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The following walk will
take you around the principal
sights of The Rocks,
covering a distance of
about three kilometres.
The walk will take about
an hour, but allow longer
if you want to do more
than just glance at the
buildings.
Start from the Sydney
Visitor Centre, turning
left at the door and
going down the steps
besides the building.
Immediately you will
see Cadman’s Cottage
on your right. Turn right
and walk to the Museum
of Contemporary Art.
Next to this building
is the First Fleet Park.
Turn right into and through
the park and then right
again into George Street.
135 George Street is
the Vault Restaurant,
formerly the English,
Scottish and Australian
Chartered Bank with attractive
old leaded windows. Next
door at no. 133 is the
old Police Station with
its impressive stonework.
See the lion’s
jaws holding a truncheon.
On the other side of
the road, 100 George
Street houses the Billich
Gallery, but was originally
the Seamen's Chapel,
notable for its interior
design and lofty ceilings.
47 George Street was
the Union Bond Store
built in 1841. It has
seashell fragments visible
in the mortar, due to
a lack of lime at the
time. The next building
is the former Australian
Steamship Navigation
Company office, featuring
a turret design. The
Rocks Market closes off
the road from here on
at weekends.
At the end of George
Street, turn left into
Lower Fort Street. Dawes
Point Park has good views
of the harbour, and,
on the other side of
the road, Colonial House
Museum is devoted to
exhibits related to The
Rocks. At the end of
the street, on the corner
of Argyle Street, is
the Garrison Church,
with strong military
connexions, as may be
judged from its name.
The eastern window is
its most notable feature.
Ahead is Observatory
Hill, reached by climbing
the steps, and the Sydney
Observatory. Turn back
under the approach to
the Harbour Bridge and
then right into Gloucester
Street, where Susannah
Place is to be found.
Now left down the steps,
and left again into Cambridge
Street. Soon you will
come back to Clocktower
Square and Argyle Street.
Turn right into and down
Argyle Street, right
into Harrington Street,
left into the very narrow
Suez Canal and left again
into Nurses Walk. Cross
Argyle Street into Kendall
Lane. Just down a lane
on the right is The Coachhouse
and behind is the Puppet
Cottage. Returning to
Kendall Lane, you will
find yourself at The
Rocks Square, full of
restaurants and souvenir
shops. When you have
finished here, just two
minutes’ walk down
Mill Lane will take you
back to the Sydney Visitor
Centre.
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