Although at the time I didn't know the name of this place, I had discovered it while driving around…read morelooking for locations to do some photography. And yes, it's a great place for taking pictures, try the sunset for pictures of the harbour panorama. Or, if you're the more professional type, and have some clients or models, try this location for some beautifully backlit head shots and group photographs After a while it was no longer a place I'd go to do photography, but to take girls I'd met, it's the perfect view, quiet and intimate and relaxed. Take a bottle of wine, a blanket, and maybe some cheese if you're getting hungry, it's incredibly romantic sitting on the grass, and soaking up the views. If you're getting to 'hot' there, cool off in the beach besides the park, it's also very secluded enough for some skinny dipping. It's always open, and a great venue for families during the day, and couples during the night.

The Green Point Reserve is amongst Sydney's most precious green spaces, primarily because it offers…read moreviews of the entrance of the Harbor at Watson's Bay. I'm proud to say that this reserve was the first opportunity I had to witness panoramic views of the city and it's natural splendor. You can see the entire skyline from here. Moreover, it is the best place to photograph The Gap, which is the massive ocean cliff that drops straight into the Tasman Sea. Around the reserve you can find some eucalyptus forest and other native fauna (the only thing better would be if wild koalas were hanging from the trees!). Ultimately, I think that it is best served as a place for picnics, as it is quiet and covered in lush grass. The only draw is that it is very hard to find some shade since most of the area open. Regardless, only requirement is that you bring your camera and walk down to the South Head area for spectacular photo ops. It's open 24/7, but I'm sure sunset is the best time to come.

I was like a little kid running around pointing at the animals and getting to feed them and taking…read morecloseup photos of their cute noses. There were different kinds of kangaroos, wallabies, koalas (including a BABY), wombats, bats, dingos, some pretty colorful birds, a tawny frogmouth, a cute little shetland pony, and more. What a nice way to spend a morning.

This place is small, but awesome. I came here with a tour group and we were able to wander…read morethroughout on our own. There were small kangaroos bouncing about and we got to pet a koala. It was the perfect way to kick off being in Australia.

When the government (lower case g, sorry Tony but you have to earn the capital) decommissioned all…read morethe naval land on the north shore it unlocked giant swathes of pristine harbour-side happy places to go explore. Georges Head is one of the best - there are old gun emplacements to tool about in, gum trees, kookaburras laughing their little heads off, and the views, oh lawdy the views, enough to strike a man blind. This is one of those places where you can legitimately use your iPhone's oft-forgotten panorama function that you never normally get to play with. BONUS: impress visiting foreigners with your knowledge of secret Sydney.

One of my favourite spots in Sydney. If you are looking for a great city walk you can climb up the…read morestairs by the Balmoral rugby / cricket grounds next to the beach and walk all the way through forest to George's Head and Chinamans beach. It is probably the best spot in town to catch the Sydney to Hobart race as the lawns here line up with the starting line ;-)) You get spectacular views of the city and there is a bit of history to this place with the barracks and gunnery. Many Sydney artists work in this area and once or twice a year there is art exhibitions and sales. There are also a handful of restaurants in this area like The Gunners Barracks, Ripples and Burnt Orange to name a few and a couple of kiosks and so on. I have walked along this area plenty and absolutely love it. A less known part of Sydney and well worth a visit.

Sea-plane spotting?…read more One of the most beautiful parklands in Sydney is the Headland Park in Mosman. You can reach it by driving along the Middle head Road and entering the harbour trust park. The gun pit fortification is located at the east end of the park and it is stunning. Located further aside are steps which lead to a small beach and a long pier. The harbour view is stunning and if you look the the other side you can watch sea planes take off and land across the water from Rose Bay. The sea planes continue to fly around Sydney's harbour before continuing westwards. A great vantage point to watch seaplanes, helicopters, sail boats, ferries and canoes. Take the guided tour on the first sunday of the month to discover hidden tunnels and tracks.

One of 18 clubs that makes up the Manly Waringah Football Association, Mosman Football Club runs…read morefootball programs for children of all ages, all the way through to adult mens and ladies. Just to be clear, in this multi-lingual arena, Football in this context is soccer - the beautiful game, lead participation ball sport in the world, spread through parks and fields from the Carribbean to Colombo. MFC is run by a dedicated team of volunteers. For really keen youngsters it has pathways through to higher levels of football at representative and premier league level via MWFA, but it also caters for the masses, with the suburb a wave of blue through winter, littlies to oldies bedecked in distinctive whale-blue kit, clomping through the shops and streets in muddy boots. No rest in summer either, with an over-subscribed five-a-side competition run two nights a week at Georges Heights. The Club secures coaching for all its teams, whether it be a dedicated parent or an assigned senior player. Scarce field resources are carefully shared - though a battle persists for these - to ensure all teams have the chance to improve their skills and be sure that the Mosman Whale is well represented in finals week at Cromer Park.

Dr Mary Booth Lookout is probably something that many tourists and visitors to Sydney never get to…read moresee, and they'll be unhappy when they read this review and realised they probably walked, drove or public transported past it several times on their trip. Bummer dude! Why do I rate it so highly: - Look at the view - It's quiet and peaceful - You can have a picnic here - Plenty of room and seating is available - It's FREE to use How do you not miss out next time? Easy. There is a walkway below that runs along the harbour foreshore from Bradfield Park all the way to the lookout. Get on that and when you climb the steps you'll be here. Also there's some sort of Pagoda building with seats in the park, you can't miss seeing that.

Where else can you see the opera house & the Harbour bridge?!? Simply stunning - grab a picnic &…read moreenjoy the sights! Not much else to say as the pictures say it all

Of late I have been driving around Sydney in search of awesome venues, views, parks and cafes, this…read morepark covered everything but the coffee. If you are after a location that has views of the harbour, specifically of heads of Sydney Harbour heads, then you will not find better than this. The views are stunning! The other amazing thing about this park is that only in a Australia would you put a cricket pitch in such an awesome location. Seems almost a waste. Though... if you are looking for the ultimate place to fly a kite in Sydney.... this is likely to be it. Another big plus about this park, especially if you have kids, is the enclosed play area (near the toilets), which also has a BBQ ready and waiting. This place is awesome and a must visit, especially if you have people in from out of town.

If I didn't play football here a few times this season I never would have discovered the…read moreexceptional eagles eyrie that is Tania Park. Just across the Spit and 10 mins from Manly, Tania sits perched precipitously atop a bushy tabletop headland looking over Sydney Harbour and out through the heads into open ocean (and the pirate's law that I'm led to believe is in force in international waters). I watched Jessica Watson sail her yacht The Pink Lady back into Sydney after her record-breaking round-the-world solo voyage as a sprightly 16 year old from here, one of the highlights of 2010. Cracking for walks, dates, sports, dates, and dates. (and hey, do you fly kites? Because if you do, this place is your damned nirvana yo.)

Wave pool! Steam room.. Sauna.. Spas.. Two indoor basketball courts. Squash courts.. Public…read morelibrary.. This place is the best! The staff are always friendly and helpful. Centre opens early - around 5ish I think and closes by around 9ish.. Great place to bring the kids