Sydney/The Rocks



The Rocks is sandstone buildings, history, laneways, culture and Australiana by day, and a busy pub scene by night. It is the historical precinct of central Sydney immediately to the north of the City centre on the western side of Sydney Cove, and where the First Fleet set up their first convict settlement. The Rocks is very different in character and atmosphere from the neighbouring commercial and retail centre of Sydney. Last but not least, it is the southern terminus of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.

It retains a certain sense of charm from its days as a British convict settlement, from its old buildings and watering holes to lovely Victorian-era flats, and reflects its status of having been the main trading port of the city.

Get in
To get to The Rocks, you have to get to the City Centre first. From there you can walk north along George St, or along Harrington St from Wynyard, or along the western shore of Circular Quay and Sydney Cove (keep the water on your right).

By train, Circular Quay station is located at the waterfront, and served by (Inner West and Leppington),  (Bankstown), and  (Airport and South) services. However, if coming in from the North Shore, Western Sydney, or Parramatta, (North Shore/Western) and  (Northern) lines call at Wynyard, which is not overly far from The Rocks.

By light rail, the and  light rail call at Wynyard, Bridge Street, and Circular Quay, all of which are close to the area. Services run every 5 minutes from Central and the Eastern Suburbs.

By bus, services in the area include:


 * 311, 324, and 325 run into the western part close to Barangaroo Reserve, Observatory Hill, the southern end of the Harbour Bridge, and Walsh Bay. Buses head to Town Hall, Kings Cross, Darlinghurst, and Watsons Bay.
 * Others routes run from Circular Quay, which is convenient for George Street and the southern part of The Rocks. Buses useful for tourists include the 333 to Bondi Beach, 373/374 to Coogee, 377/397 to Maroubra, and 520/M52 to Parramatta.
 * Sydney Explorer sightseeing buses — which depart every 18 minutes throughout the day from Circular Quay — stop at the Sydney Visitor Centre and Campbell's Cove / Dawes Point in the Rocks.

By ferry, all ferry routes call at Circular Quay and again a short walk to the south of the area.

By driving, The Rocks isn't signposted as a destination on city roads. Follow the signs to City North, and then just drive north along George St. Some of the streets are closed for the markets, and for pedestrian safety on Friday and Saturday nights. There is parking in The Rocks and Barangaroo areas but expect to pay in excess of $50 a day to park there on a weekday, the prices are just as expensive as the heart of the city. There are usually all-day deals to be had on a weekend and in the evening.

Get around
The Rocks is best explored by foot. The area by the harbour and George St is flat and accessible. Away from the harbour there are a maze of steep laneways and streets.

Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an unmissable landmark of Sydney. It is fondly known as the "Coat Hanger" and is visible from many parts of The Rocks, and elsewhere in the City Centre. It isn't the longest bridge or hold any other records for size. However the sheer scale of the structure right in the centre of Australia's largest city is unrivalled. For example, it takes 10 years and 30,000 litres of paint to paint the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and when they finish they have to start again at the other end.

There are many ways to see or experience the bridge. If you cross from The Rocks to North Sydney have a walk around Luna Park and a go on the Ferris wheel before returning. If you are on a fitness regime, a walk over the bridge and a swim at North Sydney Olympic pool by the harbour is a perfect start to the day.


 * There is a harbourfront walk from Circular Quay, skirting The Rocks area and continuing on under the Harbour Bridge. The walk goes in front of the Overseas Passenger Terminal, and will take around 45 minutes. The walk is free. The City of Sydney has an app available for the self-guided tour, and can be joined to walks to Observatory Hill.


 * You can walk over the bridge on the pedestrian walkway on the eastern side of the bridge. The views are great and admission is free. On the southern side the entrance to the walkway is hard to find. The entrance on the western side is on Fort St near Observatory Hill. On the eastern side the entrance is on Cumberland St near Argyle St. If coming from the city, Cumberland St is closed at the Wynyard side. Walk along Harrington St and follow the small, hardly noticeable signs past Susannah Place. Alternatively, you can get the lift up to the Cahill Walkway from Circular Quay, and walk around towards the Bridge for about 10 minutes. Don't follow the road signs or any roadway on to the Bridge. You may be intercepted by police before you meet a worse fate with the traffic. The entrance at the northern side is easy to find, about 30 m south of the Milsons Point Station. There is no way to access the bridge by foot without using stairs. There are many flights at Milsons Point and Cumberland St, and two flights from the Cahill Expressway down to the Bradfield Highway. If you aren't good with stairs, take the walk next to the harbour. If you want to drive to the walk, there is extremely limited parking in Cumberland St and around The Rocks. Limited 2-hr meter parking is also available near the northern entrance at Milsons Point. The walk is often busy, but there are no queues or crowds. You can walk one way, and take the train the other way if you wish.
 * You can cycle over it. There is a cycle lane on the western side of the bridge, dedicated to cyclists. There are usually multiple share bikes near the Milsons Point entry that you can hire for 30 minutes. However, the cycle will only take you five minutes before returning you to the city roads. The distance is more suited to walking.
 * You can have a picnic under it. There are nice parks at both ends of the bridge where you can appreciate the massive scale of the pylons and the height of the bridge. They are all weather parks, sheltered high above by the bridge platform.
 * You can have a picnic under it. There are nice parks at both ends of the bridge where you can appreciate the massive scale of the pylons and the height of the bridge. They are all weather parks, sheltered high above by the bridge platform.


