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 connected by tiny lanes. It then spent decades covered by a car park, until 1994 when archaeologists commenced a 15-year dig, uncovering little treasures along the way. Displays bring the ruins to life.
Some of the finds from the site can be seen at the Rocks Discovery Museum.
It's worth browsing the website for more background information, too.
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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…
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Sydneysiders love their giant 'coathanger', which opened in 1932. The best way to experience this majestic structure is on foot. Stairs and lifts ascend…
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
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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…
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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…
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A 12-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay, this forested harbour hillside is full of kangaroos, koalas and similarly hirsute Australians, plus numerous…
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Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, this magnificent building is Australia's most famous landmark. Visually referencing a yacht's sails, it's a…
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About 3km south of central Manly, spectacular North Head offers dramatic cliffs, lookouts, secluded beaches, pretty paths through the native scrub, and…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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')…
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The MCA is a showcase for Australian and international contemporary art, with a rotating permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. Aboriginal art…
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Designed by Stephen Walker, this four-part bronze fountain (1981) near Circular Quay incorporates dozens of sculptures of native Australian animals; play…
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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…
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Built in the 1850s, Sydney’s copper-domed, Italianate sandstone observatory squats atop Observatory Hill, overlooking the harbour. Inside is an intriguing…
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Divided into four displays – Warrane (pre-1788), Colony (1788–1820), Port (1820–1900) and Transformations (1900 to the present) – this small, excellent…