Things to Do in Sydney

Bondi. Coogee. Bronte. Manly—the list of famous Sydney beaches is as long as the coastline itself. The Balmoral beaches in Mosman, however, are often overlooked by Sydney visitors who instead head out to the coast. Unlike the larger, more popular beaches, Balmoral is located inside Sydney Harbor—only 15 minutes from downtown sights like the Opera House and The Rocks. Since the Balmoral beaches are protected from waves, surfers are swapped for picnickers and families all lounging out on the grass, and there are even swim zones with calm water surrounded by protective shark nets.
 
The two beaches—Balmoral and Edwards—are separated by a wide, rocky point but linked by the shop-lined Esplanade, and kayaks, paddleboards, and even snorkel gear can be hired along the sand. Looking east out over the beach, visitors are met with sweeping views of the entrance to Sydney Harbor, where two opposing coastal headlands frame the rising sun. More than just being scenic, however, Balmoral is also family-friendly and impeccable tidy and clean.

Cafés line the Esplanade and street sweepers ply the streets, and there isn’t a single late night pub found anywhere along the strip. 

Canberra has two parliament houses: the Art Deco 1920s Old Parliament House and Canberra’s focal point, the new 1980s Parliament House.

Dug into the surrounding green flank of Capital Hill, the grassed roof and triangular metal flagpole of Parliament House are a national symbol.

The building’s central foyer is flanked by the House of Representatives on the east and the Senate on the west. Inside, native timbers, marble, mosaics, tapestries and embroidery feature in the spacious and lofty interior.

Take a guided tour, and if Parliament is sitting you can watch the proceedings from the public gallery.

If you have time, visit the imaginatively curated Old Parliament House adjacent. Clattering typewriters, ringing phones and overflowing in-trays re-create the drama and atmosphere of Canberra’s political life in decades gone by.

Launceston’s ruggedly beautiful Cataract Gorge is a popular highlight for visitors, combining dramatic natural landscapes and Victorian-era landscaping right on the edge of the city.

The reserve is surrounded by wild natural parklands, and near-vertical cliffs soar alongside the South Esk River as it enters the Tamar River.

Hikers and rock climbers head here to follow picturesque walking trails along the gorge’s northern bank, and the open-air swimming pool becomes a mini lido in summer, surrounded by beach umbrellas and sunbathers.

With picnic grounds, restaurant, kiosk, cafe, wandering peacocks, scenic lookouts, a lofty suspension bridge and walking trails, you can easily spend a day here. At night the gorge is beautifully floodlit, and a chairlift whisks visitors over the river to West Launceston.

Before Launceston’s hydro dam was completed in 1955, the waters here were channeled to create electricity, with the power station at Duck Reach upriver from the suspension bridge. Now decommissioned, the building serves as a museum. A visit reveals the story of Launceston’s early days and the Duck Reach power plant.

Sydney’s transport and scenic heart, Circular Quay is also the city’s birthplace, flanking the waters of Sydney Cove where the First Fleet settlers landed on Australian soil in 1788. The rectangular stretch of water is lined with attractive pedestrian walkways running from the Sydney Opera House, past the Circular Quay ferry terminals, around to the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The historic laneways, interesting shops, old pubs and stylish restaurants of The Rocks precinct, one of Sydney’s most popular tourist areas, run behind the Museum of Contemporary Art. Circular Quay is one of the major vantage points for Sydney’s famous New Year’s Eve fireworks.