Sydney

ANZAC Memorial

A large war memorial in the middle of the city, built after World War I. It is a focus of military memorial events in New South Wales and includes a museum which covers the experiences of NSW citizens who have served in the Australian military.

except Good Fri & Christmas Day·Free

Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool

A famous yet paradoxically little known location overlooking Wooloomoloo bay and near to the Botanic gardens. It was a popular swimming location with Indigenous Aboriginals before the arrival of Europeans in Australia. The pool was also the venue for the sporting triumphs of Australian swimming legend Andrew Boy Charlton in the 1920s and is believed to be the birthplace of the Australian Crawl or freestyle swimming stroke.

Sep–Apr, non-daylight saving: daily 6AM-7PM, Daylight Saving: daily 6AM-8PM·Adult $5.50, concession $4.10, family $15.30, additional family member $2, spectator $2.70

Argyle Cut

Follow Argyle St through this historic sandstone road cutting made between 1843 and 1867, made with the effort of both convict and paid labour. The sights and sounds of the convict labour, still bound in chains and working only with crude tools, horrified the locals and the cutting was abandoned after just three years. A long interlude lasted before the city council eventually linked Millers Point and The Rocks together with the use of paid labour and explosives.

Australian Centre for Photography

ACP established in 1973. The ACP initiated the first major retrospectives of work by photographers such as Max Dupain, Olive Cotton and Merv Bishop, and organised the early public displays of photographs by Bill Henson, Tracey Moffatt, William Yang and Trent Parke and has presented works by international photo-artists such as Bernd & Hilla Becher, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Larry Clark, Joan Fontcuberta, Nan Goldin, Roni Horn, George Platt Lynes, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Duane Michals, Pierre Molinier, Erwin Olaf, Martin Parr, Man Ray, Cindy Sherman, Wolfgang Tillmans and William Wegman.

Tue-Fri noon-7PM, Sat Sun 10AM-6PM·Free

Australian Museum

With an international reputation in the fields of natural history and indigenous studies research, community programs and exhibitions, the Australian Museum was established as Australia's first museum in 1827 with unique and extensive collections of natural science and cultural artifacts. The skeleton room, displaying hundreds of animal skeletons, including a blue whale hanging from the roof, is an attraction in itself. The museum also has an exhibit on early man, including species like Homo heidelbergensis that did not reach Australia. There is a cafe next to the entrance that can be accessed without requiring payment for admission to the main exhibition area.

, closed Christmas·free, temporary exhibitions have additional fee

Australian National Maritime Museum

Two floors of internal exhibits, outlining the maritime role in Australia's history. Houses significant full scale exhibits. Outside there are ships and submarines to explore.

Galleries & exhibitions: $7 adult, $3.50 child & concession, $17 family / free entry to permanent galleries on first Thursday of the month. Additional charges for vessels

Balls Head Reserve

Two points to the west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Balls Head is a large park and picnic area with extensive harbour views and walking tracks. The park also contains the Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability - an industrial zone turned into a community area where visitors can also walk through the original tunnels. Adjacent is the MV Cape Don, a decommissioned ship which holds tours occasionally. Also has a restored Aboriginal rock carving of a whale.

Balmoral Beach

Family friendly beach away from the main Harbour waters. Good for a quick swim in the swimming baths, enclosed by shark nets and a wide boardwalk. Plenty of cafes around.

Beare Park

A picturesque spot right on the Harbour on Elizabeth Bay, this is a popular place for picnics and a bit of inner-city sunbathing.

Berry Island Reserve

Berry Island first connected to the mainland with a causeway from Wollstonecraft farm in the 1800s. Later quarried sandstone made a permanent land bridge to the island. The land bridge is now lawns with a playground, and a loop walk circles the island, which will take around 20 minutes. There are interpretive signs about the Aboriginal heritage of the area. The last part of the walk can be done rock hopping along the sandstone rocks on the coastline. There is an Aboriginal carving there, but it basic, and quite hard to make out. There is a lookout at the end of the point, with views across the harbour to Balmain and Birchgrove. You can also see across to HMAS Waterhen Naval Base.

free

Birchgrove Park

Contains Birchgrove Oval, the spiritual home of rugby league in Australia after it hosted the first professional matches in 1908. A family park that has good views of the Harbour Bridge.

Blues Point Reserve

Blues Point Reserve is a small grassy area right on the water, affording perfect views of the Bridge. It is the most popular area in the district to watch the fireworks at New Years' Eve.

Brickpit Ring Walk

The Brickpit

Homebush Bay was an industrial site before it was remodelled as Sydney Olympic Park. The brickpit area was preserved because the post-industrial area was also habitat to several species of rare frogs, including the endangered green and gold bell frog. The brickpit site has a high elevated walkway ringing the site. The engineering is quite impressive. There are interpretive displays as you walk the ring. It is unlikely that you will see any of the tiny frogs all the way down in the water filled pit, but there are binoculars if you wish to try your luck.

Free

Bronte House

An historic house up Bronte Road from the north end of the beach.

Busy Buses

A massive aquarium. In addition to various display tanks (penguins, platypus, various fish species), it has three underwater walks where visitors walk in glass corridors underneath and between the dugongs, sharks, rays and tropical fish. There is a 2-minute "penguin ride" in a small boat, heavily advertised but underwhelming. Consider going on a weekday evening, to avoid some of the crowds.

