Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
connect the city center to the high rises of the North Sydney business district
and the affluent northern suburbs and beautiful ocean beaches beyond.
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. Center-
point 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 Har-
bour Bridge and the Sydney Opera
House. The Quay, as it's called, is a
good spot for a stroll, and its out-
door restaurants and street per-
formers are popular. The Rocks, the
Royal Botanic Gardens, the Con-
temporary 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 Cir-
cular 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 bou-
tique-style 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 China-
town. 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 cen-
ters; a waterfront promenade; the
Sydney Aquarium; the Panasonic
