Sydney Off The Beaten Path Tips by Skylink

The Art Gallery of NSW is... Museums Review

The Art Gallery of NSW is actually on the beaten path. What off the beaten path is that every Wednesday and Sunday at about 2:30 p.m. there are usually 2 very old free films showing. When I was there, there was one 18 minute film of a Victorian bath merely showing still water. It was so dull that I clapped very hard at the end. The 2nd film was much more conventional.

Another photo of the HMAS... Memorials Review

Another photo of the HMAS Parramatta memorial in Parramatta.

Photos from the HMAS... Memorials Review

Photos from the HMAS Parramatta memorial. See text under 'off the beaten path' near the Elizabeth Farm (yellow building) photo.

A trip to Parramatta was... Historic Buildings Review

A trip to Parramatta was interesting. The oldest building in Australia is Elizabeth Farm in Parramatta. One can get to Parramatta by train (about 30 minutes, A$4), by ferry (where one can see the river change from a wide, harbour-like Sydney to a narrow river in Parramatta, or by very slow bus (the L20 express bus took well over an hour, the slow 520 might take a week). I took all 3 ways.
Near (east) of the ferry wharf is a memorial to the HMAS Parramatta which is the rudder from the first ship of that name. It was the last ship with an outboard rudder. Nearby (southeast - there are signs with maps all over this area) is Elizabeth Farm. The 555 bus passes close the the HMAS Parramatta memorial (it also goes to the central bus terminal) to Olympic Park. If you know this, you don't have to walk all the way to the central bus terminal. I went in the reverse direction (from Olympic Park and got off in Parramatta).

Near Darling Harbour and north... Darling Harbour Review

Near Darling Harbour and north of the Maritime Museum is Buran 002, the Russian orbiter that looks like the US Space Shuttle. Although it's shape is similar, it had many design differences and wasn't exactly a copied design. For example, it has jet engines to power it's return to Earth, unlike the Space Shuttle. Unfortunately, only the first Buran went into space. The second Buran built is still in Russia. Buran 002, which is a training version that can actually fly on Earth but is not space capable, is on loan to Australia (from 2000 to 2002 or 2003) One can see it on the ferry ride between Darling Harbour and Circular Quay or one can walk up to it.

I spent an enjoyable morning... Suburbs Review

I spent an enjoyable morning in the suburb of Chatswood. I took a bus (which crosses Harbour Bridge) from Wynyard terminal. One can also take the train. Chatswood is a suburb on the north shore. There is a concentration of Chinese shops but it is not really like Chinatown. There are 2 shopping centres in the centre of town and about 100m from each other, Chatswood Chase and Westfield Plaza. Among them, there's a Coles grocery store, David Jones, K-Mart, Target, etc. Nearby is the Eye Institute Building. It was a pleasant change from the crowds of Sydney.

If one likes to see the... Suburbs Review

If one likes to see the outsides of expensive homes, Point Piper has the most. It a peninsula between Rose Bay and Double Bay (locals call it 'Double Pay' because of the prices at the shops there). Darling Point is another area of big homes. Both areas are slightly east of Kings Cross.

Mosman, over the Harbour Bridge, is another expensive area.