Welcome to The Rocks
The Rocks is alive Day & Night!
Steeped in history there are so many things to see and do. Where history meets contemporary you will delight in having the experience.
Observatory Hill and The Pylon Lookout not only provide one of the best views of the city of Sydney, but also features a series of exhibits where you will discover the history of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (‘the coathanger’).
The Rocks, with its winding streets and sandstone buildings, provides an intact and almost a complete chronological overview of Sydney in the 19th Century. Once the poorest area of Sydney, now it is much closer to the other end of the scale, featuring, tucked away shops, cafes, a very popular weekend market, street entertainment, galleries, museums, theatres and The famous Sydney Opera House on the other point of Sydney Cove from Circular Quay. Tourism is abundant with many attractions and shopping to be enjoyed.
The ‘old sailors’ home in George Street houses The Sydney Visitor Information Centre take a good look at the building on your visit. Cadmans Cottage along the water front, built in 1816 now houses the information centre for Sydney Harbour National Parks. Along from The Argyle Stores you will find ‘The Argyle Cut. This is a tunnel hewn from rock by convicts and is an interesting walk, at the other end you will find great shopping at the markets and many attractions to participate in.
Dining Out:
Award winning restaurants voted by The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide awards at The Rocks.
Awards are presented in Chef Hats: 1, 2 & 3 Hats
| Quay Restaurant – Fine Dining | 3 Hats | Modern Australian |
| Rockpool | 2 Hats | Modern Australian |
| Sailors Thai | 1 Hat | Sophisticated Thai |
| Yoshii Restaurant | 2 Hats | Japanese |
| Wharf Restaurant | 1 Hat | Modern Australian |
| Guillaume at Bennelong (Sydney Opera House) |
2 Hats | Mod Aust/ French Chef |
Our Suggestions:
Something new to Sydney is the Turkish cuisine at the Ottoman – the pretty little sister of the famous Canberra restaurant has had a five million-dollar fit-out and a menu to match. The service is extremely professional and the word is, the meal is better than ever.
Theatre Packaged Itineraries @ the house! Book with us – we have reserved outstanding Seats!
Sydney Opera House proudly located under the world’s most famous sails, you cannot go past this on your visit to Sydney. The building tours and live performances are spectacular. The Performance Packages allow you to create your perfect Sydney evening and the location is brillliant, capturing views of Sydney’s city skyline, the Royal Botanic Gardens and a sparkling harbour. You will be welcomed at the award winning Guillaume at Bennelong Restaurant to experience true fine dining, this restaurant is also host to High Tea Sydney Opera House that includes a private performance by an acclaimed opera singer.
The Wharf Theatres sit on Wharf 4 at Dawes Point and include the Sydney Dance company, Sydney Theatre Company, Australian Theatre for Young People and Bangarra Dance Theatre.
Nightlife:
- The Basement – A haunt for die-hard musos, this spot offers a swag of live tunes, from swinging jazz to DJ beats. Happy hour flows from 5-6pm every working day.
- The Argyle, the latest hip, New York / London styled underground warehouse entertainment complex in The Rocks, comprises five bar concepts, ranging from a cobble stone outdoor courtyard bar / dining area, to it’s cosy internal lounge areas over 2 levels. Music ranges from taste Latino, funk, soul and all things house.
- New to Old, have a cool drink at Sydney’s oldest Pubs.Two of Sydney’s oldest Pubs are on Millers Point – The Hero of Waterloo Hotel (1844) and even older is the Lord Nelson Hotel (1841) in Kent Street.
Old Time Jazz: Valda Marshall of 79yrs has been playing gigs in the Harbour City for more than 30yrs. She has recently released her CD of ‘The Worlds Oldest Band’ and is playing at the oldest pub, Hero of the Waterloo Pub – in Millers Point. Swing along to the tunes of Old Time Jazz every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Valda says, ‘it is a rehearsal, it’s just that every-one comes to listen’. Brilliant!!
Things to do:
Now regarded as the ‘must do’ activity in Sydney, Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb is a three and a half hour adventure and an experience that will never be forgotten. Two climbs to choose from at different times of the day. Age minimum 10 years. Departing every 10 minutes. Operates every day except in extreme weather condition.
Museums & Galleries:
Australia’ s oldest existing observatory The Sydney Observatory (1858) sits in Observatory Park, today there are many fascinating things to do and discover, you can experience the 3-D space theatre.
Nearby in an old military hospital dating from 1815, are the offices of the National Trust Centre and the S. H. Ervin Gallery. The National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery is a major public art gallery that presents an exciting program of changing exhibitions throughout the year. The program is designed to explore the richness and diversity of Australian Art, both historical and contemporary. The Trust Cafe, adjacent to the S.H. Ervin Gallery is an institution in itself. Sunday’s are extremely popular when the gallery hosts its afternoon series of ‘talks with the public’ program.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is Australia’s leading museum dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting and collecting contemporary art from across the globe. Located at Circular Quay the MCA is housed in the former Maritime Services building – a fine example of late Art Deco Architecture. The store sells contemporary art, culture publications and unique gifts.
Shopping:
The Rocks Market has something for everyone. Closing the streets to over 150 stalls, this has become one of Sydney’s premier weekend markets. Operates every weekend. Dotted in and around the Rocks you will find some interesting little stores along the arcades and lanes where you can buy some thing a little special to take home.
Nature:
The Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney is an oasis consisting of 30 hectares in the heart of the city, wrapped around Farm Cove at the edge of Sydney Harbour. Amongst the gardens are The Domain Entertainment Centre, Government House and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Before starting your adventure, I suggest that you go to the Visitor Information Centre to collect a map. Take a walk out to the famous Mrs Macquaries Chair, sit and rest a little, take in the magnificent views of the harbour. There is a Restaurant and a kiosk that are close to the centre of the grounds for you to pop in on your way around. Tours with guides are available, we can help you with bookings.
Suburbs close by : The Rocks, Circular Quay, The Opera House, The Botanic Gardens, Dawes Point, Millers Point, Walsh Bay.