Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 3 . SYDNEY
MAIN ARTERIES & STREETS The city’s main thoroughfare, George
Street, runs up from Circular Quay (pronounced key), past Wynyard CityRail
station, Town Hall, and to Central Station. A whole host of streets bisect the city
parallel to George, including Pitt, Elizabeth, and Macquarie streets. Macquarie
Street runs up from the Sydney Opera House, past the Royal Botanic Gardens
and Hyde Park. Martin Place is a pedestrian thoroughfare that stretches from
Macquarie to George streets. It’s about halfway between Circular Quay and
Town Hall—in the heart of the city center. The easy-to-spot A.M.P. Centerpoint
Tower, facing onto the pedestrian-only Pitt Street Mall on Pitt Street, is
the main city-center landmark. Next to Circular Quay and across from the
Opera House is The Rocks, a cluster of small streets that was once city slums
but is now a tourist attraction. Roads meet at Town Hall from Kings Cross in
one direction and Darling Harbour in the other. From Circular Quay to The
Rocks it’s a 5- to 10-minute stroll, to Wynyard about 10 minutes, and to Town
Hall about 20 minutes.
NEIGHBORHOODS IN BRIEF
South of the Harbour
Circular Quay This transport
hub for ferries, buses, and CityRail
trains is tucked between the Harbour
Bridge and the Sydney Opera
House. The Quay is a good spot for
a stroll, and its outdoor restaurants
and buskers are popular. The
Rocks, the Royal Botanic Gardens,
the Contemporary Art Museum,
and the start of the main shopping
area (centered on Pitt and George
sts.) are a short walk away. To reach
the area via public transport, take a
CityRail train, ferry, or city-bound
bus to Circular Quay.
The Rocks This small historic
area, a short stroll west of Circular
Quay, is packed with colonial stone
buildings, intriguing back streets,
boutiques, pubs, tourist stores, and
top-notch restaurants and hotels. It’s
the most exclusive place to stay in
the city because of its beauty and its
proximity to the Opera House and
harbor. Shops are geared toward
Sydney’s yuppies and wealthy Asian
tourists—don’t expect bargains. On
weekends a portion of George Street
is blocked off for The Rocks Market,
with street stalls selling souvenirs
and crafts. To reach the area
via public transport, take any bus
for Circular Quay or The Rocks (via
George St.) or a CityRail train or
ferry to Circular Quay.
Town Hall In the heart of the city,
this area is home to the main department
stores and two Sydney landmarks,
the Town Hall and the Queen
Victoria Building (QVB). In this area
are the A.M.P. Centerpoint Tower
(A.M.P. is the name of a local insurance
company) and the boutiquestyle
chain stores of Pitt Street Mall.
Farther up George Street are major
movie houses, the entrance to Sydney’s
Spanish district (around Liverpool
St.), and the city’s Chinatown.
To reach the area via public transportation,
take any bus from Circular
Quay via George Street, or take a
CityRail train to the Town Hall stop.
Darling Harbour Designed as a
tourist precinct, Darling Harbour
features Sydney’s main convention,
exhibition, and entertainment centers;
a waterfront promenade; the
Sydney Aquarium; the Panasonic
IMAX Theatre; the Australian Maritime
Museum; the Powerhouse
Museum; Star City, Sydney’s casino;
a major food court; and plenty of
shops. Nearby are the funky restaurants
of Cockle Bay and Kings