Biking

The best place to cycle in Sydney is Centennial Park. Rent bikes from Centennial Park Cycles, 50 Clovelly Rd., Randwick (tel. 02/9398 5027), which is 200m (656 ft.) from the Musgrave Avenue entrance. (The park has five main entrances.) Mountain bikes cost A$12 (US$9.60/UK£4.80) for the first hour, A$17 (US$14/UK£7) for 2 hours, A$22 (US$18/UK£9) for 4 hours, and A$40 (US$32/UK£16) for a full day. Longer rental works out cheaper.

Bonza Bike Tours (tel. 02/9331 1127) runs regular bike tours of the city, and also hires out bikes. A half-day city tour costs A$60 (US$48/UK£24) for adults and A$45 (US$36/UK£18) for kids, and includes a bike and helmet. They also offer tours of Manly, and another which takes you across Sydney Harbour Bridge. Bike hire alone costs A$55 (US$44/UK£22) a day and A$49 (US$39/UK£20) a half-day, plus a A$20 (US$16/UK£8) delivery fee.

Fitness Clubs

The City Gym, 107 Crown St., East Sydney (tel. 02/9360 6247), is a busy 24-hour gym near Kings Cross. Drop-in visits are A$10 (US$8/UK£4).

Golf

Sydney has over 90 golf courses and plenty of fine weather. The 18-hole championship course at Moore Park Golf Club, Cleveland Street and Anzac Parade, Waterloo (tel. 02/9663 1064), is the nearest to the city. Greens fees are A$40 (US$32/UK£16) Monday through Friday, and A$45 (US$22/UK£27) Saturday and Sunday.

For general information on courses, call the New South Wales Golf Association (tel. 02/9264 8433).

In-Line Skating

The best places to skate are along the beachside promenades at Bondi and Manly beaches and in Centennial Park. Manly Blades, 49 N. Steyne (tel. 02/9976 3833), rents skates for A$15 (US$12/UK£6) for 1 hour, A$20 (US$16/UK£8) for 2 hours, A$25 (US$20/UK£10) overnight, and A$30 (US$24/UK£15) for 24 hours. It also hires bicycles and skateboards. Lessons are A$30 (US$24/UK£15), including 1-hour skate rental and a half-hour lesson. Total Skate, 36 Oxford St., Paddington, near Centennial Park (tel. 02/9380 6356), rents skates for A$10 (US$8/UK£4) for the first hour, A$5 (US$4/UK£2) for subsequent hours, and A$30 (US$24/UK£12) for 24 hours. Ask about a free lesson.

Jogging

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Centennial Park, and any beach are the best places to kick-start your body. You can also run across the Harbour Bridge, though you'll have to put up with the car fumes. Another popular spot is along the sea cliffs from Bondi Beach to Bronte Beach.

Scuba Diving

Plenty of people learn to dive in Sydney before taking off for the Barrier Reef. Don't expect coral reefs, though. Pro Dive, 27 Alfreda St., Coogee (tel. 1800 820 820 in Australia, or 02/9255 0300), offers a 4-day learn-to-dive program (Mon-Thurs, or over two weekends) costing A$295 (US$236/UK£118), which includes four ocean dives.

Seaplane

Surfing

Bondi Beach and Tamarama are the best surf beaches on the south side of Sydney Harbour. Manly, Narrabeen, Bilgola, Collaroy, Long Reef, and Palm beaches are the most popular on the north side. Most beach suburbs have surf shops where you can rent a board. At Bondi Beach, Lets Go Surfing, 128 Ramsgate Ave. (tel. 02/9365 1800), rents surfboards for A$25 (US$20/UK£10) for 2 hours or A$40 (US$32/UK£16) all day. There are discounts for all-week hire and you can also hire wet suits. The company also offers a range of surfing lessons, both in a group and individually. A 2-hour session in a small group costs between A$69 and A$75 (US$55-US$60/UK£27-UK£30), and three 2-hour sessions cost between A$165 and A$175 (US$132-US$140/UK£66-UK£70). In Manly, Aloha Surf, 44 Pittwater Rd. (tel. 02/9976 3732), rents surfboards. Manly Surf School (tel. 02/9977 6977) offers 2-hour small-group surf classes for A$50 (US$40/UK£20). The more lessons you take the cheaper each one turns out. Private lessons cost A$80 (US$64/UK£32) per hour.

