The Sydney Visitor Centre at the international airport terminal (daily 5am until last arrival; tel 9667 6050), offers the most comprehensive tourist information service. Staff can arrange car rental and onward travel - it's licensed to sell train and bus tickets - and book hotels (but not hostels) anywhere in Sydney and New South Wales free of charge. The accommodation bookings here are at stand-by rates, so it's possible to get a good deal. Most hostels advertise on an adjacent notice board; there's a free phone line for reservations.

The main central tourist office is the Sydney Visitor Centre in The Rocks at 106 George St near Circular Quay (daily 9am-6pm; tel 9255 1788, www.sydneyvisitor.com ), offering a similar range of free literature; they have a self-service budget accommodation booking board with free phones directly linked to the listed hotels. Otherwise tourist information is supplied by the Darling Harbour Visitor Information Centre (daily 9.30am-5.30pm; tel 9281 0788, www.darlingharbour.com.au ), next to the IMAX cinema; the three green-coloured City Host information kiosks at Circular Quay, Martin Place and Town Hall (all daily 9am-5pm; no phone); and the Manly Visitor Information Centre (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm; tel 9977 1088, www.manly.nsw.gov.au ), by the ocean beach on South Steyne.

For information on Sydney Harbour National Park, the series of bush-covered foreshore lands and islands around the harbour, and other national parks around Sydney, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) have an information centre and bookshop at Cadman's Cottage, 110 George St, The Rocks (daily 9am-5pm; tel 9247 8861, www.npws.nsw.gov.au ).