This historic compound with original barracks give visitors insight into the development of Sydney…read more Dating back to the 1800s starting as a penal colony and its future immigrants. it also balances it with perspectives from the aboriginal culture and voices of Irish Immigrants. Since it is an original structure, it can be crowded if you're in the same room with school groups. However, you could always meet me under to one of the other rooms. Free audio guide, which is essential to the experience.

Even if you're not into museums or a history person, I highly recommend checking this museum out…read more Wonderful interactive tour keeps you interested throughout the 3 floors. Gives you a brief understanding of the history of the colonization of Australia. It's a great way to spend a couple of hours, dry from the rain or cool off from the summer heat.

"Mrs Macquarie's Chair (also known as Lady Macquarie's Chair) is an exposed sandstone rock cut into…read morethe shape of a bench, on a peninsula in Sydney Harbour. It was hand carved by convicts in 1810, for Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of New South Wales." - Wikipedia Located near the Royal Botanic Gardens, this is a great landmark to view the Syndey Opera House and Harbour Bridge. I recommend jogging around the whole gardens and taking a break at/around Mrs Macquarie's Chair to take in the air and scenery.

Great views of Sydney Harbour from this location…read more If you're walking and don't know what you're looking for you can miss it. The monument is an unmarked and simple concrete seat, but it plainly says Mrs Macquarie's Road... on it. Easy place to sit and relax, maybe not the best views on the peninsula, but it's peaceful enough. Plenty of flora around, the sounds of the harbour and water are evident. You are within a quarter mile of the Botanical Gardens on one side and Art Gallery of NSW on the other.

I literally passed by this museum on my way to the botanical gardens several days ago. Noting the…read morelimited hours I slightly rearranged my schedule to make the Tuesday hours work. I was expecting a small museum that would take 30 minutes max to go through. Thankfully I was so wrong. Before even opening the door of the museum I was greeted by one of the docents who was lovely throughout the tour. The entire tour lasted about 70 minutes and was fascinating. She explained the origins of the hospital and detailed history of the nursing staff who truly started the practice of nursing, as directed and sent by Florence Nightingale. While I was vaguely aware of the Nightingale connection I was surprised to find so many items that were either owned by Nightingale or given to the nurses from Florence Nightingale. With all the objects of the museum donated I think they have a truly remarkable collection, including old medical objects, photos of nursing staff, training uniforms, chemist set, to go bag of pharmaceuticals (for visiting rural areas), and medals received for service in the Crimea War. In general, I think it helps to have a medical background in order to understand how great this collection is and to be able to easily compare the collection to current medical practice. That being said, the docents ask prior to the tour if you have any medical knowledge. The only area of the museum that I didn't enjoy was part of the new wing and was two rooms of medical specimens, including the preserved fetus from an abortion. There were many different cancers (breast, ovarian, colorectal) also on display. I think generally people should be warned prior to going into those rooms. $5 Admission per person, cash only Photos are ok, no flash Will be asked to leave larger items (camera bags, backpacks) in the office Very limited hours! Martin Place metro stop

Circular Quay is a bustling, iconic waterfront precinct located on Sydney Cove between the Sydney…read moreOpera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It serves as a major transport hub--offering ferry, train, and light rail services--and is a primary tourist destination for dining, culture, and harbor views. A cruise ship terminal is also here. During our recent several days visiting Sydney, Gayle and I caught a Tram here (twice), took the Ferry to Manly (and back), and took Ferry in from Watson Bay. It was also the jumping off point to our tour of the Opera House and the Rocks. The other cool thing we did was reading the brass plaques recognizing 60 important characters of Australian literature featured in the Sydney writers walk.

What a fun, memorable area of Sydney. Full of tourism, localism and picturesque spots and views,…read moreit's an area not to be missed. Take a boat ride around the harbor or simply scroll along the water. Enjoy local dining and even watch cruise ships come in and out of the harbor. Personally, at sunset is the best time of day. You can enjoy the views as the sun is going down and get incredible pictures during sunset. The Sydney opera house can be viewed from all angles and you can learn about the history of Sydney and its amazing and unique history during a ride around the harbor.

Darling Harbour was a charming area nearby my Vrbo. I wish I'd spent more time in the area, as…read morethere were a number of restaurants I'd have like to visit, but I didn't have enough time. It was a lovely space to walk through, so if you're in Sydney, I recommend going by!

The backdrop of our window view from the Hyatt Regency Sydney, the Darling Harbour occupies a large…read moreportion of the western area adjacent to downtown Sydney. It was named after a former governor of New South Wales. Some famous attractions in the harbour include Chinese Garden of Friendship, National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, and Sydney Zoo. The pyrmont pedestrian bridge can get you across the harbor (East-West).

