We are back in the Big Smoke again, strolling the streets of Sydney. While I am not normally a lover of big cities, I am loving the slow reveal of Sydney’s colonial and convict history – all overlaying the strong indigenous history of this area.
Today it’s only a short walk up, around, and down the narrow and twisting back alleys of the Rocks area, and Millers Point.
Let’s go…
Similar to my Walk on Water, I am back standing on a street corner looking down at my paper map. This one is called “Colony – History Walk Customs House to Millers Point”. This rather bland title doesn’t do justice to the wonderful buildings, events and culture of this once vibrant and vital residential and commercial centre of early Sydney.
Here are the Nuts and Bolts of this little walk:
- Official Distance: approximately 4km.
- Time: The brochure says to allow 2hours for the full route. That is about the right amount of time strolling along at an easy pace.
- Location: The route starts right at Circular Quay before working its way deep into Millers Point and the Rocks area – only a hop and a step from the centre of Sydney.
- Terrain: While most of this route follows clear footpaths, there are short sections of steps and stairs, and some uneven sections underfoot that would be difficult to avoid if you were sticking strictly to the route.
- What to Pack: Your hat, your camera and your wallet to enjoy the hospitality of some classic, historic pubs along the path.
General Comments:
- Being the history lover that I am, I was in my element walking the streets. This area was a hive of activity in the early days of the Colony as tall ships sailed into Sydney Harbour depositing convicts and cargo. A shanty town eventually grew into a bustling community with the usual dark alleyways, narrow and overcrowded homes and various dens of iniquity.
- The path starts at the regal Customs House where all shipping was cleared and taxed before being released for sale in the product-starved colony. From there the path leads South for a short distance before turning West on Bridge Street. I loved the trivia that described how Bridge Street got its name from the original bridge that crossed the Tank Stream – a vital source of fresh water for the early residents. This bridge also clearly divided the colony socially. On the eastern side was the seat of government and its upper classes and on the western side of the bridge it was home to the army barracks and convict shanties. Even in this rough and rugged colonial outpost, a social divide was clearly delineated.
- Moving through the crooked back streets of Millers Point, we came to steep and narrow steps hacked out of the sandstone cliffs. These steps act like connectors to the different levels of the community. This area is definitely not your traditional grid pattern design. My imagination ran wild trying to block out the modern city noise and recreate the sound of children playing in the streets, housewives squabbling over back fences and hawkers vending their wares. A classic Australian children’s book called Playing Beattie Bow is set in these same streets. I must give it a re-read again soon.
- The path leads you past the Susannah Place Museum where they have done their best to retain the look and feel of a typical 1840s Millers Point home. This working-class house has retained its original interiors as well as ye olde outhouse down the bottom of the yard! Having grown up with an outback dunny, I can just imagine how shocking that would be for today’s young people. Yep, I am sounding very old.
- Up and over the steep ridge that runs down the centre of Millers Point, we stroll past the Observatory which was established in 1858. I had hoped to make an ‘official’ visit to the Observatory and join a tour, but unfortunately it was closed for renovations. Its timekeeping ball is still working, however I suspect today’s modern ships no longer need to look to the Observatory’s tower to see if it is 1pm or not. If you are interested in an easy read, grab a copy of Kate Grenville’s The Lieutenant – a novel based on the history of the Observatory and the Colony’s first astronomer.
- A real eye-opener was the number of historic pubs in this area, still open to the thirsty general public. While some had been modernised, I loved the look of The Australian Hotel which was a bit tired and raggedy around the edges, but so authentic inside. It features split bars (one higher, another lower) which follow the excavation line of its sandstone foundations. Classic!
Note to Self: Plan a pub crawl around this area to take in the Lord Nelson (and its jazz band featuring a 95year old saxophonist), The Orient, The Mercantile, The Fortune of War and the Hero of Waterloo. Yes, that walk could get a little wobbly by the end of the day.
- For archaeology lovers, The Big Dig site will be a real treat. In 1994 an existing carpark was being excavated in preparation for the construction of a youth hostel. To their surprise they discovered the foundations of over 40 homes and businesses all crammed into the tiny site. How lucky are we that this site has been preserved?
Thanks must go out to radical union leader, Jack Mundey, who promoted ‘green bans’ all over Millers Point ensuring that the unionised labourers refused to demolish many historic buildings. Love or hate the Union Movement, this man was ahead of his time.
