Cockatoo Island's vast abandoned factories, unused alleyways and shipping docks provides an…read moreexciting location for visitors to see a huge range of Street Art in one location. And because of its dynamic and live nature, the art will change and evolve, giving visitors something different to see throughout the course of the festival which runs from 4 November - 11 December, 2011. We are delighted one Sunday that the weather is perfect and that public transport for a Fun Day ticket is only $5 so we take advantage of this offer and catch the ferry over to Cockatoo Island for the street art display called Outpost. When we arrive we are met with a colourful cup wall and a huge expansive chalkboard floor which our toddler runs too and grabs chalk from the baskets to begin her own graffiti. On hot days because of the asphalt it can be incredibly hot so make sure young one are covered up and it wouldn't hurt to have cover for yourself. Children scoot and skate around us as this place is perfect for this kind of activity. We then choose to walk down the working tunnel which leads to the Turbine Hall. It makes for a wonderful experience to see art from Ben Frost, Everfresh and The Beastman. We exit and go into the Turbine Hall where the Kidzoom Home project shows a movie installation and three commodore pile up installation inside. On the other side we sit in one of the many cafes and have a refreshing drink and coffee. Our Toddler decides she is off and goes into the junk room with other kids to construct her own sculpture she loves it. Following this we go into a big room with hanging t-shirts and profiles on different graphic artists and then go over to the X Box room to do some dancing. This exhibition is progressive, dynamic and worth those who are keen to take the short trip from Circular Quay for the day. Relax with a cocktail in the Cockatoo Island Bar at the end of the day. Verdict: One in a million experience that you must go and see.

This annual event has stood the test of time in Sydney, and I even remember this from my childhood…read moreafter my family moved to Sydney from London. The picnic this year is held next Sunday the 16th of October 2011 (one week at the time of writing this) at Rosehill Gardens to raise funds for the children's hospital here in Sydney, of which their mascot is the cute bandaged bear. It all makes sense. The rides, art, face painting and the various events put on to keep active and energetic kids entertained year after year wanting to come back for more. The value that children (and most importantly their parents) will receive at this annual event more than exceeds the $20 cost per person (or $60 for a family) to attend this important but enjoyable event. The picnic feel is also alive with great food to buy; or families can bring their own. The only criticism of this iconic traditional event is that why; on earth why has it been moved to Rosehill Gardens? It might make sense as the new children's hospital is in western Sydney; however it was great when the event was held in the city previously. It was much easier to get to than to Rosehill Gardens. NB. I took an image of care bears in lieu of the picnic as it is not feasible to actually take a photo of the event as A. Rosehill Gardens is a hike; B. The real event (annual) is on the 16th of October and I won't be in Sydney then, and C. I now live in Melbourne. Many thanks for your understanding Justine :)

(Explored 12/12/24 TH @ 4:00pm, 12/26/24 TH @ 10:00am, and several times over a decade ago): This…read moreharbour neighbourhood will rock your socks off! The Rocks was a quintessential goodbye and welcoming point for those embarking or disembarking by cruise ship in Sydney Harbour and a focal historic neighbourhood where many came to dine, drink, shop, or just walk around in the fresh open air with a kiss of salt water sprinkled onto your skin. My first experience was very similar to this one, and it all started on a cruise with Princess Cruises. My travel companion and I arrived a couple of days early to settle in and roamed around before the cruise began. Then, at the end of the cruise, we stuck around for nearly a week to welcome in 2025. Would this return visit years later rock as it did my first time around!? PURCHASE We tried our best to support the local economy by visiting several pubs and restaurants as we surrounded ourselves with the locals and whatever came our way. Each of these experiences would be explored further with their own respective reviews. SERVICE There was no specific service to speak of that directly affected The Rocks as a whole. Rather, collectively all of the businesses we supported had wonderful service. The area was well-kept, and although there was a constant flow of slow traffic down the narrow streets, each was safe to cross. PARKING (FREE) I honestly had no idea nor took notice of the parking situation although I saw some vehicles parked here and there along the surrounding streets. We simply walked, took the train from/to the Circular Quay Station (it was right there!) or took an Uber - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE I couldn't say what streets bordered or determined the parameters of The Rocks area, but you had a collection of old buildings that housed pubs (Fortune Of War Hotel), breweries/restaurants (The Endeavour Tap Rooms), a breakfast spot (Shuk The Rocks), the Museum Of Contemporary Art Sydney https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=j_J8UYvByj8QDV_ZnbqrRQ for some culture, a slew of art galleries https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=YtAakzygb5ZdKBfVAJrJ_g and retail shops, Sydney Harbour with view of iconic Sydney Opera House https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=P1RzLfk-zcbziYGOeoTrhg and Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the cruise terminal https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=6i9FoQ8M7O0m8JnpyZQvwQ for some ocean voyages. It was Christmas time, so there were plenty of decorations https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=z3gi2JSNDyfjJ7aG6G0ZWg everywhere. Obviously, there was plenty of natural lighting with a plethora of street and business electric lights throughout when the sun went down. Even if you didn't partake in any of these options, simply people-watching was more than enough fun to pass the time as you lazed away - enjoy! ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL The Rocks was a fun place to spend the day and enjoy the local flavors around you. There was something for everyone (I personally loved the pubs, eateries, and cruise terminal), and you could spend as much or as little money and still have a good time. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience varied BEFORE any discounts/tip). And, many of the businesses accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS

