Sydney has a unique natural history, providing a home for iconic animals and plants while remaining a global city. The city captured the imagination of prominent naturalists and inspired visits and collecting trips to the infant colony of New South Wales in the late 1790s and early to late 1800s. From these collections flowed great descriptive works detailing the new and unusual animals and plants of the antipodes. Throughout Sydney, there are still places where the natural habitat has not been supplanted by urban growth, and the interest in Sydney's endemic flora and fauna remains strong. The Natural History of Sydney reflects a resurgence in interest in local history and pursues the natural history of our harbour-side city in a modern framework.