Things To Do In Sydney

Oak Park Beach - Ocean Swimming Rock Pool

We had such a great time when we visited, it was a lovely winter day where we were walking around with our shirts off and it was still a comfortable temperature.

Swimming/snorkeling in the pool, exploring the mini rock pools for sea creatures on the wide rock shelf, relaxing on the beach, walking along The Esplanade, surfing off the rocks, kicking a ball, or BBQ/picnic in the park.

Depending on what you like to do, I recommend you check the wave swell conditions before traveling to Oak Park Beach. If the waves are big I don't think you could swim in the ocean pool.
Sutherland Shire Council has live beach cameras: https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/play-and-explore/beaches-and-waterways/beach-webcams
Surf Life Saving conditions report: https://beachsafe.org.au/beach/nsw/sutherland-shire/greenhills-beach/oak-park

1. The water was pretty cold but that is expected in winter. Still a fair few people went in swimming. Some screams and fast breathing as people jump in the water, made me chuckle.
The water was super clear and nice looking green/aqua blue colours. I went in for a quick snorkel and was surprised to see a good range of small fish living in there.
Fresh water showers and the pavilion change rooms/toilets facilities.

2. We spent a long time looking in the mini rock pools on the shelf. Many shells, little sea creatures, and trapped very small fish. Be careful of rogue waves washing over the rock shelf as the tide comes in.
My little boy likes touching the sticky Sea anemone tentacles, looking for starfish, or trying to catch little fish. We found a couple of really nice looking shells. Many shells on the Northern part of the beach, it is mostly covered in them. The section in front of the pool is regular nice sand.

3. The beach isn't massive but has a few options to sun bake and relax: sand, rocks, or the grass area above, overlooking the beach, there is also a flat concrete area with bench seats above the beach.

4. I can recommend the coastal walk from Oak Park along The Esplanade to Hungry Point Lookout. The ocean and views looking over to the water to Bundeena, The Royal N.P., Jibbon Beach looks amazing. Google Map track (~1km): https://maps.app.goo.gl/rQbcnwo7k1EvTckh9
One thing that is annoying with the walk is you can't go through any further (private property) when you get to Hungry Point Lookout. You would have to go around via roads or go around the rocks to continue.
I haven't gone the other way North towards Cronulla yet. I'm sure it would be very nice also going past Shelly, Blackwoods Beaches and Shark Island. Google Map track (~2km): https://maps.app.goo.gl/rQbcnwo7k1EvTckh9

5. I haven't been surfing for years so I don't feel I can comment a lot on this rocky point break. It looks easy to walk out on the rock shelf then jump on your board to paddle the short distance out back.
I was more focused on enjoying my day rather than watching the waves, conditions, or surfers.
Little idea how the break changes with different conditions. Probably can't handle big swell? I imagine it could also get quite crowded.

6. The grassy park is nice with some tree shade options, a few sun shelters and two barbeques available. Not a lot of seating, bring some extra chairs if you're planning a group BBQ, picnic, or party in the park.
Mostly flat with slight incline. Closer to the beach/pavilion it is a bit steeper. We played a little game of soccer, the ball was rolling down towards the beach when my boy scored a goal.
The Cronulla locals were so nice they went out of their way to stop some of the stray balls rolling away and kicked it back towards us. Cheers guys : ) appreciated.

We went down Jibbon Street looking for a car park but it was busy even early in the morning so we had to go back onto Ewos Parade to park our vehicle. We walked through the nice grassy park to the beach going past a kids swing set (hardly a playground). The walk for us was around ~300 metres.
If you have a lot of gear/equipment, you could drop it off at the end of Jibbon Street, have someone watch it. Then come back, transfer and carry it to the beach.
At least one disabled car spot is available beach end of Jibbon Street.

I'm already thinking of going back for another visit. Enjoy.

