Sydney

[ralliteknik]

Public Transport on Xmas Eve

Seeking advice of SYD residents. My flight ETA 2045hrs on 24 Dec. And my plan is to use public transport to get to Hornsby. Trains and buses will still be running that night right? TIA!

 

[beano]

Chk the time tables, Syd always have the habit of running track works on Sun.. Worst case you need to get on the bus replacement..

But Xmas eve? Very low chance of them doing any work

 

[Awesom Andy]

Seeking advice of SYD residents. My flight ETA 2045hrs on 24 Dec. And my plan is to use public transport to get to Hornsby. Trains and buses will still be running that night right? TIA!

Last train from the airport to the city (T8) is just after 11.40pm, which gives you plenty of time to change to the T1 line at Central.

Typically speaking, vast majority of the T8 trains would arrive Central on platform 21. The elevator is at the very front of the train. The T1 trains typically departs from platform 16. Some trains go through the long tunnel via Epping, while some goes through the original north shore line via Gordon. Both get you to Hornsby. At this time of the night, it's probably easiest to just get on the first train that arrives.

Also, there are intercity trains that depart upstairs, on platform 1 - 15. Look for the Gosford/Wyong/Newcastle trains. You don't need to exit the gates to get there, and you don't need a new/different ticket either. At that time of the night, there is 1 train every hour departing at 46 mins past each hour. If you can make it onto one of these trains, you'll get to Hornsby a little bit quicker. e.g. rather than getting the 10.38pm or 10.45pm T1 trains, you would be better off getting the intercity at 10.46pm.

 

[drsubaru]

Day 1
Powerhouse Museum, 10 am to 5 pm . Essentially like a science centre of sorts with many displays . Some are quite retro
Adult-15, Children free
Appeals to some I supposed.

Sent from Google PIXEL XL using GAGT

 

[drsubaru]

Featherdale Zoo

Family tix @ AUD88, no discount for online booking

BUT happened to get hold of a discount voucher from a Sydney travel guide, the official guide? And that brought our price down to 78.40

Paid AUD2 for grass/food to feed the kangaroos

One of the best zoos, able to see lots of active koalas and was even able to feed and get up close to the Kangaroos

Lots of other indigenous Australia animals

Wished we had more time

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[drsubaru]

Day 2 blue mountains
Needs no introductions.
Went after 2pm so limited time. But the weather was great . Direction of sun bouncing off the 3 sisters yielded pretty pictures.

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[drsubaru]

Day 2 Carrington hotel.
Historical hotel

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[drsubaru]

Day 3 Jenolan Caves
JACKET

Wanted to choose Lucas cave , best to PRE BOOK

Did not prebook and missed out on it which happened to be a blessing in disguise

The Lucas group was huge with at least 50-80 people

Booked the next available one which is Chifley, brilliant guide, Emma, and also a much smaller group!

Family tix @ AUD85, no discount for online booking

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[drsubaru]

Day 3 Fairmont blue mountains

Quite a fun place for families with young kids. Indoor and outdoor pool.
Amazing arcade type games as owners kid was born there I read

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[drsubaru]

Day 4 Wollongong
Beautiful sea side town.

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[ralliteknik]

Chk the time tables, Syd always have the habit of running track works on Sun.. Worst case you need to get on the bus replacement..

But Xmas eve? Very low chance of them doing any work

Last train from the airport to the city (T8) is just after 11.40pm, which gives you plenty of time to change to the T1 line at Central.

Typically speaking, vast majority of the T8 trains would arrive Central on platform 21. The elevator is at the very front of the train. The T1 trains typically departs from platform 16. Some trains go through the long tunnel via Epping, while some goes through the original north shore line via Gordon. Both get you to Hornsby. At this time of the night, it's probably easiest to just get on the first train that arrives.

Also, there are intercity trains that depart upstairs, on platform 1 - 15. Look for the Gosford/Wyong/Newcastle trains. You don't need to exit the gates to get there, and you don't need a new/different ticket either. At that time of the night, there is 1 train every hour departing at 46 mins past each hour. If you can make it onto one of these trains, you'll get to Hornsby a little bit quicker. e.g. rather than getting the 10.38pm or 10.45pm T1 trains, you would be better off getting the intercity at 10.46pm.

Many thanks Beano and Awesome Andy!

 

[BlurKillerEX]

Anyone have any recommendation for a multi day hike near Sydney? I've been looking at the six foot track(3d2n) near the blue mountains but I was just wondering if there are better tracks to do

 

[Awesom Andy]

Anyone have any recommendation for a multi day hike near Sydney? I've been looking at the six foot track(3d2n) near the blue mountains but I was just wondering if there are better tracks to do

It depends on your fitness, how many days you have, and what equipment you would like to carry. The six foot track is quite famous, and have quite a lot of foot traffic. There are a few options in the Blue Mountains, and there's also the Great North walk that takes you north out of Sydney that can be done in sections. There are also some options in the south, where you can construct a multi-day walk in Royal and/or Heathcote national parks.

