Hi
Can anyone refer an agency through which I can book a babysitter. I need someone to watch my 8 year old while the rest of us do the bridge climb for a few hours on December 27th. The hotel offered to make arrangements...at A$87.50 for 4.5 hours! That seems kind of steep to me. Any opinions on this would be appreciated.
Thanks

There is a very well known and long established agency in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney (which would also cover the CBD) called Dial An Angel
www.dialanangel.com.
I am sure they would be able to help you, or if not, could recommend someone for you. However, I would be prepared for somewhat excessive rates at that time of the year. Hopefully not as high as $87.50 though.

Perhaps the YMCA, YWCA or a similar drop-in centre could provide a day camp (or half day camp) type experience for your 8 year old.

For example, although this was applicable to the October 2004 school holidays, the YWCA offered a "Sydney Holiday Adventure Program" for 5 - 12 year olds in the Central Business District.

The program supposedly included excursions and activities such as bush walking in Cumberland State Forest, Manly Rocket express cruise, Clovelly beach picnic and a trail around the Botanical Gardens. It ran from 8 am to 6 pm. Cost was A$40 per day less CCB [Child Care Benefit -- which I do not believe would be applicable to you]. Cost included all activities and excursions. Based at Phillip Park Recreation Centre, Yurong Parkway, Darlinghurst (off William St). Enquiries and bookings : 9285 6211.

To call that number from North American you would dial

Overseas Code + Country Code + Area Code + Local Number,

in other words

011-61-2-9285-6211

I got that from this website:

http://www.sydneyschild.com.au/going_places.asp#10

A$87.50 does sound expensive, but I bet if you called an equivalent hotel in your own city and asked them to arrange one-time child care it would not be cheap either.

Anyway A$40 for a whole day sounds better than A$87.50 for half a day, and a camp type program would keep your child occupied in a really meaningful way.

Just a thought.

Thanks for the advice. I will look into both options. Even though I am American, I live in Beijing where 87.50 gets me two weeks full time live in help! I am prepared to pay what it costs for babysitting services, but just wanted to put feelers out to what was the norm. Again, thanks for great links to check .

Bchen, as you've discovered, Sydney is NOT Beijing (and hopefully won't be any time soon). AU$20 per hour is certainly more than a Sydney householder would pay a high school kid to babysit, but presumably the hotel is engaging checked-out adults, and the agency's and hotel's margins are being added in. Australians at the lower end of the wage scale tend to get a better shake than their American counterparts - a waiter, e.g., typically would be paid $12-15 an hour (tipping is thus not expected). Under the circumstances $87.50 doesn't sound too bad to me, but Judy's alternative sounds a good one if you can swing it -it would certainly beat watching TV.

Unfortunately, the Y has nothing for that entire week!And dialanangle does on going childminding, not one off services. I guess the simplest thing to do is use the hotel's service.

Thanks for the info.
Barbara

Barbara,
I am sorry you had no joy with either Dial An Angel or the Y - it is a pity I live 4 hours from Sydney or I would do it for you myself!
I am sure the Hotel will provide someone very suitable - it is just unfortunate it is the most expensive time of the year.