Information:

Google Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PpdstmDp7wYS5UWk7

Oak Park Cronulla: https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/play-and-explore/the-outdoors/parks-and-reserves/all-parks-reserves/oak-park-cronulla

Hungry Point Cliff Top Walk: https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/play-and-explore/the-outdoors/parks-and-reserves/all-parks-reserves/Hungry-Point-Cliff-Top-Walk

Barrenjoey Lighthouse - Palm Beach, the Northern most tip of Sydney.

We really enjoyed our day trip to the lighthouse, even though it is expensive. The views from the headland top over Pittwater, Palm Beach, and looking North to the Central Coast are spectacular. We even saw a whale breaching & splashing about, but it looks small unless you bring binoculars.

The walk:
From the car park to the lighthouse takes about 30 minutes with 2 different tracks to choose from:
- Barrenjoey Track is wider (more of a road) that accommodates service vehicles, easier paved flat rocks, but longer than the Smugglers Track. It took me about 20 minutes to walk to the top from the start and I stoped a few times to take photos. We went up Barrenjoey Track then returned via Smugglers Track.
- Smugglers Track is slightly more scenic (ocean views) with some extra photo opportunities but it is steeper and narrower with steps. Some sections you will have to wait for other people to pass by, depending on how busy it is. Both tracks start from the same place or you can climb up the rocks from the massive sand dune that touches the headland.

Costs/Transport/Tour:
Northern Beaches Council car parking is very expensive @$10 per hour. I spent $22 just to park the car while we walked up and back down (~2 1/4 hours), ouch that is probably more expensive than parking in Sydney city. You may find a few spots along Beach Road but street parking is generally not good in the area. Also the distance is about 900+ metres between Beach Road to the car park where you start the walk (on the beach) to the lighthouse.
Another transport option is to catch the bus from Wynyard or Manly, B1 / 199 routes.

Optional lighthouse tour takes about 20 - 30 minutes:
$10 Adult | $8 Concession | $5 Children
Tickets can be booked online (link below) or on the day at location (depending on quantity capacity). I'm still confused about the workings of the tours, online they are run on the hour but at the headland they do tours between, every 1/2 hour. Then the sign said next tour starts at 11:45am for example. We went on the hour and really just got let into the lighthouse. No guide to tell us anything about the lighthouse on this occasion, was disappointing.
The extra height makes for even better views from the lighthouse balcony although it was windy. I liked seeing inside the lighthouse and it really does add to the overall experience.
You can also check out the 'keepers’ cottages' which acts as a small museum after the tour. It has large printed photographs and snippets of historical facts about the lighthouse, Aboriginal inhabitants, and the area.

Take:
- Hat, sunscreen
- 1+ Litre water
- Small picnic, sandwiches
- Closed shoes (better option over thongs)
- Camera/phone
- Binoculars
- Backpack

Suggest:
Going early in the day. We arrived at the car park around 11:00am and it was already starting to get busy. By the time we left around 1:00pm it was hectic.
Look out for 'Alf Stewart' and the 'Home and Away' cast/crew if visiting during weekdays.

We had a nice time and definitely worth a visit. Pack your swimmers to have a dip & cool down after the walk.

Shelly Beach Cronulla

Visiting Cronulla Beach is great but the car parking is totally inadequate. Another option is to keep following road around to Shelly Beach where it is far less busy.

Shelly Beach has a rocky shoreline but with some patches of sand. You could snorkel in the water over the submerged rocks but the ocean rock pool is where almost everyone swims. I imagine when the swell is big the pool would be quite rough with waves coming in, but on a calm day it is perfect.

The swimmers change pavilion is unique and has a direct pathway down to the pool. I love the fresh water shower on the rocks right next to the pool entry. There is a concrete path for disabled wheelchair access to the water but it had sand over some sections when we went.

The Esplanade Walkway goes all the way along the ocean edge from North Cronulla Beach to Hungry Point with spectacular views of the water. The whole walk is long, around 4km, 1 hour, one way.

