Sydney's Top
150 Plus Things To Do
What to do
in Sydney?
141 ( - ) The
slightly odd Q Station, North Head
The Q Station
is a new listing. As is our practice these days, we stick new listings
towards the end of list until we convince ourselves, or you convince us,
that it should be higher up.
"Q Station is a contemporary
take on the former North Head Quarantine Station" which I guess means
the current operator has maintained the historical set up while making
it cosy enough for us to still be willing to pay hotel prices for. Q Station
has beautiful views of Sydney Harbour, it has an interesting history,
and you can dine and stay overnight in relative comfort. So you can really
walk away with a feel for North Head and its past ex-Quarantine Station
but that's still not quite it. Spending a little time in the Q Station
is, oddly enough, a really interesting experience that you are unlikely
to forget.
Endangered Bandicoots..(?)
Q Station is run
by a tourist operator and includes tours, fine dinning and accommodation.
Even before you enter you maybe struck by something odd, a sign with the
image of a bandicoot and the word endangered underneath it. (maybe struck
is not the most appropriate word..) If they have dug up your garden recently
or given you a Tick stop dialing Taronga Zoo, they won't take them, these
are endangered Manly Bandicoots..an entirely the same species..(?)
How odd?
After that the
oddities kept coming. You can't drive within the confines of Q Station.
They can, you can't. The only exception is once you arrive you are allowed
to drive up to reception if you are staying overnight. And if you are
staying overnight, you might end up in a building that used to house third
class passengers, as we did. The old third class passengers' building
burnt down about ten years ago and has since been rebuilt (about 6 years
ago, so it is still quite new) in exactly the same manner. Complete with
outside toilets. The net effect is you stay in a room that manages to
look and feel both modern and old at the same time.
Small
is beautiful
The oddities still
kept coming from midget sized showers, odd sized rooms, thin walls and
high sink, possibly to discourage you from peeing in it if you can't face
the walk to the toilet.
Sydney's Heritage
The marketing
name for where we stayed was the Harbour View Heritage Suite - heritage
being the key word. As you may know, or have guessed, this is all (or
mostly) about preserving the heritage of the ex-Quarantine Station. The
tourist operator has signed a lease with 200 conditions in it designed
to preserve blah, blah..
Should you stay
at the Q Station?
If you are into
history, or have stayed in too many hotels, then this is a place to consider
- you are unlikely to forget your stay in a hurry.
"Heritage
rooms retain the original aspects of accommodation at Q Station when it
was the Quarantine Station, where all accommodation had share bathrooms.
However, the rooms today have been beautifully restored and although the
bathrooms are still external, they are no longer shared and guests have
their own private bathroom."
and you don't
even have to:
"Our Deluxe
Room category of rooms all feature ensuite bathrooms, most with shower
over the bath, but some also just feature a shower" wow! :)
Having faced the
"hardship" of an outside dunny I say do the heritage thing,
it gives you more of an opportunity to meet the current and past residents
in interesting circumstances.
Q Station views
and history
Just walking around
Q Station is a real pleasure as there are some beautiful views and whole
story about the Quarantine Station is quite interesting. It would have
been a shame had this piece of Sydney's history been given over to development
and the Manly Bandicoots are ecstatically digging up the place so it's
"all good".
Go on a Q Station
tour
There are a number
of tours to consider including the Ghostly ghost tour. None other than
the Ghost Hunters International (US TV show) think that most people think
that Sydney's Manly Quarantine Station is one of Australia's most haunted
locations!
 Ghost
Stories on Manly's Q Station
"If you are looking for
a family activity that's a little different, then Q Station's Family Ghostly
interactive experience is ideal. Let nightfall be your doorway into another
world as you hear the stories and legends of the former Quarantine Station
internees. The guides select captivating stories to bring your experience
to life!"
Worth dinning
at the The Boiler House Restaurant at Q Station?
