Charley - the Southern Cross is getting harder & harder to see in Sydney's atmosphere. The faintest star has not been see for years, & the others are getting harder to see.

from the Sydney Observatory site -
Nov 2007 night sky podcast

Other things to look for in the dark night sky include the two Pointer stars, Alpha and Beta Centauri, pointing at the Southern Cross or Crux Australis. This is the worst time of the year to see Crux Australis, but looking almost due south you'll see it upside down in a clear dark sky - still very rewarding. A small telescope will also see, just underneath the cross-bar, the bright collection of stars known as the Jewel Box.