There is so much to see in this small patch of Sydney. If you don’t have a copy of the paper map or the app you could still develop a good understanding of this historic area and its residents through the plentiful and detailed interpretive signage found on footpaths and some buildings.
But all this walking and learning has generated a serious thirst.
Which pub will we head to?
#sydneywalks #travelinspo #shortwalks #historywalks #circularquay #millerspoint #thelordnelson #theheroofwaterloo #theobservatory #therocks #daywalks #thebigdig #convicthistory #colonialhistory
Life...one big adventure 
I love this place and the walk. Thanks for sharing and I had never heard of Susannah Place Museum, I have to check this out when I head back to Sydney.
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There is always something new to discover on foot, isn’t there? You miss a lot of detail whizzing by on a bus or in a car. Thanks for reading.. Mel
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Very true Mel 😊
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Thank you for sharing a bit of Sydney History. The observatory building is really nice. And the pub crawl is a great idea 🙂.
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My pleasure. Happy to share a pub crawl with you anyday!
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That’s it! I’m on for the pub crawl. We can take our time….
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I can’t wait! This pub crawl is going to be HUGE! 🙂
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I’m not big on city walks either, but have been surprised many times with what I’ve seen on some of my walks in big cities! You saw a nice mix of new and old buildings on your walk, and great that there are a fair bit of history to it! Of course I also like the pubs … let’s start the walk there!
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Let’s go!
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Oh, how I wish I had known about this walk when I was in Sydney, I have wandered around the Rocks area a bit, without knowing all the history. The Customs House library was my salvation for free wi-fi when we were staying in a hotel in Sydney that charged a Queen’s ransom for wi-fi. (I hate business hotels for that reason). And the cast iron urinal – how could I have missed that! And the observatory! So much to discover in Sydney. You’re going to have to go exploring Brisbane for me now Mel since my family have moved there.
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Unfortunately Brisvegas is a fair hop for me from home, but I will get there one day.
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Maybe before me!
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I hope you get to see your family again soon.
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Hopefully they will be over here this year.
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Nice one. The World is slowly getting back to ‘normal’ travel.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this walk around old city 🙂
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Thank you. A few more Sydney exploratory walks are on the blog agenda.
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Thanks for taking us on a virtual tour here; I love the mix of buildings. 😍
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I always love the juxtaposition of the old and new, and I always think that the new will not have the longevity of the old. Thanks for strolling with me, Mel
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Probably because I was 21, but I don’t remember seeing or hearing about a historic district when I was in Syndey. But then I probably wouldn’t likely be interested. I’d love to see it now and go k your pub crawl 😊 Maggie
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You are welcome to join me anytime!
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Such a lovely walk, a little bit of everything😊
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True – and a lot jammed into quite a small space.. Thanks
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What an amazing walk, I’m a history buff too so I’d really enjoy this. It’s crazy looking at that photo from the 1890s….how things have changed beyond recognition. And the pubs just make it all the better 🙂
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I love the old photos and so wish I could time travel and be standing in the dirt streets watching the horses/carts rattle by. Have a great weekend and thanks for following along. Mel
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I just downloaded the app! This will be great when I start to dig into planning, so thank you!
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Yay! Don’t forget the Bondi to Manly app too. There are a couple of cracker sections (well, all of them actually) that really show of Sydney and its beautiful harbour.
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Mel, I enjoyed how you weaved the past with the present. It makes us all understand how life became what it is today. It is brilliant how the tourist sector gives detailed maps of how to enjoy their city.
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I love walking through these little pockets of history. Who needs the BIG attraction when you these little gems waiting for us? Each to their own though…
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History, great architecture, cafes, museums, art galleries, local markets for food are my choice all the time.
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The perfect blend.
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Sydney seems to have changed rather a lot from the days of the convict settlement – I’ve just finished reading Kate Grenville’s A Room Made of Leaves, set there at that time – highly recommended if you don’t know it.
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Thanks for the tip. I haven’t read that one, but did enjoy her book called The Lieutenant about the first Astronomer in Australia and his base at the Observatory we walked near on this stroll. Ms Grenville loves Australian history even more than me!
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She’s a reliably engaging writer. I’ve learnt quite a lot about Australia from her.
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Agreed, although I think I enjoyed her earlier work more than her most recent efforts.
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Oh, I haven’t read her later ones yet. I’ll have to see!
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Too many books, not enough time! 📚📚
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So true…
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