New Zealanders caught up in the area where a hostage drama is unfolding in central Sydney have spoken about their experiences.
Dozens of people are reportedly being held in an armed siege in a cafe in Sydney where an extremist flag is being held up in a window.
Aucklander Matthew Dale, 21, works in a restaurant on Bligh Street, near Martin Place, and was walking to start his shift when he came across the cordon.
He was standing in a crowd of about 200 people when he spoke to NZME. News Service.
"I can see a lot of armed police, dressed in black who look like the Armed Offenders Squad in New Zealand. There are detectives, too, in suits."
He said sirens were ringing out constantly as more police and officials arrived at the scene in Martin Place.
The atmosphere was tense and people were talking about the reports of an explosive device being inside the building, he said.
"I'm right outside the New South Wales Government Building, which is concerning. It is a little bit scary."
He said he hadn't be told to evacuate the area, but didn't expect many customers would be coming to the restaurant today.
A Christchurch woman working two streets away from the cafe said her own building was in lock down and the area is "like a war zone".
Casey Harrison, who has lived in Sydney for the last four years and who works at Deloitte on George St, said a voice came over the loud speaker telling workers their whole building was in lock down and they were not allowed in or out.
"I'm two streets away [in a] 26-floor building. Looking down at the street is like a war zone, no one on the streets anymore, no cars, people are trying to get out as quick as possible."
All trains and buses had been halted and the opera house locked down too, as well as other buildings, she said.
"What we've also been told is they might shut down all phone networks to stop communication.
"At the moment [we've] been told to sit still and wait for the next instructions. I guess everyone's listening live on the comps [computers] - a lot got out early today - we can't go anywhere - on our floor there is least 1000. I honestly just want to go home. I am frightened, a lot of people are. There's a lot of mixed emotions, a lot of people think it might be a bit of an over-reaction."
Ms Harrison said public transport had been halted and she had no way of getting home.
Two other New Zealanders in Sydney on business are just 20 metres away from the captive coffee shop.
Mum-of-two Kate Alexander and father-of-three Karna Luke are holed up in a building on Hunter St.
They had just walked from their central city hotel to a scheduled 11am meeting, walking past the Lindt coffee shop, when they commented how quiet it was for a Monday morning.
When they arrived at the building their meeting was, the doors were locked.
Security staff let them in and it was only then they were told of the armed siege underway just metres away.
"We're in lockdown. The police are evacuating building by building. When they get to us they will take us to a particular safe area," said Mrs Alexander, 44.
She can see a bomb squad, four fire enginges, about 15 firemen, and what she described as 'SWAT' teams.
"It's just gone extremely quiet," she said.
"The mood is very cautious, very quiet, people are very worried, I have to be honest.
"I'm ok... I'd obviously like it to be over, we're all a bit anxious. The way they have handled it does give us confidence though."
Arden Macdonald was staying in a hotel down the road from the scene of the siege and came across the cordon as it began.
The Virgin Australia cabin crew member is based in New Zealand but spent a couple of layover nights in Sydney.
Speaking from the cordon at the corner of Martin Place and Castlereagh St, he said the centre of Sydney's CBD was eerily quiet.
"Everyone's silent, if they're talking to each other they're whispering. You could hear a pin drop ... It's such a big chunk of the city [on lock-down]."
He said the crowd gathered at the cordon numbered about 200 people, and had the atmosphere of a vigil.
"There's police for Africa, but it's not like they've bombarded the place. There's no helicopters above the scene."
- NZME.