 * You can sail under it on a ferry or a cruise ship.

Do
For the things you can do on the Harbour Bridge - see the See section above.



Theatre
The Sydney Theatre Company (STC) is based in the Rocks. They have a season of shows at both the Wharf Theatre and the Sydney Theatre, which are across the road from each other. The company has a mix of local and international dramatic productions.

Between times, there are often some other shows on at the theatres. You never quite know what you are going to get at an STC production. A story that falls flat, or a production to remember. The production values are high, but you certainly won't be seeing the latest production of Wicked, or the Lion King there. Try the theatres in the City Centre or at Star City for that.



Buy
The Rocks is a great place to shop for Australiana. Many shops selling Aboriginal art and crafts, Australian designed clothing, line the streets and arcades. Likely more expensive then less touristed areas.



Eat
There is a choice of restaurants and bars, and you will read good and bad reviews of most of them. The rule seems to be that you can expect to pay a premium to eat at The Rocks. They all tend to get very busy at times, and have high staff turnover, so your experiences will vary. It is difficult to go dismally wrong choosing a nice restaurant for a night out in the Rocks. On the other hand, deciding that 11PM on a Friday night is a good time for a pizza at Zia Pinas is unlikely to be a rewarding experience, either for the food, ambience, service or value for money.

There are a few restaurants which cater almost exclusively to the tourist crowds Many of these fill by the coach load, and are otherwise quiet. These places are usually apparent by the menu or the style, and are usually easily avoided if you aren't after that experience. Most restaurants in The Rocks draw a mix of locals and visitors.

Nowhere in the district is far from a restaurant or cafe, but there are a couple of distinct restaurant precincts. Campbells Cove is a small waterfront precinct, between the International Passenger Terminal and the Park Hyatt, usually recognised by the one or two tall ships at the wharf there. It is a pretty spot, with boardwalks and sandstone. There are a few fancy restaurants surrounding the precinct including the Italian Village and the Imperial Peking. At International Passenger Terminal there are a strip of restaurants and bars, including the famous seafood restaurant Doyles, and the fine dining Pier.

Just about every pub in The Rocks will serve some sort of food, usually for only a subset of their opening hours. For pubs like the Lord Nelson and the Australian, food is a speciality.

Budget
There aren't many cheap or takeaway options to choose from. If you are there during the markets, there are usually a few reasonable cheap options from the market stalls. Otherwise, there is a Subway, and little fast food cluster in Playfair St, if you need to feed the kids quickly and cheaply.

Drink
The Rocks pubs get busy most nights. It is a popular night spot for tourists and locals alike. You can walk along George St from Circular Quay and pass several popular pubs that attract a crowd. Late at night, especially on Friday and Saturday night that strip (starting from Jacksons at the Quay and stretching as far as the Observer Hotel) can have a vibe, or be rowdy, depending on your point of view. Away from George St the mood is quieter.



Sleep
The Rocks is not really the prime backpacker area of Sydney. It has some of the premier low-rise accommodation in Sydney, some in historic buildings, and others with unbeatable harbour views.

Splurge
Hotels on Circular Quay are listed under City Centre.





Stay safe
The Rocks is a busy area, with late trading, and a comfortable feeling. The Rocks does however have some of the highest level of reported assaults in the state, usually due to the concentration of pubs that can inevitably lead to some late-night alcohol fuelled violence. The area is well patrolled by police, but some fights do occur in the pubs and on the streets. Use common sense when interacting with drunk people, and you will just be a spectator.

The Rocks police station is on the corner of Argle and George, just opposite the Argyle Hotel. It is one of the major central Sydney police stations and is easily accessible at all hours of the day.

Connect
There is full mobile phone network coverage with 5G here.

Go next
Walk back into City Centre or catch a ferry from Circular Quay or Barangaroo to another part of the city.