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45 Things To Do In Sydney
What
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41
(71) Hyde Park Barracks
Delve into Sydney's dark
convict past at Sydney's Hyde Park Barracks.
Convict Sydney and Hyde
Park Asylum
The Hyde Park Barracks
was built in 1819 to house, clothe and feed convict men and boys.
This impressive brick building and walled compound, located at the
head of Sydney’s historic Macquarie Street, was designed by
convict architect Francis Greenway. After 1848 the main dormitory
held newly arrived female immigrants while a handful of government
agencies made use of surrounding buildings. In 1862, separate wards
for destitute women were added upstairs and the Barracks became
known as the Hyde Park Asylum.
The Hyde Park Barracks
Sydney celebrated the
50th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s reign in 1887 with the
construction of major public buildings and monuments. The Hyde Park
Barracks became a hub of government departments and renamed Chancery
Square. Until the late 1970s, thousands of public servants, legal
workers and litigants occupied dingy office spaces, courtrooms and
corridors, scattered throughout the increasingly crowded complex.
Today the Hyde Park Barracks is a museum about itself.
Hyde Park Barracks Museum
is open 9.30am - 5pm daily and is well worth the visit.
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42
Ghost Tours
Even after death no-one
wants to leave Sydney.
Couple of ghostly places
to be scared of. The Quarantine Station at North Head and Ghosts
that haunt the haunts of the Rocks
If you're so inclined
you can sleep with the ghosts - I think I'd sooner take my chances
with the Sharks
The Scary Rocks
 Ghosts
Rocks!
Test your fear factor
with this lantern lit two-hour Ghost Tour of historic Sydney. Learn
about the ghostly tales of murders, hangings, suicides and haunting.
* Hear the horrific story
of the mutilated body and of The Rocks 'Dead House'
* Learn about the ghosts
who haunt the Opera House and the ghost of 'George' who stakes his
place on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
* Search for the ghost
of the cabin boy and discover why Mrs Greenfield was chased by her
knife wielding husband.
* Visit a haunted house
site built in 1822 where the apparition of Amelia still lingers.
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43
Sydney Harbour Island
Only a couple of Sydney
Harbour's islands are not open to the public. Take a picnic / buy
a hamper, explore then switch off. Alternatively, go on a organised
tour such as Fort Denison and learn some more about Sydney Harbour:
The three best islands
to visit are listed below:
Shark
Island - Sydney Harbour
Take a picnic and watch
the boats go by in relative isolation. Don't forget to take a picture
of 'your Shark Island' as you arrive. Shark island is small and
you can walk around it in a few minutes – so it’s a
great spot if you hate bush walking!
The cruise company Matilda
currently run a Shark Island ferry service. Alternatively there
is the more expensive option of hiring a water taxi. If feeling
active you could hire a canoe and paddle your way across to Shark
Island from Rose Bay.
Shark Island is an excellent
spot to commence your Australia Day celebrations as the Ferry Race
goes right around the island - quite impressive to witness what
seems like an 'invasion force' of small boats heading towards you.
Fort
Denison -
Sydney Harbour
Being so close to Sydney
Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House the view alone makes the trip
to Fort Denison worthwhile. The fort was built out of fear of a
Russian invasion that never eventuated. Was fired upon by a Japanese
sub in WW2 by accident.
To commemorate its glorious
past a cannon is fired from Fort Denison at one o'clock in the afternoon
(daily, weekly, monthly, washing days I’ve no idea). Just
keep your head down ok
Cockatoo Island - Sydney
Harbour
The World Heritage listed
Cockatoo Island is Sydney Harbour's largest island. It still retains
examples of Sydney's convict past including solitary prison cells,
hand carved silos, a guardhouse and convict workshops. Cookatoo
Island's resume also includes locating an industrial school, a reformatory
and one of Australia's biggest shipyards.
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44
Jenolan Caves
About four hours west
of Sydney Jenolan Caves is well worth journey if you like cool,
dark and damp. Jenolan Caves are day tripable but realistically
only if you’re staying in the Blue Mountains. On the way you
should take the opportunity enjoy the splendour of the Blue Mountains
and Dividing Range (you will have to go a fair bit further west
for the desert and outback).
Jenolan's Caves House
is in itself something of an attraction (although I greave the demise
of the pub into a bar) so, if you can, stop and have a look. The
Great Arch is also worth strolling under.
The RTA, bless their
little road tolls, close the Jenolan Caves Road (the route between
Katoomba and Jenolan) to Katoomba / Sydney bound traffic between
11.45am and 1.15pm every day for safety reasons. Poor weather, accidents,
rock slides and anything else that makes the RTA nervous will result
in barriers across the road. Also pay attention the signs besides
the road - if you seeing falling rocks don't stop to take photographs
(you'd be surprised..)
A cautionary
tale.
Whilst Caves house has a medical staff the nearest hospital to Jenolan
is in Oberon. The road is now sealed but it’s still a fair
old drive if you’re caked in blood. So watch where you are
going even if you think you’ve seen a Rock Wallaby.
Jenolan and Blue Mountains
Tour
Jenolan Caves
- Travel past Homebush
Bay - home of the 2000 Olympics.
- Tour through the magnificent
Blue Mountains with its beautiful bush landscapes.
- See Katoomba, capital
of the Blue Mountains.
- Visit the Three Sisters
and hear about local aboriginal legends and folklore.
- Ride on the Worlds
steepest incline railway and Cable Car (own expense).
- Enjoy the spectacular
cliff top drive and views over the Jamison and Megalong Valley.
- Learn about the “Blue
Haze” phenomenon of the Blue Mountains.
- Visit the amazing
Jenolan Caves - Australia's largest and most popular underground
Limestone cave system.
- Enjoy a cave inspection
at Jenolan Caves (included)
- Opportunity to have
lunch at the beautiful Jenolan Caves House, originally a 1920s
holiday retreat for Sydney's rich and famous (own expense).
- View the spectacular
Grand Arch at Jenolan Caves and the unusual Blue Lake.
- Return to Sydney via
Katoomba.
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45
Sydney Festival
The 2011 Sydney Festival
will comprise of 109 events and 338 performances across a broad
range of art forms including dance, theatre, music and visual arts.
Festival First Night will once again be a highlight of the program.
“In 2010 over 250,000 people took to the city’s streets
and parks to dance and enjoy music from all over the world, The
Festival Garden in Hyde Park is another major attraction which provides
the perfect surrounds for activities in and around The Famous Spiegeltent.”
The popular Beck’s
Festival Bar located in the historic Hyde Park Barracks is expected
to attract crowds eager to enjoy performances by bands and DJs until
late.
The
Festival not only brings the centre of Sydney alive, but also activates
locations beyond. “Western Sydney will play an important role
with a new initiative this year that will be held at Parramatta
Park and the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith.”
The Sydney Festival offers
a smorgasbord of events and activities some of which are still free!
Sydney is a great place to be at any time of year but in summer
it shines
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One Hundred Things To Do In Sydney, Australia and Sydney100
Travel Guide 2012!
