorsesand sea dragons.

Discover Sydney's very own population of little penguins. You may be luckyto catch a glimpse of the world's smallest penguins near their nesting grounds, but the best place is Penguin Cove at Manly Sea Life Sanctuary. Go fora summerswim at Nielsen Park or Clifton Gardens to spot a sea horse or two. Take a winter stroll along a headland naturetrailfora chancetosee humpbackorsouthern right whales. Get up close to marine life on a snorkelling or diving adventure at Clovelly or the water surrounding Bare Island - look out for the blue groper! Kayaking is a great way to explore the landscape; head to the Ramsar-listed wetlands of Towra Point Aquatic Reserve in Botany Bay or try Pittwater, Lane Cove or Middle Harbourforsecluded bays, beaches and rivers.

SIGHTS AND SMELLS OF TH E BUSH

Protecting morethan 35,000 hectares of bushland, much of it national park, this landscape offers easy access to Australia's unique plants and animals. Towering eucalypts with their distinctive Australian scent are everywhere. Flowering waratahs, banksias, bottlebrushes, grevilleas, wattles and tea trees are magnets to native birds, butterflies, possums and flyingfoxes.

THE LONG-NOSED BANDICOOT

The long-nosed bandicoot is a small grey-brown nocturnal marsupial that forages at night and sleeps by day in nests madefrom plant materials. Its very long nose has adapted for digging insects and small invertebrate prey leaving small snout shaped holes behind. Young are born after a pregnancy of about 12 days, one of the shortest known of any mammal. This small creature was once abundant around Sydney but rapid urban development has reduced the dense vegetation availableforshelterand introduced newthreatsto survival such as cars, cats and dogs.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and North Head landowners work closely togetherto secure the future of North Head's endangered population, which now stands at around 110 individuals.

Morethan 300 bird species includingthe lyrebird andyellow- tailed black cockatoo have been sighted in Royal National Park. Manly's North Head conserves morethan 450 plant species including rare and endangered communities such as the Camfields stringybarkand eastern suburbs banksia scrub. Here, you'll see a wealth of seabirds including albatross, and it's also an important habitat for an endangered population of the long- nosed bandicoot.