If you've always fancied learning to surf, then head for Waves Surf School (tel. 1800/851 101 in Australia, or 02/9369 3010). It takes budding surfers on 1-day trips from Sydney to the Royal National Park. Trips cost A$75 (US$60/UK£30), including equipment and lunch. If you're young enough to spend the night in a "double-decker party bus," then you might consider a 2-day surfing trip to Seal Rocks, north of Sydney, for A$199 (US$160/UK£80). The company also takes adventurous travelers on a 4-day surfing trip from Sydney to Byron Bay for A$439 (US$351/UK£175).

Swimming

If you don't mind the trek to get there, the best place to swim indoors in Sydney is the Sydney Aquatic Centre, at Olympic Park, Homebush Bay (tel. 02/9752 3666). It's open Monday through Friday from 5am to 9:45pm, and Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays from 6am to 7:45pm (6:45pm May-Oct), and charges A$5.80 (US$4.60/UK£2.30) adults, A$4.60 (US$3.70/UK£1.80) children 4 to 15, A$19 (US$15/UK£7.50) families.

The most central of Sydney's pools is Cook and Phillip Park, 4 College St., at William Street (tel. 02/9326 0444). The center has three pools: one for serious swimmers, another with a wave machine, and a hydrotherapy pool with easy ramp access and bubble jets. Entry is A$5.80 (US$4.60/UK£2.30) for adults and A$4.20 (US$3.40/UK£1.70) for kids. To find it, walk to the cathedral across Hyde Park, and continue for a couple of minutes along the dark paved area outside the cathedral's front entrance (keeping Hyde Park on your right). Look for signs directing you down some stairs to the entrance. It's open daily from 6am to 10pm.

Another good pool is the Andrew (Boy) Charlton Swimming Pool, The Domain, Mrs. Macquaries Road, near the Royal Botanical Gardens (tel. 02/9358 6686). From this heated outdoor pool there are fabulous views across Sydney Harbour. There's also a learner's pool and a toddler's pool. Entry is A$5.20 (US$4/UK£2.60) for adults and A$3.60 (US$2.90/UK£1.80) for kids. It's open from 6am to 7pm daily.

Across the Harbour Bridge, near Luna Park, is the North Sydney Olympic Pool, Alfred South Street, Milsons Point (tel. 02/9955 2309). You can refresh yourself in this outdoor pool after a walk over the bridge. Entry costs A$3.50 (US$2.80/UK£1.40) for adults and A$1.65 (US$1.30/UK65p) for children. There's a separate indoor pool, too. It's open from 5:30am to 9pm Monday to Friday, and 7am to 7pm on weekends.

The Bondi Icebergs Club, 1 Notts Ave. (tel. 02/9130 4804), at Bondi Beach, on the rocks to the right of the beach as you look at the sea, has an Olympic-size pool and a children's pool. Entrance costs A$4 (US$3.20/UK£1.60) for adults and A$2.50 (US$2/UK£1.25) for kids, and includes a sauna. It's open from 6am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 6:30am to 6:30pm on weekends.

Tennis

There are hundreds of places around the city to play one of Australia's most popular sports. A nice spot is the Miller's Point Tennis Court, Kent Street, The Rocks (tel. 02/9256 2222). It's run by the Observatory Hotel and is open daily from 7:30am to 10pm. The court costs A$20 (US$16/UK£8) per hour. Racket hire is A$5 (US$4/UK£2.50) per hour. The North Sydney Tennis Centre, 1A Little Alfred St., North Sydney (tel. 02/9371 9952), has three courts available daily from 6am to 10pm. They cost A$18 (US$14/UK£7) until 5pm on weekdays and A$22 (US$18/UK£9) at other times.

Yachting

Sydney by Sail (tel. 02/9280 1110) offers sailing courses on Sydney Harbour. A skippered, 3-hour sail costs A$130 (US$104/UK£52) for adults and A$65 (US$52/UK£26) for kids.