The castellated ‘Con’ was designed in 1817 by convict architect Francis Greenway as the stables and servants’ quarters of Governor Macquarie’s new house. Partly because of the project’s extravagance, Macquarie was ousted before it was complete. In 1915 the stables were converted into a conservatorium, now part of the University of Sydney. Subsequent renovations (equally extravagant) created five world-class venues.
Check the website for regular concerts, the best way to appreciate the building.
4.11 MILES
Definitively Sydney, Bondi is one of the world’s great beaches. It’s the closest ocean beach to the city centre (8km away), has consistently good (though…
0.75 MILES
Sydneysiders love their giant 'coathanger', which opened in 1932. The best way to experience this majestic structure is on foot. Stairs and lifts ascend…
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
15.55 MILES
A spectacular mix of sandstone, Australian bushland and tranquil water vistas, this 14,928-hectare park forms Sydney’s northern boundary. It’s located 20…
4.23 MILES
Lovely Watsons Bay, east of the city centre and north of Bondi, was once a small fishing village, as evidenced by the heritage cottages that pepper the…
2.09 MILES
A 12-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay, this forested harbour hillside is full of kangaroos, koalas and similarly hirsute Australians, plus numerous…
0.44 MILES
Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, this magnificent building is Australia's most famous landmark. Visually referencing a yacht's sails, it's a…
5.75 MILES
About 3km south of central Manly, spectacular North Head offers dramatic cliffs, lookouts, secluded beaches, pretty paths through the native scrub, and…
20.36 MILES
This central section of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is a spectacular wilderness, with awe-inspiring vistas over Pittwater and Broken Bay, hidden beach…
0.14 MILES
In a sandstone building that once headquartered the Water Police, this atmospheric museum plunges you straight into Sydney noir. An assemblage of black…
0.14 MILES
Southeast of the Opera House, this garden was established in 1816 and features plant life from around the world. Within the gardens are hothouses with…
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Built on the site of Sydney’s first Government House, the MoS is a fragmented, storytelling museum, which uses installations to explore the city’s history…
4. Governors Phillip & Macquarie Towers
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Clad in steel, granite and glass, Governor Phillip Tower (1993) is one of Sydney's tallest buildings (254m including antennae). Its distinctive metallic…
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This striking exhibition pavilion in the Botanic Garden incorporates a cool, curving glasshouse space with a living wall of greenery that requires some 18…
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The elegant 1885 Customs House houses this three-level library. There's a great selection of international newspapers and magazines, internet access and…
0.21 MILES
Among the State Library's over five million tomes are James Cook’s and Joseph Banks’ journals and William Bligh’s log from the mutinous Bounty. It's worth…
0.21 MILES
This elegant harbourside edifice (1885) has a democratic feel to it. It houses tourist information, a library, bars and restaurant options, including Cafe…