North Sydney

Understand

If you have ever walked the steps of the Sydney Opera House and wondered what lies on the other side of the harbour, it is time to explore the Lower North Shore. Connected to the city by Sydney Harbour Bridge, the region offers travellers spectacular views of the harbour, hidden harbour beaches and a peek into the lives of some of Sydney's most affluent residents. The commercial and geographical centre of the district is North Sydney, a large business hub with skyscrapers (housing mostly financial services companies), shopping malls and a small nightlife scene. Just south of North Sydney is the harbour and the densely populated suburbs of Milsons Point and Kirribilli. It is here where you will find the northern foundations of the bridge and a waterfront promenade with excellent views of the city skyline and the Opera House. It is also where you will find Luna Park, a historic theme park by the water. To the east is the visually stunning Mosman peninsula which includes the suburbs of Neutral Bay, Cremorne and Mosman. Throughout this area are quiet harbour beaches, natural bushland reserves and magnificent mansions with private jetties. It is also where you will find the world famous Taronga Zoo. To the west lie historically significant suburbs such as Lavender Bay and Wollstonecraft. Most of the houses are Victorian-era terraces made of sandstone. There are also some natural headlands that off an opportunity for short hikes. Finally, the north of the area and reaching the upper border of the region are the commercial centres of Crows Nest, which has a popular food and bar street, and Chatswood, a mega shopping zone with 3 large shopping malls and a long shopping street.

Getting there

By car

There are harbour crossings that connect the Lower North Shore to the city: the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. For North Sydney, Milsons Point and Kirribilli you have to take the bridge, and take any of the first set of exits to your left as you come off the bridge. For points further north, you can use the bridge or the tunnel. Then for Cremorne and Mosman, take the 'Military Road' exit and head east. For Chatswood, continue on the freeway until you reach the Chatswood exit.

By train and metro The North Shore Line ( T1 / T9 ) serve the central core of the region between 1 Milsons Point and 2 Chatswood. Trains for the Lower North Shore depart from Central, Town Hall and Wynyard stations in the city. Services run every five minutes or so during the day. Sydney Metro's M1 ( M1 ) line connects Chatswood to The Hills district and Epping, Macquarie Park and North Ryde from the west of Chatswood. From the south, it also connects Crows Nest and Victoria Cross (next to North Sydney) with the CBD and Sydenham.

By bus Regular buses run from the city throughout the Lower North Shore. From Chatswood there are regular bus services to the City, North Sydney, Crows Nest, Ryde, Macquarie University, Gladesville, Northbridge, Mosman, and the Northern Beaches.

By ferry West of the Harbour Bridge, Milsons Point and McMahons Point are on the F3 and F4 routes, providing connections to Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, Balmain and up the river towards Parramatta. Both wharfs provide access to North Sydney for ferry travellers. You can walk there from Milsons point, or get the bus connection from McMahons Point. Just to the east of the Bridge the F5 route connects Kirribilli with Circular Quay. The rest of the eastern area of the region also has ferry services, to Mosman, Cremorne, Neutral Bay and Taronga Zoo services. To the far west, a little known private ferry operation connects the Lane Cove River to Circular Quay and Darling Harbour by Captain

Getting around

By car Away from the railway line and ferries, a car can be a good option for getting around the Lower North Shore. North Sydney and Milsons Point are business districts, with parking at a premium on weekdays. The shopping areas of Chatswood and Crows Nest generally have 3 hours of free parking available. Other tourist spots and the harbour can have parking metres or paid parking.

By public transport The public transport system in the Lower North Shore is mostly designed to get locals from the area directly to North Sydney and the city. Therefore, connections between the hotspots (Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach for example) are not that easy. Because of this, day trips to places are excellent (e.g. city to Taronga Zoo by ferry and city to Balmoral Beach by bus) and many travellers will prefer to do day trips from the city to one place. If you do want to get around using public transport, it is best to use Google Maps or a similar tool that can help you determine the best combination of trains, buses and ferries to get you around. For the most part services are on time and not crowded.

By foot Exploring the harbour on the north side is ideally done by foot. There are walking trails and paths along the water. The overall region is too large to walk, so you'll have to combine walking with some other form of distance transport: public transit, car or bike.

See

Attractions

1 Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman (Taronga Zoo has its own ferry service departing Circular Quay), ☏ +61 -2-9969-2777, [email protected]. 9AM to 5PM. is Sydney's major zoo and houses both Australian and exotic animals. Worth the trip for the views back to the city and Opera House. Don't miss the Bird Show where various native birds fly free over the heads of visitors. $100 for 2 adults and 2 children, $43 adults, $21 children 4-15 years, $30 concessions, free for children under 4 years.

Harbour parks, walks and picnics

2 Blues Point Reserve, Blues Point Road, McMahon's Point (from North Sydney it is at the end of Blue's Point Road; from Circular Quay, catch the Darling Harbour Route ferry to McMahons Point). Blues Point Reserve is a small grassy area right on the water, affording perfect views of the Bridge. It is the most popular area in the district to watch the fireworks at New Years' Eve. 3 Sawmillers Reserve (at the bottom of French Street, which is on the main Blues Point Road in McMahons Point). Very close to Blues Point Reserve, but completely hidden! Quiet harbour views and ideal for picnic on the grass. 4 Balls Head Reserve, Ball's Head Road, Waverton (follow Bays Road and then Balls Head Road to the south-west of Waverton Station). Two points to the west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Balls Head is a large park and picnic area with extensive harbour views and walking tracks. The park also contains the Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability - an industrial zone turned into a community area where visitors can also walk through the original tunnels. Adjacent is the MV Cape Don, a decommissioned ship which holds tours occasionally. Also has a restored Aboriginal rock carving of a whale. Bradfield Park, Alfred Street South, Milson's Point (head directly down the hill from Milson's Point station; or head east from the Milsons Point ferry wharf). Bradfield