Sydney

Sydney was a city in the country of Australia on planet Earth. The city served as the primary headquarters of the Unified Earth Government. Notably, Sydney is host to the UNSC's headquarters, a massive base called HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6. The base, nicknamed "the Hive", stretched three kilometers underneath the surface. It is where members of the UNSC Security Council discussed matters concerning the safety of the UNSC, Earth, and its colonies.

Sydney was also the location of the Sydney Synthetic Intellect Institute, or "Double S.I.". SSII worked on the creation of AI constructs, theorizing new approaches and calculating the details necessary for the creation of the AI.

Locations

 * UNSC HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6
 * Sydney Synthetic Intellect Institute
 * Sydney Central Bank
 * Wheatley University
 * The Parthenon
 * Sydney Harbour
 * Mark Donaldson Way
 * Sydney University

History
By the 26th century, Sydney's distinctive landmark, the Sydney Opera House, still stands in the Sydney Harbour.

Human-Covenant war
Before the Battle of Cleveland during the Battle for Earth in 2552, Sydney, along with rest of the Australia, were heavily devastated by Covenant forces due to its importance in the UNSC's war effort. By January 26, 2553—Australia Day—only one flagpole remained standing in Sydney Harbour. However, the Bravo-6 Facility sustained no damage whatsoever.

Created conflict
Much of the city was rebuilt by 2558, and as such was considered a "core" city for Earth. The Sydney skyline was often populated by civilian transports ferrying goods from ships in orbit and F-41 Broadsword patrols, with the frigate standing guard in the lower atmosphere above Sydney. In October 2558, the Created sent a Guardian to neutralize forces opposing the newly established empire's rule. When the Guardian arrived over Sydney, the Plateau and the patrolling Broadswords engaged the massive construct, though the fighters were easily destroyed and the frigate's armaments proved ineffective. The Guardian proceeded to release an electromagnetic pulse across the city, disabling the Plateau and sending the frigate falling towards Sydney. If the Plateau's engine core detonated upon impact, Sydney would have been destroyed. Only a handful of individuals, including Terrence Hood and Serin Osman, escaped Sydney.

Luckily the frigate crashed without detonating its engine, so the city survived but not for long. Between October 2558 and December 2559, Cortana called on Lord Hood to submit to her enforcement of peace across the galaxy. When Hood refused her, she responded by attacking Sydney with a Guardian, resulting in the total destruction of the city.

The city would in some form survive, as a UNSC copyright was registered in the city circa 2560.

Economy
It was also home to an AMG Transport Dynamics facility.

List of appearances

 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * Halo: Initiation
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo: Mortal Dictata
 * Halo: Hunters in the Dark
 * Halo: Fractures
 * Rossbach's World
 * Halo: Smoke and Shadow
 * Halo Infinite