Sydney is living proof that history doesn't need to be boring. 

Uncover this vibrant city's fascinating past and see for yourself. In the 200-plus years since white settlement it's experienced glory and gore, plagues, punishment and pleasures. 
There are ghosts too (we're told!) and there are fascinating things to learn. Check the Fun Fact highlighted in red at the end of each entry for the ideal piece of trivia to tweet and email, or drop into your next conversation

Using this guide you'll go from the heights of an Eiffel Tower lookalike to the depths of an ancient watercourse flowing under the city. You'll find out how you can dine in a horse-drawn carriage, rub a pig's snout for luck, or down a pint in this town's oldest pub.

Hardly anything is what it seems in Sydney. The Town Hall was once a cemetery, an air raid shelter was built in the basement of a city hotel during World War II, and a grand house helped save the life of Queen Victoria's son after an assassination attempt.  

Convicts, saints, stars and colonists - this city has it all. And more. Whether you're a local or a tourist, you'll be amazed what you can unearth here.

  Sydney's Living History, iPhone and iPad app, $4.49, by Sally Hammond, 130 entries, 900 images - available on iTunes App Store. For Android phones and tablets.....

Take it everywhere you go in Sydney and prepare to be amazed! Use the maps to find what is near you. Sort by categories. Find transport links to make getting there easier. And baffle your friends with the Fun Fact at the end of each entry (hint - great to drop into a conversation or put on a postcard or email along with your own pic!).

About the author:

Sally Hammond loves Sydney and she wants everyone to know why.

Sally has lived in this city for over thirty years and for much of that time, as a fulltime food and travel writer, she has written about it, driven around its streets and suburbs, and enjoyed the fantastic things it has to offer.

She has written many guidebooks about different aspects of this city - ranging from dining to schools and bargain shopping. In 2011 she and her husband Gordon released the popular Sydney Café Culture application with Sutro, now covering over 330 cafes.

However it was only while preparing this application that she gained a fixation with brass plaques! 

"This city is well marked for visitors interested in learning what lies beneath their feet and behind the facade of those stately old buildings," she says. "I just hope that people using this application have as much fun with it as I did when researching."

Has Sally missed anything? What is your favourite historical place in Sydney?