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. This century has seen the Federation-era wharves morphing into luxury hotels, apartments, a renovated arts precinct, power-boat marinas and restaurants. It's a picturesque place to stroll, combining the wharves and harbour views with Barangaroo Reserve.

The self-guided 1.6km Walsh Bay Walk starts at Pier 2 and leads you through 11 stops, with interesting plaques and directions urging you onwards; download a guide from the Walsh Bay website. Two of the piers are closed for redevelopment of the arts precinct here; this is scheduled for completion in late 2020.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Garrison Church

0.15 MILES

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…

2. Argyle Place

0.16 MILES

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…

3. Argyle Cut

0.19 MILES

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…

4. Foundation Park

0.19 MILES

Thought-provoking Foundation Park is set among the preserved ruins of 1870s houses, built against the cliff face. The oversized furniture by artist Peter…

5. Campbell’s Storehouses

0.2 MILES

In 1839, Scottish merchant Robert Campbell started building a private wharf and this gingerbread-style row of storehouses for his stash of tea, alcohol,…

6. Observatory Hill

0.21 MILES

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…

7. Ken Done Gallery

0.23 MILES

The cheerful, quasi-childlike work of Sydney artist Ken Done is exhibited inside the lavishly restored Australian Steam Navigation Building. Expect…

8. Sydney Observatory

0.23 MILES

Built in the 1850s, Sydney’s copper-domed, Italianate sandstone observatory squats atop Observatory Hill, overlooking the harbour. Inside is an intriguing…