Gumleaf
July 11th, 2008, 07:33 PM
07:25 AEST Sat Jul 12 2008
As thousands of young Catholics continue to arrive in Sydney ahead of World Youth Day (WYD), Pope Benedict XVI is leaving Rome on Saturday bound for the harbour city and his first visit to Australia as the head of the Catholic church.
The event is forecast to draw more than 180,000 visitors from outside NSW and road closures have been put in place, including that of the Hickson Road near Darling Harbour.
Part of College Street became a special event clearway on Friday and will remain so the next nine days.
Road closures will total 300 over the next few days, making central Sydney a virtual no-go zone for motorists.
Most streets in the city centre will become clearways all next week and many roads will be closed, especially on Thursday, when an expected 500,000 people will flock to the city for the official welcome of the Pope.
Not surprisingly, the NSW government is urging people to leave their cars at home if possible and use public transport to get around the city next week.
Pope Benedict arrives at Richmond RAAF base at 3pm (AEST) on Sunday and the 81-year-old is expected to spend the rest of the day resting.
A crowd of 150,000 is expected at Darling Harbour on Tuesday for the opening mass celebrated by Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell from 4.30pm.
A highlight of WYD will be the Stations of the Cross re-enactment on Friday, for which rehearsals will continue this weekend following Friday's first dress rehearsal at Barangaroo.
The pilgrimage walk and overnight vigil at Randwick takes place on Saturday, July 19, and the Youth Day Mass the next day.
The Pope leaves Australia on Monday, July 21.
As thousands of young Catholics continue to arrive in Sydney ahead of World Youth Day (WYD), Pope Benedict XVI is leaving Rome on Saturday bound for the harbour city and his first visit to Australia as the head of the Catholic church.
The event is forecast to draw more than 180,000 visitors from outside NSW and road closures have been put in place, including that of the Hickson Road near Darling Harbour.
Part of College Street became a special event clearway on Friday and will remain so the next nine days.
Road closures will total 300 over the next few days, making central Sydney a virtual no-go zone for motorists.
Most streets in the city centre will become clearways all next week and many roads will be closed, especially on Thursday, when an expected 500,000 people will flock to the city for the official welcome of the Pope.
Not surprisingly, the NSW government is urging people to leave their cars at home if possible and use public transport to get around the city next week.
Pope Benedict arrives at Richmond RAAF base at 3pm (AEST) on Sunday and the 81-year-old is expected to spend the rest of the day resting.
A crowd of 150,000 is expected at Darling Harbour on Tuesday for the opening mass celebrated by Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell from 4.30pm.
A highlight of WYD will be the Stations of the Cross re-enactment on Friday, for which rehearsals will continue this weekend following Friday's first dress rehearsal at Barangaroo.
The pilgrimage walk and overnight vigil at Randwick takes place on Saturday, July 19, and the Youth Day Mass the next day.
The Pope leaves Australia on Monday, July 21.