10AM-6PM (last entrance at 5PM) daily·Adults $44, child $25, various concessions and family tickets available. Save 15-20% online

Cadman's Cottage

The last relic of the small, relatively plain buildings that once ringed Sydney Cove in the early colonial period, this small sandstone cottage was built in 1815-1816. The building has survived largely because of constant government or institutional ownership. Restoration began in 1972 and the building is now used as an information centre by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The Cottage was built by the water side, but with reclamation over the years, the shoreline of Sydney Cove is now 100 metres distant.

Mon-Fri 9:30AM-4:30PM, Sat Sun 10AM-4:30PM, closed Christmas and Good Fri·Free admission

Camperdown Memorial Rest Park

Located just two blocks behind King St, it has lots of open space and plenty of street art and graffiti on the walls surrounding the park, as well as an atmospheric cemetery in the adjoining church. Sit on the grass and people-watch, there's always someone out of the ordinary. The Newtown Festival is held here in November.

Centennial Park

This is a large formal park in Sydney eastern suburbs with its own internal road and walking trail system, grand avenues, historic buildings, lakes and many groves of shady trees dotted with picnic areas. Bike and walking trails, horse trails and equestrian facilities, some restaurant, cafe and kiosk facilities are available. This park is both a playground and a giant green lung for the city. Popular all days but especially on the weekends. Centennial Park covers 220 hectares and draws more than 3.6 million visitors annually.

April: 6AM-6PM, May to August: 6:30AM-5:30PM, Sept to Oct: 6AM-6PM, Oct to April: 6AM-8PM. Paddington Gates (exit gate) is the last to close every day·There are no access charges to the park, however some sporting facilities and formal activities may attract fees

Central Station

While you can't compare it to New York's Grand Central Station, this Sydney landmark is the busiest and largest station in Australia. The building facade, clock tower and main concourse are the highlights of this station. If you are travelling around on public transport, odds are you may come along the station as it is a major interchange for trains, busses and light rail.

Chinamans Beach

A beach that's perfect for picnics, off-leash dog walking and ample parking. This small sheltered beach looks across Middle Harbour to Clontarf and Sydney Harbour National Park, where the water always seems to be glistening. Rosherville Reserve is perfect for picnics games with the kids and dogs are allowed off-leash on weekdays.

Chinatown

Starts in front of the markets on Hay St and runs just over two blocks to Goulburn St in the north. Dixon St is a malled pedestrian area and closed to traffic. It is decorated in traditional Chinese style and is home to many shops and restaurants. Be sure to explore the surrounding streets for the full experience of Chinatown.

Chinese Garden of Friendship

Modelled on the typical private gardens of the Ming Dynasty, the garden offers an insight into Chinese heritage and culture. A centrepiece of the gardens is the Dragon Wall, guarded by two imperial dragons, with the brown dragon representing Guangdong and the blue dragon New South Wales, playing with the pearl of friendship.

9:30AM-5PM·Adults $6, children $3

Circular Quay

pronounced like "key"

The hub of the Sydney Harbour between the bridge and Opera House and is a vibrant, bustling place home to many buskers, the ferry terminal, overseas passenger terminal, as well as the Museum of Contemporary Art. It is one of the main areas of the annual Vivid festival.

Cobblers Beach

Clothing optional beach which is also popular with families. It can get crowded here on weekends in summer, but nudists say that's a great time to join in if you're new to it. You'll blend in to the crowd.

Cremorne Reserve

Cremorne Reserve is a small park along the water near Cremorne Wharf, with sweeping views southwest to the city and Harbour Bridge. A good place to watch the sunset on a summer night with a picnic dinner.

Customs House

A historic building, and imposing building. You can imagine it looking out over the port of Sydney (if you can equally imagine the absence of the Cahill Expressway). A large diorama of the Sydney area which you can walk over is on display in the foyer. The Sydney City Library occupies the building, and sometimes has exhibitions. Free.

Darling Harbour (Harbourside) Fireworks

Harbourside Fireworks are on from 8:30PM every Saturday on Cockle Bay Harbour. They last for only 15 minutes but are fun to watch especially if you have kids. A good trick is to get a balcony seat around some of the restaurants and you can see the fireworks whilst having dinner or drinks.

El Alamein Fountain

Designed by Robert Woodward and erected in 1961 as a memorial to the Ninth Division during World War II. The fountain has a "dandelion head" sphere of mist at the top of a tall stem and has been imitated globally on many occasions. A favourite meeting place for many travellers and locals.

Elizabeth Bay House

Historic Houses Trust

Built between 1835-1839 and once "the finest house in the colony", this colonial mansion preserves the lifestyle of some of Sydney's wealthiest early settlers, Colonial Secretary Alexander Macleay and his family. Designed by the most fashionable and accomplished architect of the day, John Verge, Elizabeth Bay House is a superb example of colonial architecture and is elegantly and authentically furnished in the style of 1839–1845. Guided tours are available on request.

Open Tue-Sun 10AM–4:30PM, closed Mon (except for public holidays), Christmas Day and Good Fri·Prices: adult $7, child and concession $3, family $17

Embarkation Park

Great views of the CBD skyline and parts of the harbour. This is one of the most popular places in the Inner East to watch the New Years Eve fireworks shows. The park may be locked at night.