Other features of the area include:
- Massive grassy park area with lots of shady trees and a couple of barbecues
- Large fenced kids playground
- Picnic shelters next to the water (first served basis)
- Café and Food options

I really enjoyed our visit, and it has plenty of potential for other activities.

Google Map - Shelly Beach Ocean Pool
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Atx2ZrBsXBXccciz5

Google Map - The Esplanade Walkway
https://maps.app.goo.gl/fpAoXJo5YcUCe62c8

Restaurant
https://thenunspool.com/

Cafe/Shop
https://www.facebook.com/shellyparkshop/

Council article - Shelly Park:
https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/play-and-explore/the-outdoors/parks-and-reserves/all-parks-reserves/shelly-park-cronulla

New recreational precinct 'Barton Park', 92/96 Bestic Street, Banksia, Sydney (just South of Sydney Airport).

I knew this new park upgrade project had been going on for a number of years, but I didn't realise the scale. I was impressed, and I didn't even see it all. You would want a positive reaction for $51.7 million dollars spent.

New facilities include:
- 2 Basketball Courts
- 4 Tennis Courts
- 3 (or more) Soccer Fields
- 3 Pingpong Tables
- Large Kids Playground
- Execise Area (difficult to find)
- Ammenities Block
- Picnic Tables
- Large Car Park
- Cycle Path (see route on Google Maps: Linked below)

One thing I didn't see was any BBQ's, just picnic tables. You may have to prebook the tennis courts (link below). We arrived about 9:00am on a Sunday morning and the tennis courts were free to use.

You can't see the execise area from the car park, it is hidden by a large grass mound. If you follow the cycle path North you will see it on the left side of the path (Google Map pin lnked below).

The cycle path follows the edge of 'Muddy Creek', you can see glimpses of the water and boats moored. I didn't go far along the path but it looks well made, nice and wide, and with bridge sections over the mangroves/water.

If anyone sees an endangered 'Green or Golden Bell Frog' around the park area, please post it here.

I will be going back soon, taking my basketball to shoot some hoops with the little guy. Check it out.

GOOGLE MAPS - Cycle/bike/walking route:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ADj9fP7NcnNcKQx19

GOOGLE MAPS LINK (Old satellite view without the new upgrades):
https://maps.app.goo.gl/teXdsr1cLk5Bq5eT7

GOOGLE MAPS - Exercise Area Location (approximate):
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9BDc2p9bXUPcm3mx7

BAYSIDE COUNCIL - Barton Park Officially Open
https://www.bayside.nsw.gov.au/news/barton-park-officially-open

BAYSIDE COUNCIL - Book Tennis Courts
https://bayside.bookable.net.au/ #!/search?venueTypeId=5&date=2023-05-19&showMoreSearch=false&showMoreAttribute=false

BAYSIDE COUNCIL - Barton Park Recreational Precinct upgrade project
https://www.bayside.nsw.gov.au/your-council/city-projects/barton-park-recreational-precinct-upgrade-project

Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout (South-East Pylon).

Spectacular views of Sydney Harbour but over priced entry fee. Ouch prices: $30 Adults, $24 Concession, $15 Children (no cash sales).

I enjoyed my visit with family and my little boy really enjoyed the adventure. The pylon has around 200 steps to the top but is somewhat broken up with the 3 separate levels and rest spots/seats.

We caught the train to Wynyard station and walked along Cumberland Street until you reach the 'Bridge Stairs', they are almost exactly opposite the Glenmore Hotel. There is also now an elevator going up to the bridge deck walkway. This was handy for us as we took the pram with us. You can also go from Circular Quay but I think it is easier (flat) from Wynyard.

Once up on the deck it takes about 7 minutes to reach the pylon. You will pass the reworking construction of the controversial Sirius Building. The views even from the bridge deck are very good.

Doors open at 10:00am, on the first level you pay the entry fee, see museum exhibitions and can watch a short video about the full process of building the bridge.

On the second level it has some more exhibiton pieces, a gift store with drinks and snacks and toilets. Couple of small balconies but they are closed/locked.

