"Long live rock, I need it every night Long live rock, come…read moreon and join the line" (The Who) "The Rocks" neighborhood of Sydney was built by the English criminals who were banished to Australia in 1788. Named after its rocky topography, it's characterized by cobblestone streets, sandstone buildings, and narrow alleyways. Our tour guide Vickie filled us in on the history of the land. Before the settlers arrived, the neighborhood was the home of the Gadigal people. But as more and more settlers poured in those First Nations people were pretty much erased from the area by disease, violence, and land grabs. As colonization increased "The Rocks" became Australia's first business center with a marketplace, hospital, jail, docks, and homes pretty much built out of the rocky sandstone. I had a real sense of history wandering through these narrow winding cobblestone streets and seeing the big cliffs of rock that had buildings carved out of them. Today, The Rocks neighborhood is bustling with activity -shops, restaurants, and bars. It's a very cool place to wander around and take in the history and the sights

(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

Very cool place to walk around or grab a drink and/or bite…read more I ate at a restaurant that had a great view of the harbor and boardwalk. There are tons of shops and public transportation nearby.

Good landmark to reach the dinner harbor cruises, restaurants along Darling Harbor and Sydney Wild…read moreLife.

Beautiful views and super crowded for the Boxing Day Sydney Hobart Boat race but worth the short…read morewalk and the amazing views Value 5/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 18/20

Not a difficult hike. I think it was about 2 miles. Accessible by bus or ferry. Taking the bus 342…read moremake sure it goes to the Watsons Bay as there's also a shorter round. Not a long walk from Robertsons Park. Maybe 2 miles? However, you can extend for a longer coastAl walk by combining it with the Bondi, which could go on for over 12 km. Much of the power has fencing for safety. Paved throughout.

Located next to Tumbalong Park, a lot to see and do, located…read morealong Sydney Harbor. Many attractions, play areas. museums, restaurants and shopping close by.

Even if you're a local, there's a chance you haven't stumbled upon Darling Park. This hidden gem…read moremay look like it belongs to the office blocks surrounding it, but the park - designed by a team from Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens no less - is absolutely open to the public. And it's glorious. The 3000 square metre space has a central spire, emanating from which are a series of garden beds and grassy expanses - perfect for taking a load off during a lunchtime. A circular walkway rings the garden, and it is lined with benches, tables and handy little alcoves to sit and chat. Come lunch hour of course this is teeming with white-collar folk, but if you pick your moments, this is a delightful green haven. Such a rarity in the CBD. My favourites are the wombat statues (see photo) that frolic in one of the garden beds and are just too cute for words. You can see one is stretched out on the grass catching 20 winks, which is exactly what I've done on many a visit to Darling Park.

This is an annual festival held on Sunday where coffee lovers get to sample coffee from different…read morecompanies. The only time where coffee in the CBD is cheap ($2 each for a regular! Bring lots of gold coins for quick transaction). The best times to go is before lunchtime as it's less busy.

For all coffee lovers, this is a must go to every July. It will be the 29th of July 2012. I went…read moreboth in 2011 and 2010 and my wife and I had a blast both times. When you just get off the ferry and leave Circular Quay you will enter the "Latin Quarter". You have latin coffees, hot chocolate with chilli and cinnamon, various Latin and Spanish sweets, and of course Latin music. The vibe in this section makes you just want to dance. The next section is usually the European section. This is a little more of your standard fare, with great bakeries along with all the coffee shops selling their swill. The middle eastern section is one of my favourite places. You have amazing Turkish coffee and apple teas. Plus you can get some baklava, Turkish delights, as well as various savoury lamb dishes to sink your teeth into. The final section is the Oriental section. Other than coffees, you will find many teas in this area. This is one of the best festivals out there as the foods are diverse and I am a huge coffee fan.

