Circular Quay & The Rocks
Sydneysiders love their giant 'coathanger', which opened in 1932. The best way to experience this majestic structure is on foot. Stairs and lifts ascend…
Must-see attractions in Circular Quay & The Rocks
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, this magnificent building is Australia's most famous landmark. Visually referencing a yacht's sails, it's a…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Southeast of the Opera House, this garden was established in 1816 and features plant life from around the world. Within the gardens are hothouses with…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Built in the 1850s, Sydney’s copper-domed, Italianate sandstone observatory squats atop Observatory Hill, overlooking the harbour. Inside is an intriguing…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Divided into four displays – Warrane (pre-1788), Colony (1788–1820), Port (1820–1900) and Transformations (1900 to the present) – this small, excellent…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
This section of Dawes Point waterfront was Sydney’s busiest before the advent of container shipping and the construction of port facilities at Botany Bay…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
In a sandstone building that once headquartered the Water Police, this atmospheric museum plunges you straight into Sydney noir. An assemblage of black…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Dating from 1844, this diminutive terrace of four houses and a shop is a fascinating time capsule of life in the Rocks. A personable guide takes you…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
This peninsula was named in 1810 after Elizabeth, Governor Macquarie’s wife, who ordered a seat to be chiselled into the rock from which she could view…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Part of Barangaroo, the major redevelopment project of what was a commercial port, this park sits on a headland with wonderful harbour perspectives. The…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Lording it over the Rocks, but strangely tucked away, Observatory Hill is great for a picnic. Studded with huge Moreton Bay fig trees, the grassy hilltop…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
This elegant harbourside edifice (1885) has a democratic feel to it. It houses tourist information, a library, bars and restaurant options, including Cafe…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
The MCA is a showcase for Australian and international contemporary art, with a rotating permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. Aboriginal art…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
High on the hill inside the old Fort St School (1856), the SH Ervin Gallery, though surrounded by freeway, is a pleasing oasis that exhibits invariably…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Set within the Royal Botanic Gardens, this Gothic sandstone mansion (built 1837–43) is the official residence of the Governor of NSW. Its lovely loggia…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
The views from the top of the Harbour Bridge's southeast pylon are well worth the 200 steps, though the entry fee seems steep. Museum exhibits and a short…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
This striking exhibition pavilion in the Botanic Garden incorporates a cool, curving glasshouse space with a living wall of greenery that requires some 18…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Built in 1816 for Superintendent of Government Boats John Cadman (a former convict with a commuted death sentence for horse theft), this is the inner city…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
This Catholic sandstone church (1844) was built on land donated by William Davis, who was transported to Australia from Ireland without trial due to his…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Beneath some shady Moreton Bay fig trees is this historic triangle. Look for the cannon and anchor from the First Fleet flagship (HMS Sirius), an ornate…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Before the outbreak of bubonic plague in the early 20th century and the subsequent slum clearances, this section of the Rocks was a warren of houses…
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Circular Quay & The Rocks
The castellated ‘Con’ was designed in 1817 by convict architect Francis Greenway as the stables and servants’ quarters of Governor Macquarie’s new house…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
One of few remaining such lanes, the Suez Canal tapers downhill until less than a metre wide (hence the name, also a pun on the word 'sewers')…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Also known as Holy Trinity (1843), this pretty sandstone Anglican church at the western end of the Argyle Cut was the colony’s first military church…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
In 1839, Scottish merchant Robert Campbell started building a private wharf and this gingerbread-style row of storehouses for his stash of tea, alcohol,…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Metal discs cast into the promenade hold ruminations from Australian writers (and the odd literary visitor). The likes of Mark Twain, Germaine Greer,…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Convict labourers excavated this canyon-like section of road clear through the sandstone ridge that gave the Rocks its name. The work began in 1843 with…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Thought-provoking Foundation Park is set among the preserved ruins of 1870s houses, built against the cliff face. The oversized furniture by artist Peter…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
The cheerful, quasi-childlike work of Sydney artist Ken Done is exhibited inside the lavishly restored Australian Steam Navigation Building. Expect…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
The elegant 1885 Customs House houses this three-level library. There's a great selection of international newspapers and magazines, internet access and…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
A quiet, English-style village green lined with terraced houses, Argyle Place offers the sacred appeal of Garrison Church and the more secular delights of…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Designed by Stephen Walker, this four-part bronze fountain (1981) near Circular Quay incorporates dozens of sculptures of native Australian animals; play…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
Multi-storey luxury cruise ships anchor at this large terminal, disgorging hordes of shaky-legged tourists onto the Quay. For a killer harbour view, head…
