Pretty much everyone in here died from syphilis except this one guy who got struck by lightning…read more This is the oldest cemetery north of the bridge, and it shows: elaborate headstones, archaic inscriptions, and lots and lots of children who dies under the age of, like, eight. To clarify, it *was* a cemetery, and was creatively re-purposed (possibly by early hipsters) into a "rest park", because that's a thing now. But really, this is one of my favourite parks anywhere. It's serene, with sun-dappled glades and a big open area at the back where local dog owners bring their dogs, let them off the leash and watch them romp, happy as anything, drool flying. People picnic on the hill and watch the dog show on weekends and early evenings, it's All Time. I'm here at least 4 times a week, 5 if I'm lucky. But remember kids: not picking up your dogs poop is not okay. The rest of us have to do it. So should you.

You wouldn't often associate cemeteries with strolling, sunbathing and generally having a cheery…read moretime, but St Thomas' Rest Park, a Victorian cemetery, isn't all about those who have snuffed it. Situated in the wealthy suburban district of the Lower North Shore the park is a bustling hubbub of social activity come dog walking hour. Smart ladies and pampered pooches amble around this leafy park swapping gossip and slanderous comments about those who forgot to bring their doggy bags. There's a notice-board filled with evening classes to enhance the community atmosphere further. While, for those with you children, there's a modern play park built into the corner of St Thomas' Rest. Having said that, there is a bit of historical interest in all these fenced off enclosures of gravestones. Featuring the well-known names of some of Sydney's founders, the graves offer an interesting insight into the lives and death of these Victorian settlers. Most of them struck down by your characteristically Victorian diseases; cholera, dysentery (the charming list goes on) there's even a man who had an unfortunate encounter with a lightning bolt. So indulge a bit of your morbid or historical curiosity next time you fancy a stroll in a pretty park and head on over to St.Thomas' Rest.

We had a great experience. We did a private dive with Jimmy with our family - a shore dive off of…read moreShelley Beach. We were mostly new divers but had a wonderful time. Would reccomend!

Amazing crew. My two sons and I went out with Jimmy and Jordan and had a great Discover Scuba dive…read moresessions. Terrific guys, great staff, easy reservations, great gear! Highly recommend!

Dishonest. Do your self a favour and avoid these clowns. I spent over $10,000 dollars at this…read morestore. The vtx dive computer that I purchased didn't work from the start. They refused to exchange or refund and now just lie about the details of the purchase. Disgusting people and service.

My experience at Abyss learning how to scuba was fantastic.. small group, great and knowledgeable…read moreinstructors who are patient and explain things very clearly and always have an answer to all your questions. The photographs and videos taken during the course were also really cool to have as a memento of an incredible underwater experience! The course is very well structured and I really got the best value for cost. Keep up I highly recommend this school to anyone looking to get their Open Water dive certification. Thanks once again to my amazing instructors Jarrad, Honeron, and also thanks to Rosa for the pictures! If I lived in Sydney I would definitely sign up to do more dive courses and join the dive club... Sadly I live on the other side of the world!

I booked as part of a group and paid in advance online, I arrived (admittedly I was late - I got…read morelost on the way) and despite having proof of purchase in email format, my name was not "on the list" . The gentleman serving said "well 21 people paid and 21 people have checked out gear" so basically someone else had turned up and taken my paid for place. Luckily 1 other person in the group retired early and I was able to take over her SUP. No instructions offered, the whole process seemed really unorganised and a bit of a mess. Bundeena is so beautiful! And the SUP was fun once I finally got on the water but perhaps there is another company to hire from that wont lose your booking?

I fully enjoyed the kayak hire to go explore Royal National Park. Bundeena is a small town in the…read moremiddle of the park. Just get up in town, get a coffee from a cafe, then head to the water where you can hire kayaks and stand up paddle boards. I prefer the kayaks as you can explore more of the park from the kayak rather than a stand up board. The price is very reasonable, its a great way to spend a nice sunny weekend.