 

[BlurKillerEX]

It depends on your fitness, how many days you have, and what equipment you would like to carry. The six foot track is quite famous, and have quite a lot of foot traffic. There are a few options in the Blue Mountains, and there's also the Great North walk that takes you north out of Sydney that can be done in sections. There are also some options in the south, where you can construct a multi-day walk in Royal and/or Heathcote national parks.

Ive done several 4-5 days hikes in New Zealand , but this time my girlfriend is joining me and she's never done a multi day trek before. Was looking at the six foot track, but the views ain't that great. I was thinking we could do Bundeena to Otford coastal walk which offers pretty good coastal views and the place is pretty accessible via public transport too compared to the six foot track. We'll have a couple weeks there so I'm thinking we could do more than 1 track. Equipment wise we have sleeping bags, tent and trekking poles

 

[Awesom Andy]

Ive done several 4-5 days hikes in New Zealand , but this time my girlfriend is joining me and she's never done a multi day trek before. Was looking at the six foot track, but the views ain't that great. I was thinking we could do Bundeena to Otford coastal walk which offers pretty good coastal views and the place is pretty accessible via public transport too compared to the six foot track. We'll have a couple weeks there so I'm thinking we could do more than 1 track. Equipment wise we have sleeping bags, tent and trekking poles

Bundeena to Otford is a good choice for someone just starting out (you're well experienced, but she isn't). Probably a good one to do and gauge what should be attempted next. Note that you can only camp at North Era these days, and you have to pre-book for a nominal fee. I would definitely start from the Bundeena end if you're using public transport - you most certainly wouldn't want to miss the ferry home at the end of the hike. Note that quite a lot of areas are exposed so if it's an extremely hot/cold and/or windy day, you might want to reconsider doing the hike. Although you definitely won't need to take your trekking poles for this hike (unless you really like them).

In the Blue Mountains, hikes going through blue gum forest are quite popular too. Usually done over 2 days but you would probably need 3 if you want to go all the way to Mount Victoria. Most would access by train and walk in through the roads. The views at the start and end at the clifftops are excellent, and the blue gum forest itself is in the valley.

I also like walks going through Mount Solitary. It's usually not as crowded - some days you won't even see anyone else there. A little bit of navigation might be necessary, but you can go from Katoomba to Wentworth Falls in 3 days. Beginners will most likely struggle going up Mount Solitary with equipment though - the first night would be best spent up in there.

If you're really looking for an adventure, have a look at the Wild Dog Mountains. Public transport is an issue though (basically non-existent). Or, if you don't mind a longer hike (up to a week), you can try Katoomba to Mittagong. Definitely some wild country out there. Normally speaking, I wouldn't take any inexperienced people out these ways, and would have a minimum party of 4, but I will let you decide what is suitable for you.

Also note that, in the blue mountains, emergency beacons are available for loan free of charge when you register the walk if you're going to remote areas. This can be done at the NPWS visitor centre at Blackheath, or at Katoomba or Springwood police stations, although do check the details as I haven't done so before.

 

[Nemesis Alien]

Bookmarked

 

[BlurKillerEX]

Bundeena to Otford is a good choice for someone just starting out (you're well experienced, but she isn't). Probably a good one to do and gauge what should be attempted next. Note that you can only camp at North Era these days, and you have to pre-book for a nominal fee. I would definitely start from the Bundeena end if you're using public transport - you most certainly wouldn't want to miss the ferry home at the end of the hike. Note that quite a lot of areas are exposed so if it's an extremely hot/cold and/or windy day, you might want to reconsider doing the hike. Although you definitely won't need to take your trekking poles for this hike (unless you really like them).

In the Blue Mountains, hikes going through blue gum forest are quite popular too. Usually done over 2 days but you would probably need 3 if you want to go all the way to Mount Victoria. Most would access by train and walk in through the roads. The views at the start and end at the clifftops are excellent, and the blue gum forest itself is in the valley.

I also like walks going through Mount Solitary. It's usually not as crowded - some days you won't even see anyone else there. A little bit of navigation might be necessary, but you can go from Katoomba to Wentworth Falls in 3 days. Beginners will most likely struggle going up Mount Solitary with equipment though - the first night would be best spent up in there.

If you're really looking for an adventure, have a look at the Wild Dog Mountains. Public transport is an issue though (basically non-existent). Or, if you don't mind a longer hike (up to a week), you can try Katoomba to Mittagong. Definitely some wild country out there. Normally speaking, I wouldn't take any inexperienced people out these ways, and would have a minimum party of 4, but I will let you decide what is suitable for you.

Also note that, in the blue mountains, emergency beacons are available for loan free of charge when you register the walk if you're going to remote areas. This can be done at the NPWS visitor centre at Blackheath, or at Katoomba or Springwood police stations, although do check the details as I haven't done so before.