The third level is the viewing level. Open space inside, the external balcony wraps around the entire edge offering 360 degree views of Sydney Harbour and surrounds. This level is almost as high as climbing the bridge itself, but here you can take your camera and many photographs. We took some sandwiches and had a little picnic lunch inside the top level.

Overall you could spend 30 minutes - 60 minutes for your visit. Definitely a memorable experience and I think worth at least one visit.

Afterwards we walked to Circular Quay Station via the Rocks. I love all the quirky parts of 'Old Sydney Town'. We didn't have time to visit on this ocassion but I can recommend:

- Glenmore Hotel, it gets very busy on the rooftop lookout for lunch/dinner, arrive early or book - https://www.theglenmore.com.au/
- Australian Hotel - https://www.australianheritagehotel.com/
- Hickson Road Reserve - Excellent views of the bridge and across Sydney harbour, take a picnic or just chillout on the grass - https://www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-city/the-rocks/attractions/hickson-road-reserve
- Cumberland Street Archaeological site (beneath Sydney Harbour YHA) - https://www.therocks.com/editorials/butchery-bigamy-and-booze
- The Observer Hotel - https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Observer-Hotel-100069297634000/
- Museum of Contemporary Art - https://www.mca.com.au/

Other links:

Google Maps Wynyard Station walking route link:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PkvocQaE78HAzn3J9

Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout Website
https://pylonlookout.com.au/

Wikipedia - Sirius Building
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius_Building

Dining inside Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout
https://www.bridgeclimb.com/climbs-prices/whats-on/lukes-table-at-the-pylon-lookout

What's on in your local area?

Local council and community area activities are fun for both adults and children. Most events are free or are low cost.

I went the other week to the 'Open Print Exchange' presentation/event at 'Hurstville Museum & Gallery'. It was inspiring to see the wide diversity of subject matter and print making techniques used in the exhibition. The presentation was also interesting watching the demonstration of press printing with various drum/cylinder machines and hearing about the 'Open Press' project (see photo text) https://openpressproject.com/

Afterwards we made our own (plastic) basic print plate. My little owl print came out better than expected. It was great to be hands-on creative (no computer), and the prints were very quick to produce.

A few months ago I went to the same gallery with with my little boy for 'Mythical Creatures' - School holiday program session. We both had fun making a 'Minotaur' mask (see photo) and a small dragon statue.

I'm going to be booking myself into more of these types of workshops. Checkout your local council area event calendar. It might be a bit late at this stage for school holiday (kids) event bookings.

If I have left any Sydney areas off the list below, please post them here. Have a safe, enjoyable Easter all.

Bayside:
https://www.bayside.nsw.gov.au/area/event-information

Blacktown:
https://www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/Events-and-activities

Burwood:
https://www.burwood.nsw.gov.au/For-Residents/Events-and-Activities/Events-directory

Camden:
https://camden-events.bookable.net.au/ #!/

Campbelltown:
https://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/Whats-On

Canada Bay:
https://www.canadabay.nsw.gov.au/whats-on

Canterbury - Bankstown:
https://www.cbcity.nsw.gov.au/events/community-and-council-events

Cumberland:
https://www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/whats-on

Fairfield:
https://www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/Whats-on

Hornsby:
https://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/lifestyle/events

Hunters Hill:
https://www.huntershill.nsw.gov.au/Community/Events

Hurstville:
https://www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Whats-On
https://www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Community/Events/What%E2%80%99s-On-Event-Information/Battle-of-the-Beats-Council-Led-Event

Inner West:
https://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/explore/whats-on #/

Ku-ring-gai:
https://www.krg.nsw.gov.au/Things-to-do/Events-and-festivals

Lane Cove:
https://www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/Events-directory

Liverpool:
https://www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/community/major-events

Mosman:
https://events.mosman.nsw.gov.au/

North Sydney:
https://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/events

Northern Beaches:
https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/things-do/whats/event-calendar

