Once in Coogee you can admire the Australian coastline by following it all the way back to Sydney's famous Bondi Beach .

CNN: 24 hours in Sydney: Cocktails, scenic walks ... and sharks?

For serious laps, try the North Sydney Olympic Pool (next to the Sydney Harbour Bridge) or for a lazier affair have a massage at Wylies Bath in Coogee.

CNN: 24 hours in Sydney: Cocktails, scenic walks ... and sharks?

Australian Impressionists like Tom Roberts and Frederick McCubbin, worked en plein air to depict the lovely coastal landscapes of Sydney's Coogee, Melbourne's Brighton and their de rigueur tableaus of primly dressed beach goers.

BBC: Shore thing: Australia��s beach obsession