If you can get
a deal on the meal then yes. The Boiler House Restaurant is a popular
buzzy kinda place. The restaurant has great views from the outside. It
is very close to the water but you have to sit outside to enjoy it. The
service we experienced was friendly and surprisingly efficient although
the coffee beat the desert by a margin yet, oddly, the coffee would have
been worth waiting for. We sat upstairs so you could see the directly
into the kitchen and witness whole goings on, comings back, walking around
in circles and looking stressed. It was quite entertaining and the food
was excellent. The chicken momos was particularly recommendable.
and finally,
is Q Station haunted?
We couldn't say
whether the Q Station should be renamed the G(host) Station or something
similar (but if it ever is I now expect a cheque) but there is definitely
something odd about the place.
142 ( - ) Observatory
Hill Park
.jpg)
Observatory Hill
Park is a magnet for locals, workers and visitors alike. It is a great
place to take your camera as it offers panoramic views of Sydney Harbour
and the Sydney Harbour Bridge from a natural setting.
The park contains
numerous works of public art and a wooden rotunda flanked by magnificent
mature Port Jackson Figs. So don't be surprised if you stumble across
a wedding or some other celebration.
You can access Observatory
Hill Park from the Agar Steps in Kent Street or, alternatively, from Cumberland
Street via a cutting through the Harbour Bridge pylons.
143 (-) Tali Gallery
The award winning Tali Gallery
consists of two storeys of Indigenous contemporary and traditional paintings,
limited edition prints, wooden and pandanus artifacts and craft, The range
of indigenous art on display is truly impressive. You will find work from
established artists as well as new and emerging talent. The art work comes
in many forms and sizes from all over Australia including Tiwi, Maningrida,
Ramingining, Elcho, APY Lands, Northern Territory Central Desert (Utopia,
Yuendumu, APY Lands, etc.) and is displayed with Fair Trade or Recycled
Furnishings and gifts.
144 (-) Resolute Beach - Ku-ring-gai
Chase National Park
Resolute Beach is a lovely
sandy beach with natural shade provided by the Ku-ring-gai Chase National
Park. You can sit back and enjoy the excellent views across Pittwater
to Station Beach. Resolute Beach is also a good spot for a swim and a
picnic.
West Head
To get to the beach take the
Resolute Track at the far end of West Head. The area contains a number
of interesting aboriginal sites and lookouts.
Resolute Beach picnic area
There is also a largish car
park at the Resolute Beach picnic area. From there you will need to walk
for about two kilometres before you reach steep track that leads down
to the beach. Take plenty of water and be careful descending the track.
Broken ankles are not an unheard of event in these parts.
145 (-) Justice and Police
Museum
Come over to the dark side.
Sydney did not have happy beginnings. The Justice and Police Museum is
a historic police and court building dating back to the mid 1800s. The
museum's heavy blocks of sandstone, spiked gates and the corridor of cells
are both intriguing and imposing. You easily end up whispering to each
other as if to avoid unwanted attention. It gets worse as you see all
the mug-shots of the past crooks staring at you from the walls. Then there's
the collection of weapons to send a shiver down your spine.
Justice and Police Museum
Exhibitions
The museum has run some excellent
exhibitions into the dark side of life including Sin City which was a
big hit. The current one is "Persons of Interest" and its all
about ASIO, Australia's spy agency and the people they spied upon. Follow
the link below to see if its still on.
146 (-) The Great River Walk
- Penrith
Do you like walking, rivers,
wildlife, hilly bits? If so, you'll probably find the River Walk in Penrith
really great, in a small way that is. The walk is a walk in progress,
sorry, work in progress. There are great plans to river walk from Goulburn
to Broken Bay just north of Sydney (good luck guys). For now, it's a relatively
short amble alongside the Nepean at Penrith to Penrith Lakes - about 2
ks - linking to a 7k walk around both sides of the Nepean River in Penrith
and Emu Plains. You can start the walk from a variety of places including
Tench Reserve, Weir Reserve on Bruce Neale Drive and Memorial Avenue in
Penrith or Regatta Park, Emu Plains. The Great River Walk is close to
both Emu Plains and Penrith railway stations. This should be a no stress,
no worries walk with a number of places nearby to rest and replenish your
energy stores.