Parramatta:
https://www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/events-overview

Penrith:
https://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/upcoming-events

Randwick:
https://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/community/whats-on

Ryde:
https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/Events

Strathfield:
https://www.strathfield.nsw.gov.au/play/events/

Sutherland:
https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/events

Sydney:
https://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/

Waverley:
https://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/recreation/events

Willoughby:
https://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Events

Wollondilly:
https://www.wollondilly.nsw.gov.au/home/whats-on/

Woollahra:
https://www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/Events

Cremorne Point
A nice place to visit but not a lot to do. We should have combined our visit with a swim at Maccallum Seawater Pool. Anyway we still had a very nice time, great to get out on the water and see somewhere new.

The ferry ride (F6) from Circular Quay to Cremorne Point departs on the hour on weekends. It is a short trip of 10 minutes or so. The 225 bus service is also available.

Once you arrive at the wharf or the bus stop head up the stairs. There is a kids playground, nice park area with grass, palm trees, a few bench seats to rest and public toilets . There isn't much of a view from the park, the bushes need to be trimmed.

Take the concrete path out the end of the point. You will pass a strange looking cairn, a picnic table and an information placard.

The concrete path circles back but you can continue walking to the end vantage point. You can see the navigation light (mini lighthouse) below and great views North/East of the harbour, and back towards the city.

I let our little boy climb down the fisherman's ladder with me to the rock shelf so we could get closer to the navigation light. It looks like a good spot for fishing.

We took the ferry back to Circular Quay indirectly (optional). The ferry stops at South Mosman Wharf, Old Cremorne Wharf and finally Mosman Bay Wharf. On the way back the ferry stops again at all wharf points. There are some nice houses and it was interesting to see around this area from the water. You can take the ferry directly back to Circular Quay from Cremorne Point Wharf. The wharf has a small café/kiosk for snacks and drinks.

We had a fun time but you could make a day of it by combining with a visit to Maccallum Seawater Pool. I think Bradley's Head is a nicer spot for a picnic.

Google Maps - Maccallum Seawater Pool
https://maps.app.goo.gl/o1sW8yfb7Yg1iaYR8

F6 Ferry - Circular Quay to Cremorne Point Wharf (we departed from wharf 4 but I'm not 100% if it always leaves from here)
https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/sydney-ferries/f6/090f6

225 Bus - Cremorne Point Wharf to Neutral Bay Wharf
https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/keolis-downer-northern-beaches/225/29225

Bicentennial Cairn - Clan Donnachaidh
https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/landscape/settlement/display/90204-bicentennial-cairn-clan-donnachaidh-

Facebook - Cremorne point wharf kiosk
https://www.facebook.com/cremornepointcoffee/

North Sydney Bushcare Groups
https://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/bushcare

Dark Spectrum - Wynyard Train Tunnels
Vivid Sydney 2023

This was a cool experience but different from what I was imagining. I didn't see any rats and it was pretty clean.

If you arrive early with tickets pre-booked, head to the Northern end of Wynyard Park and find a park bench on the inner perimeter path of the park. You can also buy tickets on site.

The queue of people builds very quickly and the single line around the edge of the park gets very long. You go through a security tent where they check your bags and scan tickets.

From there you are split up into groups of 80 - 100 people and head down a few flights of stairs down into some hidden old areas of Wynyard Train Station. You have to watch a safety/overview video then the experience begins.

There are 8 different rooms/sections/journey includes: Separation, Construction, Pressure, Unseen, Reflection, Unfamiliar, Interaction, Revelation. All very different from each other.

If you like photography or weird selfie lighting it's epic. Don't get too carried away or you will miss taking it all in. I don't want to spoil it any any further and just posting one section picture, enjoy.

Overall I really enjoyed the experience but it's pretty pricey at $45 each. Vivid must be cleaning up? For our 12:00 midday session I estimate at least 200 people (or more).