Went to Shelly Beach for their snorkeling tour. The guide (Nigel) was friendly and knowledgeable…read more It took a long time of rescheduling because of weather and injuries, but it was definitely worth it! So glad we took the time to do this. We were taken for a short walk around the area before the snorkeling and it was fascinating to learn about the history or the area. We went on a seriously amazing day for the tour. The weather was perfectly warm and the water was clear. We saw plenty of wildlife during the tour. VERY grateful for the pool noodles provided for the tour. Made it a million times easier - all we had to do was lie there and enjoy the surroundings.

Love this place!! Great place to rent kayaks, due to lovely staff, fun equipment to rent and…read moreperfect place to paddle away the afternoon.

Audley Boatshed is located in Sydney's Royal National Park, about 30kms south of Sydney's CBD…read more Surrounded by thick rainforest, and enchanting bush land, it is the perfect place to hire a canoe and paddle along the breathtakingly still Kangaroo Creek and Hacking River. If you don't feel adventurous enough to take to the water, why not grab a rug and enjoy lunch at the picnic pavilion, or on the ample lawns surrounding the boatshed. I make the trek down to Audley once a year (around Christmas time) with my nephew, and he absolutely loves it. Once you hire a canoe and hit the water, you can go one of two ways. Left or right! If there is a child in your company, I suggest you go right along Kangaroo Creek. After about 2kms the river tapers out and you cannot go any further by canoe. It leads you to the perfect spot for a swim or bushwalk exploration. But be careful, it can be a little dangerous. I once slipped off a rock while exploring the bush land at the end of Kangaroo Creek and cut my knee open. Not such a big deal, but considering mobile phone reception is nonexistent in this part of the National Park, if something does go wrong, you may have a long, painful canoe ride ahead of you. Audley Boatshed offers a truly unique way to enjoy the vast natural beauty of the Royal National Park. As you sail down the still waters of Kangaroo Creek, engulfed by the music of the rainforest, it will be hard to believe that one of the liveliest cities in the world bustles and pulsates only 30km away.

Visitors from overseas put diving at our local Chowder Bay to the test and it came up trumps -…read moreyou've no idea what you can find below the surface this close to the centre of a busy city, and without even venturing far off the shore. Plunge is a professional operation providing all levels of diving from entry (no pun intended) to advanced, including coordinating trips to other sites. But before you venture away from the home site, book in here to find the elusive Chowder Bay seahorse which hovers around the jetties off Chowder Bay and the shark net of the Chowder Bay pool. The former military buildings up above the dive school are now home to SIMS (the Sydney Institute of Marine Science) - and it's no coincidence that they chose this location. In the summer, the hours are pretty generous, though you do have too make bookings - and early for a weekend spot. Winter is more restricted, though has great visibility and enthusiastic divers assure me that the temperature of the water in the harbour feels better in cooler weather!

Plunge Diving is located at Chowdar Bay right in front of the water. I have dived with them for…read morecouple of months now and the instructors, dive masters are really knowledgeable, experienced and very friendly. I have also bought my dive gear from Plunge Diving which ended up being heaps cheaper than buying online.

This is the second time I have dived with Dive Centre Bondi. They didn't disappoint. It's been a…read morefew years since I have dived in Sydney but the experience was just as good as the first visit. I joined a guided shore dive at Little Bay led by their instructor Vanessa. Although the dive was full they managed to squeeze me in at last minute notice due to a diver not turning up in the morning. It was a great dive with lots to see. Amongst the animals we saw were - Wobbegong Sharks, Bull Rays, Cuttlefish and countless other colourful fish. It was a great day out, thanks for the dive. I'll be back. I can highly recommend this company for anyone looking to try out Sydney diving.

Terrible experience with them. Scheduled for scuba diving, but the equipment was not up to date. I…read morekept tilting because the weight was not distributed well, and the goggles were leaking water all the time. Went back, as the guide did not have the patience. He asked the store to schedule me for another time, and they said they would call me back because they needed to find an instructor. They never did, nor did they return any of my money. They are just there to collect your money and not care about your enjoyment, thinking you're there temporarily and won't see you again, so they don't care about your experience. I will never, ever use them again if I go back to Sydney.