Thank you for the comprehensive write up. Just wanna let you know that I really appreciate it. I've looked through the tracks you mentioned and have a couple of questions. For the blue mountains track through the blue gum forest, may I know which track you meant(starting point and ending point)? There seems to be a few but they all seem like a day trip.

When you mention katoomba to Wentworth falls I assume you mean going down to mount solitary first before heading back up to the falls? Otherwise it looks like a pretty straightforward short walk.

My main goal for this trip is to get my girlfriend accustomed to camping. She's done plenty of hikes before such as going up Mount Bogong and Mt Feathertop in victoria. But all without much or any equipment. And you're right, that one week track seems too much, even for me. I doubt I'll even be able to pack food for 7 days in my small pack.

 

[tulipkiss]

Hello guys, want to seek advices on my draft itinerary before I book accommodations.
Also, I got Day 5 agenda from a travel itinerary but it feels impossible to achieve? so I left Day 6 free to explore the Sydney city area as well.

Intend to rent a car from bayswater, n unfortunately their office won't be opened on Day 9. So, thought of returning the car on the morning of Day 8 before setting off on the coastal walks.
Or, should I return the car even earlier? Switch hunter valley and manly beach to Day 4-5 instead, n use the train to explore Sydney city instead? I'm going with family of 5..

Day 1
Touch down 8pm
Accom near airport

Day 2 (AM)
Collect rental car
Royal National Park

Day 2 (PM)
3 sisters
Blue mountains

Day 3 (AM)
Scenic World
Anvil Rock Lookout
Katoomba falls

Day 3 (PM)
Featherdale Wildlife Park

Day 4
Mrs Macquarie Chair (in morning sun to photo both opera house n bridge tgt)
Royal Botanic Garden
Opera house
Circular Quay (connecting point of Harbour, Opera House, Harbour Bridge and The Rocks)
The Rocks
Harbour Bridge
Sydney Observatory at The Rocks (stars and planets night tour)

Day 5
Sydney Fish Market (Claudio's, Peter's or Dolyes)
University of Sydney (castle-like)
Glebe market (flea) - near uni of sydney
Paddy's Markets (Closed Mon n Tue)
Darling Harbour
Harbourside Shopping Centre (10-9pm)
Townhall
QVB
Pitt Street mall area
Sydney Tower Eye
Hyde Park (ANZAC memorial)
Market Street
St Mary's Cathedral

Day 5 (Night)
Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre

Day 6
(leaving for unfinished businesses from Day 5)
Shelly Beach
Manly Beach (penguins at sunset)

Day 7
Hunter Valley (wine)
Accom: Starline Alpaca Farmstay

Day 8
Return car
Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk (2hours return)
Bronte coastal walk to Coogee (5km)
Back to Bondi (same route?) for sunset
Kmart - Bondi

Day 9
12pm flight.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Day 2: What do you plan on doing in the national park? Unless you have specific plans and purposes of going there, and you know what you're going there for, it's going to be a pretty boring morning. Not really worth the extra drive especially if you want to drive to the blue mountains on the same day as well. I would drop it entirely and go to the blue mountains for the whole day.

Day 3: I really don't think that place can last you a whole day. Probably half a day at most, and you would be stretching it.

Day 4: Keep in mind that the observatory is in the city, with all the lights pollution. The tour is more designed as an introductory & educational experience, rather than spending time looking at the night sky.

Day 5: What kind of shopping are you looking for? Personally, I have never bought anything from Harbourside - it's a glorified tourist trap. The university of Sydney is nice, although I never thought it being nice enough to become a tourist attraction.

Day 6: You won't find any penguins at Manly beach. There are a few in the local area, but locations are generally kept secret. I wouldn't bother unless you know exactly where to go.

Day 8: Wouldn't go to Bondi for sunset. Beaches in Sydney face east after all.

 

[tulipkiss]

Day 2: What do you plan on doing in the national park? Unless you have specific plans and purposes of going there, and you know what you're going there for, it's going to be a pretty boring morning. Not really worth the extra drive especially if you want to drive to the blue mountains on the same day as well. I would drop it entirely and go to the blue mountains for the whole day.

Day 3: I really don't think that place can last you a whole day. Probably half a day at most, and you would be stretching it.

Day 4: Keep in mind that the observatory is in the city, with all the lights pollution. The tour is more designed as an introductory & educational experience, rather than spending time looking at the night sky.

Day 5: What kind of shopping are you looking for? Personally, I have never bought anything from Harbourside - it's a glorified tourist trap. The university of Sydney is nice, although I never thought it being nice enough to become a tourist attraction.

Day 6: You won't find any penguins at Manly beach. There are a few in the local area, but locations are generally kept secret. I wouldn't bother unless you know exactly where to go.

Day 8: Wouldn't go to Bondi for sunset. Beaches in Sydney face east after all.

thanks for your reply! i've removed the national park, observatory, bondi sunset and manly penguin-watching intentions. haha.