Sydney's oldest neighborhood…read more Walk along the cobblestone paved streets and narrow laneways. Explore the markets, the museums and the galleries. This is where Sydney was born in 1788. The newly arrived convicts set up shops, pubs and homes. The Fortune of War pub opened almost 200 years ago in 1828. Imagine the hardships that those early settlers faced. Today, many of those original historic buildings have been restored. The renovations have turned what was once dilapidated into a popular tourist area.

Just back from a 4-year-old birthday party at this farm. A crisp winter day baked in golden…read moresunshine certainly helped matters but seriously, this place was heavenly. My son got to 'squeeze a cow until milk came out'! He held chicks, a baby bunny, a duckling and then took a bucket of feed out to the goats, Alpacas, sheep, calves and donkeys. He fed milk to a baby goats and THEN he rode on a pony. Seriously, this kid thinks he has died and gone to an Easter theme parked heaven. The staff are wonderful: engaged, informative and clearly passionate about providing safe shelter for the many orphaned animals who call this place home. We will certainly go back and given that it's only a 40 min drive from the CBD, that could be very soon!

You know peeps visiting Australia from Hawaii had to stop by here, even if we're not surfers. The…read moreplaque going along with the statute makes no mention of Duke's ties to Hawaii; almost like Australia wants to claim him as their native son lol. But gotta respect the honor they bestowed on him.

So why is there a statue of Hawaii's famous Olympic swimmer and legendary surfer in Australia and…read morewhy the heck is it at Sydney's Freshwater Beach? During the Australian summer of 1914-15 Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku aka "The Duke", came out to Australia to race against Australia's finest and fastest swimmers in events around Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland. At the time Duke held numerous world swimming records. During his stay in Sydney he fashioned and shaped a surf board out of local timbers (modelled on his Hawaiian boards back home), and took to the surf at Freshwater Beach in January 1915 - the event is regraded as the day when surfing came to Australia. Before The Duke left Australia he gave his iconic board to teenager Claude West who became Australia's first surfboarding champion. Claude, in later life, donated Duke's board to the Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club where it is housed (and if you are polite and lucky you may just be able to be taken to the room where it is on display). There are two recent and excellent books about The Duke. The first is about his visit to Australia and is by Phil Jarratt and titled "That summer at Boomerang". It's a historic dramatisation of his visit and exploits in Australia and includes some interesting insights into his relationships he formed with Australian swimmers at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics), and the friendships he made here. The second account is a more general book by David Davis called "Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku" which is also a good read into the life of this marvellous Hawaiian hero. So pay your respects next time you are at Freshwater and long live Duke!

The busiest point in Sydney (As determined by Dennis Bones in 2012)…read more Its the interconnect between the arcades under the QVB, The Galleries Victoria and town hall station. Go here between 8am and 930am to see everyone in Australia transit this one spot. Bonus points if you can count all the goldfish.

A secret tunnel in the cliff between Manly Beach and Freshwater!…read more This is full-on Goonies style action. Also known as the Queenscliff Tunnel, it was constructed in 1908 by local fishermen as a shortcut between Manly and Freshwater. To get here you go to the Queenscliff Headland at the very left edge of Manly beach as you're facing out to sea. Walk past the rock pool and keep going, clamber over the rocks. Just before the big pink graffiti heart painted on the cliff (a northern beaches icon in itself), you'll discover a dark arch. Behold, the Wormhole! What will happen inside? Will you be transported to another dimension? Or just to the other side of the headland where you can scramble all the way to Freshie? Who can say. Go. Find out for yourself.