Yesterweek, in the intense autumnal sun* I walked along the Parramatta riverbank. I was not…read moreunaccompanied. Sunday morning joggers, dog-walkers, touristy hikers passed me by while less active nappers stretched out on the grass. But my Riverside Walk was also accompanied by something else: a colonial soundscape. Before setting out on my self-guided tour of four historically-evocative artwork installations on the river foreshore, I downloaded the FREE podcast "Life Along the Riverbank" via iTunes, which includes four audio tracks and a full colour brochure of the tour. The idea is that the artworks, the text incorporated into these visual works, and the audio conjure up the colonial world of the early 1800s. You get to hear real stories of real everyday people; cons, free men and women, children, aboriginal people of the region - the Burramatta - and soldiers, while you stand in the very spots where their histories unfolded and became entangled forever. The audio tracks are great; the voiceovers capture the accents authentic to the period and the quotations have been pulled directly from primary sources. Some choice sound effects also transport you to a time when Parramatta was a brutal military garrison town. The artworks and soundscape aim to reveal "stories of hardship, love, loss, survival, order and punishment" and in that they certainly succeed! The tour itself is very short in terms of walking distance; beginning just behind the Parramatta Wharf where the Rivercat comes in and ending at the Gasworks Bridge. The audio tracks are also not overly long. I still managed to draw the whole tour out to a couple of hours, however, as I photographed every inch of the spaces at every conceivable angle and, if I'm honest, had a little difficulty finding Stop 2 and Stop 4...but I'll say more on that later. You could do the whole tour much quicker than I did. In fact, the total audio time is approximately 10 minutes. Stop 1 "STORYWALLS" harmonise nicely with the natural landscape as they look like brown hills beneath a beautiful old shady tree. Each "hill" contains text; details of notables who lived in Parramatta; an Aboriginal missionary, a female teacher, convicts (including poor Ann Mash who was sentenced to seven years for stealing a bushel of wheat!), and the painted, spear-weilding Baluderri who "came to Governor Phillip's hut in a violent rage" threatening to kill the white men who had broken his canoe." These people are made more real to you as you listen to the podcast. Stop 2 "THE BACKYARD OF HARRISFORD" was a bit hard to find! I also recommend you actually walk up the path and follow it right past the new apartment blocks there to look at the front of HARRISFORD, which was the original school for colonial children and went on to become the first King's School. Conservation work is currently underway, but there is plenty to see even from the outside. Listen to the podcast to hear the tales of students who used to play there. Stop 3 "SENTRY BOX" - you can't miss this one. A bright red and white striped artistic re-interpretation of a colonial military Sentry Box that once stood here in the 1790s. It is rather gothic-looking with the shovels and pitchforks etc that stick out the top. Inside the Sentry Box are more primary source quotes, which you can listen to on the podcast. Stop 4 "WINDMILL SHADOW" - I walked right over this one just in front of the Gasworks Bridge initially as this artwork is subtle compared to the nearby Sentry Box. It is comprised of charcoal tiles against the otherwise white cement pavement. The charcoal lines represent approximately where the shadow of Howell's mill would have fallen if it were still standing. The audio track for this one was my favourite. A 48-second folk song about Howell's Mill sung in that really open-throated colonial way that you'd normally associate with sea shanties including songs like "Botany Bay." I confess to playing that track a few times before moving on! It utterly transported me to a time when the colonists relied heavily on windmills for the power that would help them survive an incredible unforgiving environment. It's so peaceful here now, but the self-guided tour podcast and these artworks go a long way towards helping you imagine a time when it was anything but. The artworks and the podcast are all part of Parramatta City Council's "Parramatta Stories Project" and were created by historian Michael Flynn and artists Susan Milne and Greg Stonehouse. It's great that Parramatta Council has made such an effort to preserve the incredible historical heritage of Parramatta. *Review was originally written and posted 29 March 2014.

When you get off the Rivercat at Parramatta wharf, you're right at the end of the navigable part of…read morethe river. There's a little weir, with a walkway over the top, and beyond that, parks and walkways along the foreshore. When I arrived on a bright, sunny day, there was a guy fishing over the weir, officeworkers inhaling lunch under the trees and others power-walking, trying ever so hard not to puff. As I sat on the plentiful grass, a kookaburra chased off some somnolent looking pigeons and then flew off over the waterlilies. Never having visited the river here before, I was amazed to see so much green space so near the city centre of Parramatta, and greatly enjoyed my walk up to the Heritage Centre, just over Lennox Bridge. Along much of the way, you can enjoy the 'Riverside Walk' artpiece by Aboriginal artist Jamie Eastwood. It visually represents the history of the area from an Aboriginal point of view. There's little plaques giving a historical backing to the visuals, and would make a great way to educate the kids. This area's been inhabited for tens of thousands of years, and it's quite a legacy to think about as you take each step. The ancient history of this country and its people may not be as visible as the Pyramids or Stonehenge, but it's here, under our feet. It just takes a bit more imaginative effort and interest on our part to conjure up. It's only a ten minute walk or so up to the Heritage centre (and a stop on the free bus loop) and beats pounding the asphalt no end.

Chinatown was a must see for me when in Sydney it was just a shame my companion did not feel the…read moresame. I wanted to wander all around the place and try one of the karoke bars but it wasn't meant to be. We did have what i can describe as one of the best chinese meals i have ever had. I cant remember the name of the restaurant but the fact there was a queue outside said it all! Lots of little shops to have a browse in and plenty photo opportunities. Well worth a visit ... i just wish i had went alone!!

Duplicate Review 1 of 2…read more Quality/Quantity - Slightly disappointed... Expected way more. Especially since we just visited Melbourne, Chinatown (oldest Chinatown in Australia) which was more than 3 times larger, while the city is much smaller. Future review to follow. Minimum shops and/or eateries, most of which we had little to no interest in visiting. Atmosphere - First known or documented Chinese Australian was in 1818. The Chinese came here just like in America in the 1850 due to the gold rush. In 1973, after Australia dismantled their policy against the Chinese, they opened the doors to more Chinese coming to Australia, but mostly coming from Hong Kong as China did not open their doors to let people out until 1983. Sydney Chinatown started in "The Rocks" area, then moved to Market Street near Darling Harbour and now is finally in the Haymarket area. Service - N/A. Price - N/A. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since the 1800's. I know this is a community and not a tourist attraction.

We came by train & spent the morning in this young hip side of Sydney. We were looking for murals…read more& a different side of Sydney. The architecture here is older & has vintage charm. The murals were beautifully done and very colorful, all around us. Lots of dollar stores, vintage shops, 2nd hand book stores, secondhand clothing and antiques. Coffee shops and Thai restaurants were here. We had a good time poking our heads into a lot of the fun colorful and ethnic shops here. The colorful young adults clothing & shoes were unique.

Keep Newtown Weird! Vintage shops and Thai food!…read more This younger side of town has lots of things to see and do. Need a bar? This is the place. They've got all kinds of strange shops that cater to every whim out there. There's lots of cool street art to check out, plenty of shopping, and has a safe feel to it. Newtown seems to be the neighborhood that backs up to the University of Sydney, and where the college kids come to shop for weird clothing or strange items for their dorms. It's also where they can get a haircut and a tattoo! There's a nice park along in Newtown, where I got to catch out the Newtown Music Fest. There's also a myriad of choices for visiting breweries here. There seems to always be something going on around this part of town- worth checking out.