That's 200 x $45 = $9000 per hour. I'm sure it is a lot of expense to design, setup, insurance, space hire, staff etc. but couldn't they make it a bit more reasonable, cost per person?

We went to Hotel Sweeney's for lunch & bevs after. Quaint little pub with many levels, I like it. They have nice Thai food or the regular pub grub.

The rooftop area was pretty much empty when we went. Mondays are apparently the quiet day. Normally the rooftop is packed, the other levels are nice enough as well if you can't get a table up top.

VIVID - Dark Spectrum
https://www.vividsydney.com/event/light/dark-spectrum

Google map pin - The queue starts here in Wynyard Park:
https://goo.gl/maps/mStyakkGgU6hMWG29

Google map - Hotel Sweeney's
https://goo.gl/maps/bQv5yaMqb1ibekS79?coh=178571&entry=tt

Hotel Sweeney's
https://hotelsweeneys.com.au/

Being a tourist in Sydney is so much fun, even if you're just pretending to be a tourist (living in this city). We have been wanting to take the harbour ferry ride between Circular Quay and Manly for a long while now and we finally committed.

The trip takes between 20 - 30 minutes depending on the ferry class (ship type) you take. The scenery and views are spectacular on a nice sunny day. Checkout all the secluded bays, beaches and picnic spots around Bradleys Head and the whole of Sydney Harbour. The best public transport trip you can take in Sydney, price ranges from $8.04 - $9.70 each way.

As the ferry passes the small section between Sydney Harbour Heads you can expect some pitch, roll and heave of the ship depending on ocean swell conditions. If you know you are prone to sea sickness check the swell forecast before boarding. On the flip side some people might enjoy the thrill. The day we went was almost perfect with small swell, low winds and sun shine.

Arriving in Manly it feels like you are on holiday. As the saying goes “Seven miles from Sydney and a thousand miles from care”.

We had a quick ocean swim inside the protective shark netting at Manly Cove Beach. The water was super clear and a good temperature. The big Norfolk Island Pine trees shade some sections of the beach in the early morning. A great time for families with small children, avoiding too much sun exposure.

Plenty of tables are available around Manly Cove Beach promenade for a picnic or just rest and soak up the scenic atmosphere. Large grassy areas are also available on the Eastern side of Manly Wharf for picnics.

We visited Manly early Sunday morning with not too many people around. It can get very busy later on in the afternoon and the ferry ride back to Circular Quay can be congested/packed. On our trip we just visited the Manly Cove Beach, met up with a friend for a short while, then returned to Circular Quay.

If you want to take more of a whole day trip some suggestions are:

- Head through Manly Corso to the Manly Surf Beach
- Have lunch at the Hotel Steyne rooftop (book or arrive early)
- Have lunch overwater at Manly Skiff Club (book or arrive early)
- Take the water edge walking track to Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve/Shelly Beach (take your mask and snorkel)
- Hire a bike and explore Manly
- Hire a kayak and explore Manly (harbour) beaches

We had such a great time, I hope you do too, enjoy.

Trip Planner
https://transportnsw.info/trip #/trip?from=200020&to=209573&leaving=true&excludedModes=11&onlyAccessible=false&walkSpeed=0&gettingFromMode=100&gettingToMode=100&onlyOpal=false&gettingToValue=20&gettingFromValue=20&tripPreference=0&travelMode=publicTransport

Bradleys Head
https://goo.gl/maps/yVv9CJQ4bXzUNFc57

Hotel Steyne Manly
https://hotelsteyne.com.au/steyne-rooftop/
https://hotelsteyne.com.au/rooftop-table-reservation/

Manly Skiff Club
https://www.manlyskiff.com.au/

Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/marine-protected-areas/aquatic-reserves/cabbage-tree-bay-aquatic-reserve
https://goo.gl/maps/5FhCA95aPF2EKVBEA

Manly Bikes and Manly Bike Tours
https://www.manlybikes.com.au/bikehire

Manly Kayak Centre
https://manlykayakcentre.com.au/