In a Nutshell: Sydney, New South Wales
We spent a fantastic 8 years in Sydney, living by the beach and exploring the city and we recently put together some of our favourite things to do with visitors that aren’t on the usual tourist route. Sydneysiders fall firmly on either the North or South of the Harbour. We lived South of the Harbour in the Eastern Beaches, so a lot of our favourite spots are in this area.
Eastern Beaches Coastal Walk
The Eastern Beaches Coastal Walk is a very popular walking trail that follows the coast from Bondi Beach to Coogee, stopping at each beach cove along the way. If you’re on this walk, our favourite stop along the way is Tamarama. Keep an eye out for pods of dolphins or whales which travel up and down the coast many months of the year.
The Beaches walk is stunning and worth taking, but if you’re looking for something different try the coastal walk from Maroubra beach to Malabar. Instead of multi-million dollar mansions you’re surrounded by Australian bush and the views for miles up the coast are just as stunning,
Ocean Pools
Sydney beaches can be dangerous for those who aren’t strong swimmers or don’t know the local surf break. As Al says “Never turn your back on the surf in Sydney”. If you’re not keen on the surf, many beaches have ocean pools and a swim in these is usually safer. Some, like Bondi Icebergs, charge entry but others like Bronte are free.
If you’re North of the Harbour there’s the Spit to Manly walk which takes you along the cliff tops of the Northern Harbour foreshore and on to several harbour beaches, Balmoral Beach is a great spot for swimming in calmer waters than the ocean.
18 Foot Skiff Boat Races
For a truly unique Sydney experience it’s hard to go past an afternoon watching the spectacular 18 Foot Skiff boat races on Sydney Harbour. You can get tickets for a dedicated ferry with commentary and drinks provided. An afternoon watching these high speed sail boats lift out of the water on their hydrofoils as they skim acres the waters of Port Jackson is a thrilling way to experience a day out in Sydney.
Art Galleries
White Rabbit Gallery is one of our favourite small galleries in Sydney. A private collection of contemporary art from China, many pieces of which are strong statements about the realities of life in China. Not far from there you’ll find Spice Alley, a funky area of Asian street stalls.
RSLs, Lawn Bowls and Surf Lifesaving Clubs
Hang with the locals at a suburban legion club (RSL), a Lawn Bowls club or Surf Lifesaving club. One of our favourites is Bronte Lifesaving club which is only open on Sunday afternoons, or Icebergs winter swimming club bar at the South end of Bondi. Low-key, family friendly and filled with local life savers and surfers. (You want the downstairs bar. The upstairs one is very salubrious….) Thursday Nights at the Icebergs is Steak Night, and there’s usually a meat raffle too.
South Of Sydney
Head out of town and South with a drive through the Royal National Park, over the Seacliff bridge that veers out over the ocean and have lunch on the cliffs overlooking the the Pacific at The Scarborough Hotel. On your way stop off at the Orford Lookout for an amazing photo opp, especially of the hang gliders are out. For an overnight getaway keep heading South to Kangaroo Valley.
Sea Plane to Rose Bay
If you want to splash out on a treat, take a sea plane from Rose Bay for a scenic flight 30 minutes up the coast North to the Hawkesbury river where they can drop you off for lunch at one of the restaurants perched on the cliffs above the ocean, They then pick you up for a return flight. The views are spectacular and you might even see whales like we did.
If the sea plane is a little beyond your budget, our Sydney friend recommended you can take the train north to Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury River. From here you can catch the Riverboat Postman boat tour.
Ferries to Manly or Watsons Bay
Most people will take the ferry to Manly, but as an alternative one of our favourite trips with visitors is to try the ferry to Watsons Bay. It’s a much smaller ferry with less of a crowd and you can stop for lunch, a walk around the headland and a swim before catching a bus or cab to Bondi beach.
Theatre
There is plenty of live theatre in Sydney. For small scale, top quality theatre try the Belvoir St Theatre which was formed by a group of theatre lovers who saved their local theatre from closure in the 1980’s. Also, the Wharf (the bar has great views for a pre- dinner snack). If you’re in town early in the year look out for the Sydney festival. Some of our other favourite festivals are Trop Fest short film festival, Vivid and So Frenchy So Chic.
Golf
If you’re a golfer, there are a stack of great courses in Sydney, but for a spectacular view while you golf try the small par three in North Bondi. The views from the cliff top are spectacular. They also have a very low-key bar that our friends tell us has great curry nights.
Opera House and Harbour Bridge
This is not really off the tourist path, but plenty of locals also love to sit at the Opera Bar as the sun sets over the Harbour bridge. Even the locals love to soak in the view of this truly stunning city, Thy have bands on many weekends and evenings.
One of the best times to visit Sydney is August. Blue sky days of 20 degrees, no sign of the humidity of summer and very little rain, and the added bonus of quieter beaches and harbour foreshore. It will be cold in the water so if you’re coming for a beach holiday March might be your better option after the rains of February have passed.
As a final tip, we’d suggest getting a window seat if you arrive by plane. It is Al’s favourite city to fly into as the view from the air as you fly over Sydney harbour is unforgettable (especially if you’re coming in via Brisbane).