| Can you take your family out for a day in Sydney and | | | | Information area at 10:30am. Enjoy the knowledge |
| not spend a cent? Pack your lunch and your | | | | offered by the volunteer guides and gain an insight into |
| comfortable shoes and make your way to Circular | | | | the history and plants of these magnificent gardens. |
| Quay. From there, the world is your oyster. You won't | | | | While you are in the Domain, don't miss the Art Gallery |
| believe how much fun you can have without spending | | | | of NSW . . . |
| money. | | | | 4. The Art Gallery of NSW |
| 1. Circular Quay | | | | Art Gallery Road |
| Since first European settlement, the Quay has been at | | | | The Domain, Sydney, NSW 2000t 02 9225 1700f 02 |
| the centre of Sydney's maritime life and its heart of | | | | 9221 6226 |
| transportation. Circular Quay is situated around Sydney | | | | What's On? Line 02 9225 1790 |
| Cove and is the hub of Sydney Harbour. It is a | | | | Australia-wide toll-free number 1800-NSW-ART (1800 |
| stepping-off point and booking area for most | | | | 679 278) |
| attractions based around the harbour. Every few | | | | The Art Gallery of NSW is open every day from |
| minutes, ferries leave for destinations on the harbour | | | | 10am-5pm with late closing every Wednesday - 9pm. |
| including Taronga Park Zoo, Manly, Watsons Bay and | | | | Admission is free. (Charges apply to some exhibitions) |
| Mosman. | | | | The Art Gallery is well over 100 years old and is the |
| Along the ferry terminals are a number of small | | | | leading museum of art in New South Wales. It holds |
| outdoor cafes. It is a busy pedestrian precinct and a | | | | significant collections of Australian, European and Asian |
| magnet for buskers of every description. Follow the | | | | art, and presents nearly forty exhibitions annually. |
| walkways to the Opera House and Royal Botanic | | | | Walk back to Circular Quay and follow your nose until |
| Gardens to the east or the historic Rocks area and | | | | you reach the Rocks . . . |
| Sydney Harbour Bridge to the west. On the east side | | | | 5. The Rocks |
| of Circular Quay are its many restaurants and stylish | | | | Nestled between the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge |
| boutiques, along with the large Dendy Cinema. On the | | | | and Sydney Opera House, The Rocks is Sydney's |
| western side of Circular Quay is the historic Rocks | | | | most historic precinct. It is traditionally the home of the |
| area with a number of quaint shopping arcades and | | | | Aboriginal Cadigal people and is the site of the first |
| pretty restaurants. | | | | British settlement in Australia. It was first settled as a |
| Circular Quay is at the foot of the central business | | | | penal colony in 1788. Convicts were put to work under |
| district and the older, historic end of the city. Buses | | | | the harshest conditions to erect public buildings and |
| depart here for Bondi and the eastern suburbs. | | | | homes for government officials and free settlers. |
| A 10 minute walk from Circular Quay is Government | | | | Cadmans Cottage is the oldest remaining building in |
| House . . . | | | | Sydney and is a relic of this era. The Rocks eventually |
| 2. Government House | | | | grew from an open-air gaol into a vibrant port |
| Macquarie Street | | | | community. |
| Sydney, NSW 2000t. 02 9931 5222f. 02 9931 5208 | | | | Call in to the Sydney Visitor Centre on the corner of |
| Free guided tours of Government House are | | | | Argyle and Playfair Streets and pick up the book "The |
| conducted every ½ hour from 10:30am-3pm from | | | | Rocks Self-Guided Walking Tour" for just $1. The |
| Friday to Sunday. The grounds are open daily from | | | | booklet lists 31 historic buildings and points of interest |
| 10am-4pm. If you are traveling in a group, bookings are | | | | throughout The Rocks and guides you along a |
| advised. | | | | fascinating heritage walk. It provides one of the best |
| Government House, located in the Domain and | | | | morning (or afternoon) diversions you will get |
| overlooking the Royal Botanic Gardens and Sydney | | | | anywhere. Encounter a maze of narrow streets, |
| Opera House, was constructed between 1837 and | | | | laneways and interconnected sandstone cottages and |
| 1845 and is the most sophisticated example of a | | | | terraces filled with shops, stalls, cafes, pubs and |
| Gothic Revival building in New South Wales. Don't miss | | | | restaurants. Soak up the atmosphere and the tales of |
| the outstanding collection of 19th and 20th century | | | | the days and characters of bygone eras - tales of |
| furnishings and decorations in the dining room, drawing | | | | shanghai'ed sailors, tough gangs and colourful lives. |
| room and ballroom. The upstairs rooms have been | | | | There are approximately 33 galleries, museums and |
| used as the private quarters for the Governor, Queen | | | | art institutions in the Rocks, many with free entry, |
| Elizabeth and other members of the Royal family and | | | | including the Museum of Contemporary Art. |
| visiting heads of State. | | | | On weekends there is plenty of free entertainment |
| Government House is within the Botanic Gardens . . . | | | | with outdoor concerts and street theatre and great live |
| 3. The Royal Botanic Gardens | | | | bands in many of the pubs. The Rocks Markets are |
| Mrs Macquaries Road | | | | held every Saturday and Sunday at the northern end |
| Sydney NSW 2000t 02 6231 8111 | | | | of George Street and as with any good markets, the |
| The Royal Botanic gardens is open every day of the | | | | enjoyment is as much in the atmosphere as the |
| year (not including any areas assigned for private or | | | | shopping. |
| ticketed events). Admission is free. | | | | There is a walkway from Cumberland in the Rocks |
| November-February: 7 am-8 pm | | | | leading to the Sydney Harbour Bridge . . . |
| March & October: 7 am-6.30 pm | | | | 6. The Sydney Harbour Bridge |
| April & September: 7 am-6 pm | | | | The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia's most |
| May & August: 7 am-5.30 pm | | | | well known and photographed landmarks. The general |
| June & July: 7 am-5 pm | | | | design for the Sydney Harbour Bridge were prepared |
| The Royal Botanic Gardens in the domain represent a | | | | by Dr JJC Bradfield after the end of World War 1 and |
| 30 hectare oasis of "greenspace" in the centre of the | | | | the tender for an arch bridge was accepted. |
| city. Just a short walk around the harbour's edge from | | | | Construction started in 1924 from both sides of the |
| the Sydney Opera House, the gardens occupy one of | | | | harbour with cable support for the arches. The two |
| Sydney's most spectacular positions. It is one of the | | | | arches met in 1930. It took 1400 men eight years to |
| most breathtakingly beautiful settings you will see | | | | build the bridge at a cost of 4.2 million pounds. When it |
| anywhere. Enjoy a picnic lunch sitting on the grass, | | | | was opened in 1932, it was the longest single span |
| looking over the harbour, smell the roses, listen to the | | | | steel arch bridge in the world. The main span is 503 |
| birds, get back to nature and view the outstanding | | | | metres, consisting of 52 800 tonnes of silicon based |
| collection of plants from Australia and overseas. | | | | steel trusses. It is held together by approximately 6 |
| Enjoy a themed self-guided walk at your own pace or | | | | million steel rivets. |
| take advantage of the free guided walks. There is a | | | | Today it carries eight traffic lanes and two railroad |
| free lunchtime tour departing at 1pm from the Palm | | | | lines. There is a pedestrian pathway on the eastern |
| Grove Centre every Monday-Friday (March to | | | | side of the bridge and a cycleway on the western |
| November). There are also free daily guided walks | | | | side of the bridge. |
| around the Botanic Gardens departing from the Visitor | | | | |