I remember, years ago, when I wasn't all that familiar with Sydney, that I was over here visiting a…read morefriend. Anyway, she told me that there were two ways to cross the harbour, the free way and the expensive way. Well, there are two expensive ways, one that goes underground, and the other one that crosses the so-called iconic bridge. However, While I suspected that there was a free way I theorised that it involved taking a really long way round. No, she pointed out, and proceeded to take me over this bridge. Yeah, it does actually look a lot better than the other one, and it does take a little while longer to get over the harbour (particularly since a lot of others like the idea of not having to pay), but it is pretty handing. Oh, and as I suggested, it looks nice as well.

The Anzac Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge in Sydney. It leads to a harbor that is a departure point…read morefor larger cruise ships. It is the longest cable-stayed span bridge in Australia. The bridge was named for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) who served in World War I. Interesting to see both the flag of Australia as well as the flag of New Zealand flying to honor soldiers from both countries atop the respective eastern and western pylons. Statues of soldiers from both countries also honor those soldiers who fought in WWI. If you visit the Sydney Tower Eye, definitely look for this landmark. Not as famous as the Sydney Harbor Bridge, but a historic and impressive site.

What can we say about a bridge? I dunno... I do like that it's there and it seems quite useful…read more Just one of those things we all will just take for granted.

Gladesville is a suburb of Sydney located 9 km north-west of the Sydney central business district…read more One of Sydney's most famous landmarks is the Gladesville Bridge, an arch span bridge allowing Victoria Road over Parramatta River and links the north shore with the inner west. When completed in 1964, this bridge was the longest single-span concrete arch ever constructed. Construction took five years to complete and the bridge opened on October 2nd, 1964. There are three northbound traffic lanes and four southbound lanes, with a concrete median. Gladesville Bridge is part of the annual Seven Bridges Walk, a 26.2 km loop circuit that travels clockwise around Sydney Harbour. The starting point if you wanna start here is the Hunter's Hill village at Church Street near the Burns Bay overpass. The bridge design was a first, but construction method was reminiscent of the ancient Roman method of building arches in sections using temporary formwork. Precast concrete blocks were hoisted up from barges on the river, and huge inflatable rubber gaskets were installed and inflated with hydraulic fluid, which lifted the entire arch above the temporary formwork to support its own weight. Then the gaskets were filled with liquid concrete, which set to form a permanent solid arch. The formwork was then moved sideways and the next arch constructed in the same fashion. Once the arches were in place, the deck was constructed with precast concrete units. The bridge was designed by G Maunsell & Partners of London, with consulting approval from the famous bridge engineer Eugene Freyssinet. The current bridge replaced the original Gladesville Bridge completed in 1881, which was the only crossing of the Parramatta River east of Parramatta at that time (Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932). The old Gladesville Bridge was constructed in a bridge binge in the1880s, which also saw the construction of the Iron Cove Bridge, Glebe Island Bridge and Pyrmont Bridge. The old bridge was 300 metres (980 ft) to the west of the modern bridge. The sandstone piers on each shore are all that remain today of the original bridge (next to Huntleys Point Ferry Wharf, and in Howley Park, Drummoyne). This bridge reminds me of the Coronado Bridge in San Diego, with its concrete arch and pylons, and its clearance so high above the water. Smooth and clean. The span of the bridge is 305 metres (1000 ft) and has a high clearance of 40 metres (133 ft). A high school friend of mine lived on the water next to here and we used to row his little boat across the bay. Years later I used to take the rivercat catamaran to work which of course ran under this bridge.

This attractive square & fountain are in the pedestrianised plaza on the corner of George and…read moreAlfred Streets near Circular Quay, the artwork is an integral part of Herald Square. The Tank Stream Fountain was presented to Sydney by John Fairfax & Sons Limited in 1981 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Herald in 1831. This fountain features a series of figurative and non-figurative forms made in bronze & connected by separate, linked pools. From the central cascading fountain, 4 tall columns in bronze rise out of the pool. An array of Australian flora and fauna, including frogs, snakes, goannas, echidnas, crabs, birds and tortoises appear to be playing in the pools. There were many plaques that read: "The Sydney coat of arms / the tank stream fountain / and the landscaping of / the square were donated to the / City of Sydney for the pleasure and / enjoyment of citizens and visitors by / John Fairfax & Sons limited, proprietors of / the Sydney Morning Herald on April 18, 1831. / The right Hon. the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Alderman Douglas W. Sutherland, A.M., / accepted the gift on behalf of citizens / on April 16, 1981 / J.O. Fairfax L.P. Carter, O.B.E. Chairman, Town Clerk / John Fairfax Limited / (The Fairfax crest.)". On the western side, a plaque reads: "1788 / A stream flows into Sydney / Cove. The European settlement / of Australia begins along its / sandstone banks. Soon drought / strikes and storage tanks are carved / from the stone, Hence the name Tank / Stream / The seasons pass / 1981 / The tank stream fountain recalls / mankind's past dependence on this / flowing stream and our links / with life around this region / Sculptor: Stephen Walker". Another plaque set into the eastern wall facing west reads: "The Children's Fountain / Dedicated to all the children who / have played around the tank stream / Presented by John Fairfax & Sons Limited,