Nature, parks and beaches
National Parks
• Walking in the bush in Australia can be much more remote than overseas. Bring enough water, food, and sun protection and assume that you will not have mobile phone coverage. Let somebody know where you are going, and when you plan to return.
• Sydney is surrounded by national parks. The closest is the Sydney Harbour National Park, which encompasses many of the foreshore areas such as North Head, South Head, Georges Head and Middle Head. The Hermitage Foreshore Walk is a good way to take in some of these sights.
• Three other national parks border Sydney and are accessible by public transport from Central station:
• Royal National Park is to the south (50 minutes on the T4 Line to Waterfall, Heathcote stations). You can also take the T4 to Cronulla and take a ferry to Bundeena to access the Royal National Park.
• The Blue Mountains National Park is serviced by the Blue Mountains Line railway. It takes around 2 hours to get to Katoomba railway station.
• Kuring-Gai Chase National Park is to the north (50 minutes). It can be accessed by the T1 railway line to reach the western side of the park, or by the B1 bus line and ferry to reach the eastern side of the park. Wildflower season is the best time of year to visit Kuring-Gai (September to November).
Beaches
• Visitors, note that ocean beaches in Australia can be very rough. Respect your skill level, and stay between the red and yellow flags. Beachsafe offers detailed information about every beach in Australia.
• The most accessible beaches from the University are Coogee (via the 370 bus), or Bondi (via a train ride from Redfern to Bondi Junction, then a bus trip or a walk of around 20 minutes).
• Many ocean beaches offer rockpools for swimming. These are an interesting historical relic that were built during the Great Depression and offer a safer place to swim at ocean beaches. The most famous are Bondi Icebergs, Bronte, and Wylie’s baths.
• There are netted harbour beaches that offer calmer swimming opportunities. These include Murray Rose (Redleaf) Pool, Dawn Fraser Baths and Marinawi Cove.
• Other beaches with notable transport options include Manly and Watson’s Bay (a short walk from harbour beach Camp Cove). Ferries depart Circular Quay for these destinations.
• Walking trails connect Manly to Bondi on a well-marked path (80 km), which can be completed in various stages. Some of the stages, such as Spit to Taronga Zoo offer lovely harbour beaches along the walk.
• The Bondi to Coogee walk is a great way to take in some of Sydney’s most famous beaches.
Zoo and aquarium
• Sydney’s main zoo, Taronga Zoo, is accessible via ferry from Circular Quay, and offers opportunities to see native animals, as well as a panoramic view over the harbour, including the bridge and Opera House.
• The aquarium is based at Darling Harbour, around a 40 minute walk from campus.
Cultural activities
• The Chau Chak Wing Museum is the University of Sydney’s museum of art, science, history and ancient cultures. Entry is free.
• The Opera House offers tours as well as shows.
• The Art Gallery of NSW has a variety of art, including Australian, European and Asian art. The gallery hosts the Archibald Prize, the most prominent Australian art prize.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is in the historical Rocks district of Sydney.
• The Royal Botanic Gardens is a popular destination which offers many tours, including Indigenous-led tours.
• White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale is close to the University, and known for putting on some of Sydney’s most cutting-edge exhibitions.
• The Walsh Bay Arts Precinct is home to the Sydney Theatre Company, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Bangarra Dance Theatre, amongst other performing arts companies.
• Other interesting museums include the Maritime Museum, the Australian Museum and the Museum of Sydney.