No wonder this is one of the more exclusive suburbs in Sydney. It has everything you could want:…read moregreat parks, restaurants, cafes, exercise facilities, leafy back streets and a ferry terminal. If you come here early on weekday mornings, you see a steady stream of smart business men and women on their way to work. Surely this must be the best commute in the world...although still difficult to leave the serenity of aptly-named Rose Bay behind.

Vivid Sydney is here! The first weekend is over, but fear not, you still have 2 more weeks of night…read morelights to go. I must say I'm really impressed by organization of the event. Yes, it may be a little tedious with all the one way traffic, but it definitely helps with dealing with the huge crowds. For the best view of the Sydney opera house, head over to the overseas passenger terminal. You get a clear view of the sails, and if you fancy, thee are several bars and restaurants at terminal for you to watch in comfort. The feeling is quite magical when the lights go on at 6pm sharp. The short animation of the gum nut babies is really adorable even for someone like me who have never heard of them before. The show is screened on the building right beside the ferry terminal (31 Alfred Street). Lots of kids and adults alike sit in front of the building for some heart felt nostalgia. And it's their 100th year anniversary. There's a little booth selling some of their merchandise closer to their ferry terminal. The Royal Botanical Gardens spared no effort in participating in Vivid Sydney. They have a one way walk filled with various exhibits that starts next to the Sydney opera house entrance and ends at the exit next to the Cahill Walk. It felt a little lengthy, but there were some interesting exhibits and you can see many bats interacting with the lights. There are one or two food and drinks areas, and they definitely check your ID to make sure you're of drinking age. I'm also really excited about some talks that are held in association with Vivid Sydney, check out their app or websites for more details. Some are free and others come at a lofty price but all for very exciting workshops. Sadly I won't be around for ones that I'm keen on. Now for the food recommendations: #mateburger has the most amazing Lechon fries. Crispy pork skin, tender delicious pork, fries, mayonnaise, spring onions. Definitely my go to for only $15 The Brussels waffles are amazing from the yellow waffle bus. Nice crisp outside and nice chewy inside. I would avoid the bomb ($14.50) though, the ice cream was meh, and the caramel sauce plus Belgian chocolate and ice cream was overkill for the waffle. I definitely would stop at just Nutella and strawberries next time. Mulled wine ($9) at the booth outside Sydney Harbour - don't bother. The wine was way too acidic, and not enough fruits and sweetness in it. The only comfort was that it was warm. Come dressed warm, it gets quite cold from the winds. The trains are only letting off passengers at the circular quay station. The ferries are a nice way to come into the harbour and see some lights, but there's a Long line and people tend to panic even though the are plenty of seats on the ferry. If you're heading to the MCA side, I would suggest coming by the ferry or train at circular quay, or from the Sydney Harbour bridge. If you're heading to the Sydney opera house or Botanic Gardens, you have to go around in a loop from the MCA side. Cut through the foodcourt with Messina if the doors open. Have fun and enjoy beautiful Sydney!

Putting aside the headache it is to try and drive to this area and find parking during this crazy…read moreevent, Vivid was pretty damn cool. We went on the Starship Sydney, which despite the amount of people on board, still had plenty of space for great views of all lights. I'm especially impressed how Sydney coordinates all the different displays, especially the bridge which baffles my mind. Overall, it was just an awesome experience for a reasonable price. And loved having a couple drinks during the cruise as well.

When I booked my hotel adjacent to Kings Cross I was told that I am residing in the red light…read moredistrict. I did see a lot of 'massage' parlors and some sex shops. A few unsavory characters at night time, but really never felt unsafe. I heard it has calmed down a lot in recent years. I enjoyed the scenery and especially the many coffee shops and tiny restaurants everywhere. Plus the public transportation from here to just about anywhere in the city is fabulous. And if you like to walk a lot you can even hike to most of the famous tourist attractions.

Kings Cross is quite an interesting area that appears to be rapidly changing & gentrifying…read more On one hand, you have Darlinghurst road, full of cheap fast food joints, sex shops, and bars. There are definitely a good amount of junkies too but we were never hassled or panhandled. On the other hand, step off the main road to leafy quiet residential streets with people walking dogs and pushing strollers. There's a great small market on weekends and lots of good reasonably priced places to eat on small lanes. We found the area to be diverse, lovely and convenient to stay in .