Sydney
Definitively Sydney, Bondi is one of the world’s great beaches. It’s the closest ocean beach to the city centre (8km away), has consistently good (though…
Must-see attractions in Sydney
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Sydney
A spectacular mix of sandstone, Australian bushland and tranquil water vistas, this 14,928-hectare park forms Sydney’s northern boundary. It’s located 20…
Sydney
Lovely Watsons Bay, east of the city centre and north of Bondi, was once a small fishing village, as evidenced by the heritage cottages that pepper the…
Sydney
A 12-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay, this forested harbour hillside is full of kangaroos, koalas and similarly hirsute Australians, plus numerous…
Manly
About 3km south of central Manly, spectacular North Head offers dramatic cliffs, lookouts, secluded beaches, pretty paths through the native scrub, and…
Sydney
This central section of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is a spectacular wilderness, with awe-inspiring vistas over Pittwater and Broken Bay, hidden beach…
Sydney
Studded with photogenic industrial relics, convict architecture and art installations, fascinating Cockatoo Island (Wareamah) opened to the public in 2007…
Sydney
Scratched out of the sand in 1888 in grand Victorian style, Sydney’s biggest park is a rambling 189-hectare expanse full of horse riders, joggers,…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
Acclaimed local artist Brett Whiteley (1939–1992) lived fast and without restraint. Many of his multimillion-dollar paintings were created in this hard-to…
Manly
Sydney's second most famous beach is a magnificent strand that stretches for nearly two golden kilometres, lined by Norfolk Island pines and midrise…
Manly
A hidden jewel on North Head, magical Store Beach can only be reached by kayak – you can hire them from Manly Kayak Centre – or boat. It’s a breeding…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
One of Sydney's best museums revolves around a detailed and expertly curated exhibition on the Holocaust, with sobering personal testimonies and moving…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
Closed for renovation at the time of research, this wonderful institution plans to reopen in mid-2020. Australia's first museum was established just 40…
Sydney
Sydney Harbour National Park protects large swathes of bushland around the harbour shoreline, plus several harbour islands. In among the greenery you’ll…
Newtown & the Inner West
Within the University of Sydney's quadrangle, this is a great under-the-radar attraction. Combining modern ideas with ancient artefacts, it's an…
Newtown & the Inner West
In many ways Sydney's best contemporary-art gallery, White Rabbit is tucked away behind the Central Park development in Chippendale. It's the project of…
Sydney
Is there a better view of the bridge and the Opera House than from the wharf at this point, a short hop by ferry northwest of the centre? It's all…
Newtown & the Inner West
Built between 1880 and 1889, this intriguing group of huge Victorian-era workshops was part of the Eveleigh Railyards. The rail workers chugged out in…
Sydney
This lovely section of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park has two entrance points joined by a road that snakes through glorious bushland down to Cowan Creek,…
Manly
From 1837 to 1984 this sprawling historic complex in beautiful North Head bushland was used to isolate new arrivals suspected of carrying disease. These…
Sydney
This lovely park, surrounded by North Shore suburbia, flanks the Lane Cove River, which spills into the harbour. It's a great place to stretch out on some…
Sydney
Construction of this imposing, turreted specimen of Gothic Australiana, set amid 10 hectares of lush gardens, commenced in 1805, but the house was…
Sydney
A winning family-oriented beach hemmed in by sandstone cliffs and a grassy park, Bronte lays claims to having the oldest surf-lifesaving club in the world…
Newtown & the Inner West
A short walk from Darling Harbour, this cavernous science and design museum whirs away inside the former power station for Sydney’s defunct, original tram…
Newtown & the Inner West
Australia’s oldest tertiary institution (1850) has around 50,000 students and boasts its own postcode. You don’t need a PhD to grab a free campus map and…
Sydney
A hidden gem, this little bay has a calm swimming beach, a lawn dotted with sandstone sculptures for picnics and play, a little cafe and a cute suspension…
Manly
This pretty, sheltered, north-facing ocean cove is an appealing 1km walk from the busy Manly beach strip. The tranquil waters are a protected haven for…
Kamay Botany Bay National Park
Sydney
This national park straddles both heads of Botany Bay, 15km south of Sydney Harbour, enclosing 458 hectares of coastal bushland. Visitors come here to…
Sydney
Bondi without the glitz and the poseurs, Coogee (locals pronounce the 'oo' as in the word ‘took’) has a deep sweep of sand, historic ocean baths and…
Sydney
A sinister chip-toothed clown face (50 times life-sized) forms the entrance to this old-fashioned amusement park overlooking Sydney Harbour. It's one of…
Sydney
The former Stadium Australia was custom-built for the 2000 Olympics. It could originally accommodate 110,000 people, but following the games its capacity…
Sydney
It might seem odd, but this concrete-edged ocean channel is a great place to swim, sunbathe and snorkel. It’s safe for the kids, and despite the swell…
Sydney
The Kalkari Discovery Centre, halfway between the Mt Colah entrance to the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Bobbin Head itself, has displays and videos…
Sydney
A manicured vision from the peak of the British Empire (built 1841 to 1848), these Georgian army barracks have been called the finest of their kind in the…
Sydney
You will have to take the ferry at Palm Beach to reach this sheltered, carless beach suburb on the shores of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. There…
Sydney
One of several wildlife parks on Sydney’s fringes, Featherdale offers opportunities to get better acquainted with koalas, kookaburras, kangaroos and other…
Sydney
The last major beach before you hit Botany Bay, ‘the Bra’ is Bondi’s match in the waves department, but its suburban location provides immunity from Bondi…
Sydney
Immediately north of Watsons Bay, this small swimming beach is popular with both families and topless sunbathers. When Governor Phillip realised Botany…
Sydney
Housed inside the old cable station (1882), this museum has numerous relics from French explorer La Pérouse’s many expeditions, an interesting Aboriginal…
Newtown & the Inner West
Occupying the site of an old brewery, this major residential and shopping development is a striking sight. Most impressive is Jean Nouvel's award-winning,…