147 (-) Sculpture Garden -
Campbelltown
A Tether of Time
The Sculpture Garden's most
well known work is 'A Tether of Time,' by Joan Brassil. A Tether of Time
is a sculptural installation and soundscape. The wind-harp sings in memory
of windmills, the shallow pool reflects the history of water conservation
and Campbelltown's geographic location between two rivers. The native
Casuarina trees represent the Casuarinas growing throughout Campbelltown.
To quote Brassil "I would like the sculpture garden to sing, sigh,
reflect and inspire..to be a place of reflection and stimulation."
Big Wombat - Esmerelda (Diprotodon)
If that's too heavy, how about
'big'? Big things are big in Australia. There's the Big Prawn (Ballina),
Guitar (Tamworth), the Big Merino (Goulbourn) and Big Banana (Coffs Harbour)
to name but a few. So how does a Big Wombat sound? (at least they actually
existed). Meet Esmerelda:
148 ( - ) Western
Sydney Parklands
Bigger than your
average Park
Set in the heart
of Western Sydney, The Western Sydney Parklands contain world class sporting
facilities, popular picnic areas, a full length cycle/walking track and
native bushland. Covering 5,280 hectares, the Parklands stretch 27 kilometres
from Quakers Hill to Leppington and are twenty five times the size of
Centennial Park.
Walk, Cycle,
Picnic
The Parklands
contains a $4.5 million walking and cycling track which allows public
access to the entire 27 kms length of the site. There are three established
picnic grounds throughout the Parklands with great facilities.
Ride a horse,
walk the dog, watch the birdie
You can ride your
horse, walk your dog on a leash, watch fast motor sports, visit a working
farm and native wildlife park or just relax and do some bird watching
in beautiful native bushland.
More to come
The Western Sydney
Parklands Trust is working on new projects for the Parklands so watch
this new "thing to do in Sydney" as it attempts to fulfil its
potential - it's a big park.
149 ( - ) Campbelltown —
Freres Crossing Bushwalk
The Freres Crossing Bushwalk
is a lovely 2km easy walk through beautiful bushland down to the Georges
River. Along the way you should be able to see the remains of the old
Freres Crossing Bridge, built at the start of the 20th century.
Frere's Crossing entrance is
at the end of Freres Road, Kentlyn. Experienced walkers can keep going
along the river to The Basin Reserve (Keith Longhurst Reserve) and make
this a circular day walk by leaving their vehicle on Georges River Road.
150 (-) The Rocks Discovery
Museum
The Rocks Discovery Museum
is a free, family friendly museum which takes you way back to a time before
the white man arrived right until everybody starting coming. Thankfully
Australia is a big place. The museum resides in a 1850s sandstone warehouse
and is home to a unique collection of images and archaeological artefacts
found in The Rocks. The exhibits are very interactive and fun, using touch
screens, audio and visual elements to bring the history of the area alive.
Free to get in via Argyle Street. This is a useful wet weather, dodge
the showers activity.
151 ( - ) TreeTop Adventure
Park
We took our kids to the TreeTop
Adventure Park only to be told that they were fully booked. The resulting
floods of tears is an indication of just how devastating that news was
- but I got over it eventually :) The Adventure Park is a popular spot
for just about any kid who likes to play at the playground or for those
that have grown out of it. TreeTop Adventure Park is located about an
hour's drive north of Sydney on the F3. You can book online (which is
what we will do next time).
152 ( - ) Adults only at the
Late Night Surry Hills Library - Every Thursday Night
Hysterical laughter, chilling
screams and other salacious sounds will ring through the award-winning
Surry Hills' Library every Thursday night. The Library will stay open
on Thursday nights until 10:30pm with events and activities for adults
only from 9pm to 10pm. The program has included ghost stories and hilarious
erotic fan fiction, a live recording of a radio show, book readings, and
an inside look at the making of horror movies.
The Library's extensive collection
is also available for borrowing, with free Wi-Fi internet, and a regular
program of talks, workshops, musical performances and film screenings.
Unsurprisingly, you will need
to book. All Late Night Library events are free, Call (02) 8374 6230 or
visit www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/library
for more information.
