Sydney/Macquarie Park

Macquarie Park-Ryde (also known as the Northern Districts or Inner Northwest) is the metropolitan area on the northern bank of the Parramatta River and is bordered by Lane Cove National Park to the east and north and Parramatta and the Hills District to the west.

Understand
The Macquarie region has a diverse mix of peoples, cultures and cityscapes and offers the curious traveller an opportunity to see a different side of Sydney. There are four main areas of Macquarie to explore.

The first of these areas is the suburbs that sit along the northern edge of Parramatta River and include suburbs such as Hunters Hill and Woolwich. These suburbs are filled with 19th-century buildings overlooking the water and are home to some of the wealthiest people in Australia. There are also many parks and reserves in the area with views of the water and great picnic spots. Further north of the river is an area famous for its diversity and great food. In the suburb of Eastwood in particular, you will find large numbers of wealthy East Asian families and international students who have come here for the schools and universities nearby. The Chinese and Korean restaurants here are some of the best in Australia. Eastwood also holds a number of cultural festivals throughout the year.

Further north of Eastwood and reaching the upper limit of the region are the suburbs of Beecroft and Cheltenham. These suburbs are hidden gems and have lush tree lined streets with grand heritage homes, a quaint shopping village that is reminiscent of an old English town and an abundance of golf courses, grass tennis courts and nature reserves.

Finally, to the northeast is Macquarie Park and Macquarie University. This area was developed to be similar to the area surrounding Stanford University in Palo Alto, California and is now Australia's undisputed high technology hub. Travellers that come here will find large campus-style office buildings for companies like Microsoft and Oracle as well as the lush rolling lawns of the university. The central hub of this area is Macquarie Centre, a sprawling shopping mall that is Sydney's second largest. Macquarie Park is also the gateway to Lane Cove National Park, a large park that borders the region to the east. The park contains the picturesque Lane Cove River, walkways, picnic spots and a campground.

Get in
The region is well serviced by public transport with trains, buses and ferries servicing the area.

By car
If you intend to go to the business area in the northwest, take the Gore Hill Freeway, Lane Cove Tunnel and M2 Motorway from the city. If you intend to visit the Hunters Hill and Woolwich peninsula, take Victoria Road all the way to the Gladesville Bridge and you're there.

By train or metro
Sydney Metro's M1 line serves the technology park at North Ryde and Macquarie Park. The most useful station is Macquarie University, connecting to the namesake university, Macquarie Centre, and has bus connections to the surrounding suburbs and the city.

T9 Northern Line serves the middle/western parts of Ryde, and has stops in Eastwood, Epping and Beecroft. The intercity rail line, the Central Coast and Newcastle Line, calls at Epping for connections to the Metro, and runs north to the Central Coast.

By bus
Buses from the city (departing from the Queen Victoria Building near Town Hall and also from Wynyard and Central) travel frequently to Macquarie Park and Epping. The 545 and 550 buses also travel between Macquarie Park and Parramatta, winding through the Ryde and Parramatta suburbs.

By ferry
There are regular ferries from Sydney and it makes a great way to get to places near the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers. The Parramatta River Line (F3) leaves from Circular Quay and has stops at Woolwich, Huntley's Point and Meadowbank. The Lane Cove River Line (private operator) leaves from Circular Quay and has stops in Hunters Hill and Lane Cove.

By bicycle
There is a separated bicycle path for most of the distance between the city and the Macquarie region. When riding from the city simply head over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and follow the signs to 'Macquarie Park'. Once you are in Macquarie, there are bicycle paths (some separated, some shared with other road users) that can safely get you around the region. Be mindful that like most of Sydney, the Macquarie region has hills, but no extended climbs.

By foot
Like much of suburban Sydney, this area is not easy for walking due to size and infrastructure. A hike through the middle using the Lane Cove National Park is possible.

Parks and gardens

 * Clarks Point Reserve, Woolwich, New South Wales.jpg

Macquarie University
While not as historic or as grand as its competitor in the Inner West, Macquarie is still a unique Australian university with over 126 hectares of rolling lawns and natural bushland. It is one of the only campuses where you can see natural wildlife wandering around and stopping human traffic. Nestled in the trees are modern Brutalist style buildings designed by renowned architect Walter Abraham. The campus features a modern library, museums, art galleries, a sculpture park, an observatory, sports facilities and a hospital. If you happen to visit the campus, here are the main attractions:
 * Central Courtyard is at the centre of the campus and fans of archieture will appreciate the Brutalist style concrete buildings that surround it.
 * University Lake is a picturesque spot to relax in the sun and read a book with the university's students. There are plenty of ducks and fish in the lake to watch and play with.
 * Macquarie University Art Collection emphasises contemporary Australian art. Its main pieces can be found in the art gallery (building E11A) while its large sculpture collection is scattered throughout the campus.
 * Museums including the Australian History Museum (Building W6A Level 1), Museum of Ancient Cultures (Building X5B, Level 3), the Biological Sciences Museum (E8B-110), and the Downing Herbarium (Room 148 in Building E8C). Museums are generally open Monday to Friday, 9AM-4PM.

Events
There are a small number of events held annually in the area.

Walking

 * River Bends (18846634552).jpg

Shopping malls
The area is in abundance of enormous (but generally soulless) shopping malls.

Shopping streets
Despite the popularity of shopping malls, a couple of small shopping streets are making a come back.

Eastwood
If you are craving East Asian food then Eastwood is the place to go. Prices vary and depend on if they are targeted towards international students or wealthy Asian families and businessmen. Restaurant turnover is high in Eastwood and finding the newest and hottest restaurant is easy as there will be a long line of people trying to get in. If in doubt, try any of these classics that have stood the test of time.

Hunters Hill and Woolwich
This is an upper middle class area and restaurants here are expensive. If you are on a budget and want to check out the area it's best to bring a packed lunch. Otherwise, splurge and enjoy.



Other suburbs
There are pockets of good food in suburbs not listed above. Here is a list of the best ones.

Drink
It is fair to say there is a lack of bars in the area, let alone good bars. Here is a list of places scattered in the area.

Bars and clubs




Camping

 * Reflections, Lane Cove River.jpg

Budget
These are the cheapest (but not necessarily good) hotels to stay in the area. There are no hostels.

Splurge
Been a non tourist area, the only 4 and 5 star hotels are located near the business area in Macquarie Park.

Libraries
There is a library near almost every town centre. They are open Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings and all provide full internet access. Bookings are taken, and you may need to book at peak times.

Wi-Fi
Most coffee shops have WiFi. Shopping centres also offer free WiFi.

Internet cafes
There is an absolute abundance of internet cafes that are primarily used for gamers in Eastwood and Epping. These advantage of internet cafes is they open very late into the night.

Go next

 * The Lower North Shore is the next district to the east. Chatswood is a little more upmarket compared to Eastwood, with bigger and brighter shops and restaurants.
 * Parramatta to the west is also an important business area.
 * Cross over to the Inner West using Victoria Road or the Ryde Bridge.
 * Take the ferry from Woolwich Wharf to historic Cockatoo Island.