Arriving in Sydney
After enjoying a fabulous three day stopover in Singapore we boarded a late night Singapore Airlines flight down to Sydney, arriving at 11.00 a.m. local time. It had been many years since our last visit to Sydney and we were very excited to return. Passing through the e-gates was even quicker than back home in the U.K. and within a short time we were collecting our bags from the luggage carousel.
From the airport railway station we picked up Opal Travel Cards and loaded these with sufficient credit for our time in Sydney. Opal cards are free of charge when a minimum of AUD$20 is loaded on to them. The cards offer excellent value as the weekly cap is only AUD50 (£25) excluding the more costly airport to city route of AUD16.88 (£8.46) each way.
Having organised our travel cards we then boarded a train to our accommodation, transferring onto the metro at Sydney Central Station to reach the Quest St. Leonards aparthotel. We had stayed in a Quest property last year whilst visiting Victoria and as we were impressed by the standard and comfort we opted to stay in them once again. Our fourth floor studio was well appointed, spacious and benefitted from a good sized balcony.
Exploring Circular Quay
After freshening up, we were soon ready to go out exploring and it didn’t take very long to get into the city centre by taking the North Shore Line train. We walked from Wynyard station over to the bustling Circular Quay, a major transport hub and where ferries depart every few minutes across Sydney harbour.
Sydney Opera House
We followed the promenade in the direction of the Opera House which is lined with bars and restaurants, their terraces taking in the stunning harbour views. Continuing slightly further we reached Bennelong Point, the home of Sydney Opera House which since 2007 has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The unique use of a series of gleaming white sail-shaped shells as its roof structure makes the Opera House one of the most-photographed buildings in the world. Despite its name, the building isn’t a single venue. As well as a 2,679 seat concert hall, it also has three main theatres along with a large forecourt which is utilised for outdoor performances.
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Just beyond the Opera House lies the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney which is free to visit. This garden which opened in 1816 is one of the most important historic botanical institutions in the world. It was established on former farmland by Governor Philips, the founder of Sydney. The Botanic Gardens are divided into several themed sections which include the Palm Grove, the Oriental Garden, and the Herb Garden.
The sun came out and we enjoyed a stroll along the paths where we also came across the Rainforest Walk, Succulent Garden with its cacti, other desert plants and the Australian Native Rockery. From the slopes of the gardens there are some beautiful harbour and bridge views and it’s an ideal location for a picnic. There’s an attractive cafe where we were hoping to relax with a pot of tea but this closes early at 4.00 p.m. and we arrived just too late.
Mrs Macqarie’s Point
Our afternoon stroll continued through the park and back out onto the coastal path as far as the lookout point known as Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, another of Sydney’s landmarks. The chair was carved out of a sandstone rock ledge by convicts in 1810. It was specially commissioned by Governor Macquarie for his wife Elizabeth who was known to love the area as she spent many hours there watching the ships sailing into the harbour. It’s a splendid vantage point with beautiful views both of the harbour and its famous bridge.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is another of the world’s most recognisable landmarks. It is the largest steel arch bridge in the world spanning 503 metres across one of the finest natural harbours. The bridge took 8 years to complete, finally opening in 1932. It is affectionately referred to as the Coathanger by locals and is an intrinsic part of the city be it for commuting, walking, cycling or taking part in one of the bridge climb sessions. We weren’t tempted with the latter but did cross the bridge later on our trip by more conventional methods.
Ferry to McMahons Point
We then followed the coastal path back to the Circular Quay ferry terminal and used our Opal travel cards to hop on a ferry for the short journey to McMahons Point on Sydney’s lower North Shore. This is considered one of Sydney’s most exclusive neighbourhoods and is rich in history as well as enjoying expansive harbour views.
As we approached gorgeous Lavender Bay the views were even more stunning as we gazed at the picturesque little boats dotted around the bay with the Harbour Bridge towering close by. Continuing further, we passed Luna Park, a traditional amusement park which has operated since 1935. From there, the path heads inland up several flights of steps towards Milsons Point. We then boarded a train back to our hotel but it’s also possible to continue back to the water and hop on a ferry back to Circular Quay.
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