Heritage

Sydney Tower Eye

#7of 10 places to visit in SydneySydney, New South Wales, Australia

Also known as AMP Tower · Centrepoint Tower

Quick answer

Opening hours: 11:00–19:00, last entry 18:00. Entry: A$29. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: Late afternoon into dusk.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Chris Olszewski / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Opening hours: 11:00–19:00
Entry fee: A$29; Ticket from
Time needed: 1.5 hrs
Best time of day: Late afternoon into dusk
Best months: Mar – May, Sep – Nov
Address: 100 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

About Sydney Tower Eye

Sydney Tower Eye stands 309 metres tall on Market Street, making it the tallest freestanding structure in Sydney and the second-tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere. Completed in 1981 after a construction period beginning in 1970, the tower's golden turret sits atop nine interlocking cylindrical tubes housing lifts, stairs, and services, a design intended to withstand Sydney's wind loads and occasional seismic activity better than a single core. The observation deck sits at 250 metres, reached by a 40-second lift ride, and offers 360-degree views extending on a clear day to the Blue Mountains roughly 100 kilometres west. The tower has traded names over its history — built as the Sydney Tower, rebranded AMP Tower and later Centrepoint Tower under different owners and sponsors — before its current Sydney Tower Eye identity was adopted after Merlin Entertainments took over operations.

Best time of day: Late afternoon into dusk. To see the city in daylight and stay for the lights coming on at sunset from the observation deck.

Sydney Tower Eye timings

Sydney Tower Eye opens at 11:00 and closes at 19:00. Those hours hold on Saturday and Sunday too.

Opening hours: 11:00–19:00; Mon–Sun 11:00–19:00
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	11:00–19:00

Good to know: Extended hours around school holidays and major events; check the official site before visiting, as hours vary by season

Opening hours compiled from sydneytowereye.com.au and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Sydney Tower Eye ticket price

Entry fees for Sydney Tower Eye
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	A$29
Concession (student / senior)	A$25
Children	A$20

Adult general admission ranges roughly $29–$39 AUD depending on booking timing and day, with up to 25% savings for booking online at least a day ahead on weekdays outside school holidays. SKYWALK, the outdoor guided platform experience, starts around $84 AUD and is a separate, additional-cost activity requiring a minimum of two people. Infants aged 0–1 enter free. As of 2026, verify current tiered pricing at sydneytowereye.com.au.

Prices compiled from sydneytowereye.com.au and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Sydney Tower Eye

Quiet
Moderate
Busy

11:00 – 13:00
Late Morning OpeningBest time to go
First entries of the day; observation deck uncrowded, good visibility in clear conditions.
Quiet
13:00 – 16:00
Afternoon
Steady flow of independent travellers and school groups during holiday periods.
Moderate
16:00 – 18:00
Pre-Sunset Peak
Visitors timing arrival for sunset views fill the deck; last entry at 18:00 concentrates the day's latest arrivals.
Busy
18:00 – 19:00
Evening Closing Window
City lights viewing after dark; numbers thin as the venue approaches closing.
Moderate

History of Sydney Tower Eye

Planning for a Sydney landmark tower began in the late 1960s as part of a redevelopment of the Centrepoint retail complex on Market and Pitt Streets, with construction of the tower itself running from 1970 to 1981 — an unusually long build reflecting funding delays and design revisions through the 1970s. The tower officially opened to the public in 1981, immediately becoming the tallest structure in the city and a fixture of the skyline from almost every vantage point in central Sydney.

Ownership and naming rights changed hands multiple times in the following decades; AMP Limited's sponsorship gave the tower its AMP Tower name through the 1990s, and it was known as Centrepoint Tower for periods either side of that. Merlin Entertainments, the operator behind SEA LIFE and Madame Tussauds globally, took over the attraction in the 2010s and introduced the SKYWALK outdoor platform experience along with the current Sydney Tower Eye branding and 4D cinema addition at the base.

Rules & etiquette at Sydney Tower Eye

Sydney Tower Eye operates as a fully cashless venue; only card and digital payments are accepted at all points of sale, including the gift shop and café. Airport-style security screening, including bag checks, applies at the ticketed entrance before the lift lobby, a standard precaution for a structure of the tower's height and prominence.

SKYWALK participants must wear a supplied jumpsuit and safety harness and pass a basic health and mobility declaration; personal cameras and phones are not permitted on the platform, though photos are taken by guides and sold afterward. Tripods and large camera bags are discouraged on the standard observation deck during busy periods, since the walkway around the glass perimeter is narrow and shared.

Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult throughout the venue; infants aged 0–1 are admitted free but still require a ticket to be issued for entry tracking.

Tips for visiting Sydney Tower Eye

1
Book online at least a day in advance on a weekday outside school holidays for the largest discount off the standard adult rate, which can save up to 25% compared with walk-up gate pricing. Combo tickets bundling Sydney Tower Eye with other Merlin attractions, including SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo at Darling Harbour, are usually cheaper than buying each separately.
2
The observation deck's digital photo pass, included in general admission, captures a photo against a green screen composited with a tower backdrop — useful for a keepsake but not a substitute for photos taken through the deck's own windows. Late-afternoon entry timed for sunset delivers both daylight and night skyline views within a single visit before last entry at 18:00.
3
SKYWALK requires a minimum of two participants to run and books out during peak tourist season; if travelling solo, check availability well ahead or expect to wait for another pair or group to join. The 4D cinema experience at the tower's base is included in some ticket types and makes a reasonable weather-contingency activity if cloud cover limits the observation deck's views on the day.

How to reach Sydney Tower Eye

The red star is Sydney Tower Eye; the numbered pins are the 8 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

100 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000, AustraliaDirections in Google Maps

From St James railway station
0.4 km · 5 min walk
Free (on foot)
From Town Hall railway station
0.5 km · 6–8 min walk
Free (on foot)
From Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD)
9 km · 20 min train + 5 min walk
$19.20 AUD Opal fare

Nearest airport

From Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD)

9 km, approximately 20–25 minutes by taxi or train via Town Hall or St James.

Nearest station

From St James or Town Hall railway station

both approximately 400 m, a 5-minute walk to the Westfield Sydney entrance.

Sydney Tower Eye FAQs

How much does it cost to go up Sydney Tower Eye?

General admission ranges roughly $29–$39 AUD for adults depending on booking timing, with the biggest discount for booking online at least a day ahead on a non-holiday weekday, as of 2026. Concession and child rates are lower; verify current tiers at the official site.

How tall is Sydney Tower Eye?

The tower stands 309 metres tall, making it the tallest freestanding structure in Sydney. The observation deck itself sits at 250 metres.

What is SKYWALK at Sydney Tower Eye?

SKYWALK is a guided 60-minute outdoor platform experience around the tower's exterior, priced separately from general admission at roughly $84 AUD and up. It requires a minimum of two participants and a safety harness.

When was Sydney Tower Eye built?

Construction ran from 1970 to 1981, when the tower opened to the public. It has operated under several names, including AMP Tower and Centrepoint Tower, before adopting its current Sydney Tower Eye branding.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places