Six months after it began supplying water to up to 1.5 million Sydneysiders, Sydney’s desalination plant has passed all of its performance tests and is operating at full capacity, the government says.

The plant at Kurnell, in Sydney’s southern suburbs, supplies 15 per cent of Sydney’s water needs.

The New South Wales government has called for bids for a project to improve pedestrian safety in the area around the Sydney Opera House.

There is an accident almost every day at the venue, which is visited by 7.4 million people annually.

Many accidents involve tourists being hit by vehicles in the building’s forecourt. More than 1,000 vehicles a week pass over the forecourt, which is a popular spot for pictures of Australia’s most iconic building and of the Sydney harbour, and a venue for outdoor concerts.

A substation fault has left 50,000 homes and businesses in north-west Sydney without power and is causing chaos on roads.

The fault at a Transgrid substation at Dural interrupted electricity supply to the main grid, causing a widespread blackout around 5:00am (AEST). More >

Sydney has shivered through its coldest June day in 27 years, with the mercury plummeting to 4.7 degrees in the city.

Not since 1983 has a colder June temperature been recorded, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said on Tuesday.

It was also the coldest day of any month since 2007.

A 32-year-old man has been charged after two police cars were hit during a pursuit on Sydney’s north shore last night.

Police say they were called to a house in St Leonards about 10:30pm (AEST) after reports of a break and enter.

THE Sydney Film Festival has closed with box office takings up 15 per cent on last year, and session attendances up by 20 per cent, according to chief executive Leigh Small.

Of the 230 sessions, she said 66 were sold out. Canadian film Heartbeats won the $60,000 Sydney Film Prize.

For the second year running, Sydney is celebrating the approach of winter with Vivid Sydney, a festival of light, music, and ideas. Brian Eno organized last year’s Vivid Live program and this year husband and wife team Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed have taken the curatorial helm. Anderson’s performance Music for Dogs and Reed’s noise band Metal Machine Trio are among the highlights, but the project that has wowed the crowd is Anderson’s lighting of the sails of the Sydney Opera House.

A PROTEST at Sydney Town Hall last night closed down a central city block during peak hour, with thousands marching to condemn the Israeli attacks on the Gaza flotilla.

The protest, organised by Australians for Palestine, had been timed for the planned arrival of the humanitarian flotilla in Gaza, but became a rallying point for people angry about Israeli actions. The organisers estimated more than 4000 attended.

A court in Australia has sentenced a 21-year-old man to 19 years in prison for his part in attacking Corkman David Keohane in Sydney in August 2008.

Thomas Issako from Bankstown, Sydney, pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Keohane in the assault in the Coogee area of the city. He was told he will serve at least 14 years in prison.

A German exchange student was saved from a vicious attack in Sydney by a group of ninjas dressed in black.

Three men initially approached the 27-year-old medical student while he was on a train and demanded he hand over his wallet, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.