The International Award-Winning
Surry Hills Library
The Surry Hills Library has
been awarded the Best New Global Design award at the 2011 International
Architecture Awards in Chicago. Prior to this, the Library was a won a
number of prestigious Australian prizes since its opening in 2009. As
well as a library, the building includes a childcare centre, community
meeting rooms, commercial kitchen and an arts and crafts space.
153 (137) Whitewater
Rafting in Penrith
Visit Penrith (on the way to
the Blue Mountains) for man made white-water for rafting and other fun
water things.
154 (111) The White Rabbit
Gallery
 He
An - Neon Lights
The White Rabbit Gallery is
a specially converted knitting factory near Sydney’s Central Station.
The White Rabbit Gallery has four floors of exhibition space as well as
a theatrette, a library and a teahouse. Only a fraction of the collection
is on show at any time. The entire contents of the gallery are rehung
twice a year. It is a contemporary museum featuring Chinese art created
in the last decade and costs nothing to enter.
The White Rabbit has 4 levels
of display area and features the work of over 35 artists at any one time.
The gallery also features
a mini theatre, a library and a beautiful teahouse. It is located in Sydney's
Chippendale and is only a 5 minute walk from Central station. Doors are
open Thursday to Sunday every week.
Did you say the White Rabbit
Gallery has a Tea House?
Whether you’re visiting
White Rabbit’s collection, meeting a friend or just in need of a
break, the gallery’s tranquil street-level Tea House is a pleasant
enough place to relax, catch up with friends or kill time if your train
has been delayed.
155 ( - )
Garden Games - Kings Cross
Garden Games revolves around
games that are easy to learn and suit all levels from first timer to master.
The idea is to have fun, challenge yourself and meet new people. Be a
part of it and play the day away at Garden Games every Saturday from 9am
to 3pm at Fitzroy Gardens Kings Cross.
Games available to play include,
Chess, Backgammon, Snakes and Ladders, Connect Four, Dominoes, Blokus,
Scrabble, Othello, Nine Mens Morris, Guess Who?, Scotland Yard, Checkers/Draughts,
Battleship, a-MAZE-in, Labyrinth, Shut the Box and Uno.
Garden
Games - Kings Cross
156
(141) Brighton le Sands - Botany Bay
Brighton le Sands is famous
for being close to the airport. Captain Cook also came by this way but
it probably took him longer than you (unless you upset customs of course).
If you're not bothered about the history you can grab a long black by
the short Brighton Le Sands / Botany Bay beach on the way home. Sit and
watch the planes take off from a respectable distance and plan your return.
157 (142) National Gallery and Parliament House Canberra
Sydney is NOT Australia's official
capital. I know I can’t believe it either. I'm no historian but
apparently Canberra was chosen to keep Melbourne less miserable? :)
Perhaps unsurprisingly the
roads are pretty good but you could/should/perhaps/maybe/might [sense
my uncertainty here] consider an over night stay.
158 (143) Commonwealth Bank,
Martin Place
The Commonwealth Bank at Martin
Place in the city is a large bank with high ceilings and great marble
columns. Occasionally features on television. You will probably have to
visit a bank whilst you are in Sydney. So whilst you are waiting you may
as well have a something to look at. Just a word of caution, might be
worth mentioning to someone before you take any pictures. Security, bank
robbery, casing the joint, hyper sensitive security guard etc I'm sure
people do take photos and you would probably be ok but personally, I'd
ask permission first.
159
(144) Immigration - Department of
To stay here permanently you'll
probably need a lot of cash or a skill the Immigration Department value.
There is a reported skills shortage in Sydney so don't dismiss the possibility
without checking out the link below.
or 'pop-in' to your nearest
Immigration Office, take your number and cross your fingers.
Unfortunately you’ll
probably need to leave the country first but you ought to say a few goodbyes
and tie up the odd loose end so maybe it’s just as well.
Politicians sometimes complain
everybody wants to live in Sydney and nowhere else (silly people) so get
in quick before they force you to live in Melbourne 
Hundreds of
Things To Do Away From Sydney
Top 100 (plus)
Things To Do In:
|
Top
One Hundred Things To Do In Sydney, Australia and Sydney100
Travel Guide 2012!
