From Wikitravel

North Sydney is an important district of central Sydney, Australia. Located immediately north of the landmark Sydney Harbour Bridge between the City and the North Shore districts and facing the central city skyline across Sydney Harbour. The area of North Sydney includes not only North Sydney itself, clustered at the top of the first rise of hills northward of the harbour foreshores, but also several, mainly harbor-side suburbs located around the northern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (see below, Districts).

[edit] Understand

North Sydney is Sydney's second largest commercial district after the City, and is home to information technology companies. Its surrounding suburbs contain mainly low and medium density housing. Because the housing commands magnificent views of Sydney Harbour and have excellent transport links to the City, the area is largely home to young professionals and wealthy families.

[edit] Districts

The North Sydney area covers the following suburbs in order from west to east: McMahons Point, North Sydney, Kirribilli, Milsons Point, Neutral Bay, Cremone, Lavender Bay, Crows Nest, Waverton, Beauty Point, Clifton Gardens, Georges Heights, and Mosman. As such, these areas are governed on a local level by the North Sydney and (to the east) the Mosman city councils.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By train

Trains run regularly from the City and the North Shore. During the week these trains run every five or ten minutes, and run four times an hour on weekends. They are extremely crowded in peak hour but not at other times of the day or on weekends. The Milsons Point and North Sydney train stations are in the center of the district.

[edit] By bus

Many State Transit [1] bus routes service the entire district. Buses depart from Wynyard Station in the City and from North Sydney station.

[edit] By car

The area is five minutes drive north of the Sydney over the Harbour Bridge. From the north it is accessible via the Pacific Highway and the Waringah Freeway from the suburb of Chatswood. However, weekday parking is expensive, difficult to find, and time limited in the commercial areas, particularly in the suburb of North Sydney.

[edit] By ferry

[edit][add listing] See

• Luna Park, 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point (walk straight down the hill from Milsons Point station and follow the signs), ☎ +61-2-9922-6644, [2]. Luna Park is an amusement park on the harbour's edge. The huge grinning face over the entrance is a Sydney icon. edit

• Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman (Taronga Zoo has its own ferry service departing Circular Quay), ☎ +61-2-9969-2777 (tz@zoo.nsw.gov.au), [3]. 9 am to 5 pm. Taronga Zoo is Sydney's major zoo and houses both Australian and exotic animals. $70 for 2 adults and 2 children, $27 adults, $14 children 4-15 years, $19 concessions, free for children under 4 years. If you catch public transport you can buy a ticket which includes train, ferry and admission to the zoo. There are family tickets for entry to the zoo, and every child after the first travels free on Sydney public transport. You will have to do the math for yourself, but it is not always cheaper to buy a joint ticket if you have 2 or more children..  edit

[edit] Harbour views

Harbour views from parts of the district are spectacular. In addition to the normal views, Sydney Harbour has regular fireworks displays, the most impressive of which is the New Year displays at 9pm on New Years Eve and at midnight on New Year's Day. Visitors hoping to watch the New Year fireworks from a North Sydney vantage point need to be prepared to arrive at around midday on New Year's Eve to claim a spot in one of the public parks. The area is frequently restricted access on New Year's Eve and visitors may not be allowed to bring alcohol into the area.

• Blues Point Reserve, Blues Point Road, McMahon's Point (walk down to the most southerly end of Blue's Point Road). Blues Point Reserve is a small grassy area right on the water, affording perfect views of the Bridge. It is the most popular area in the district to watch the fireworks at New Years' Eve. edit

• Balls Head Reserve, Ball's Head Road, Waverton (follow Bays Road and then Balls Head Road to the south-west of Waverton Station). Two points to the west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Balls Head is a large park and picnic area with extensive harbour views. edit

• Bradfield Park, Alfred Street South, Milson's Point (head directly down the hill from Milson's Point station). Bradfield Park is directly adjacent to the Harbour Bridge's northern approach, and is actually too close to provide a perfect fireworks view. However, the very south end has the best view of the city on the other side of the harbour. edit

• Cremorne Reserve, Milson Road, Cremorne Point (head down Murdoch Road and Milson Road from Military Road, Cremorne, or catch bus route 225 to Cremorne Wharf). Cremorne Reserve is a small park along the water near Cremorne Wharf, with sweeping views southwest to the city and Harbour Bridge. A good place to watch the sunset on a summer night with a picnic dinner. edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, 380 Military Road, Cremorne, ☎ +61-2-9908-4344, [4]. The Orpheum shows mainstream and art house films in beautiful refurbished theatres. edit

• Foreshore walks. Walk around the foreshore from Kirribili to Lavender Bay along the Luna Park promenade. edit

• Mosman walks, [5]. Walk on beautiful shorefront trails through trees and "bushland" in Mosman. edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

The North Sydney area is notoriously quiet on weekends, and many shops will be closed entirely. However, the area has a number of shopping centers which serve the professional workers in the area, and thus stores stock a great deal of clothing as well as consumer goods.

[edit][add listing] Eat

There are numerous restaurants with a variety of cuisines in Crows Nest near the junction of Pacific Highway, Falcon Street and Willoughby Road, and in McMahons Point, along Blues Point Road.

• Blue Elephant, 36 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest, ☎ +61-2-9439-3468. The Blue Elephant is a Sri Lankan restaurant. It is unusually quiet for a Sydney restaurant, having made the rare decision to have carpets, and also has spacious seating arrangements. The food is excellent: try the mixed entrees. Live jazz on Fridays. Reservations are a good idea on weekends. Entrees $10, mains $20-$40, banquets $35-$45.  edit

• Blu Ginger Indian Restaurant, 147 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point, ☎ +61-2-8904 1255. The food is excellent and the service friendly and informal. Main courses cost about $15, and banquets start at $25..  edit

• S and I Thai, 59 Ridge St, North Sydney, ☎ +61-2-9929 6696. This Thai restaurant's menu is more limited than many in Sydney, but makes up for it with large serves of tasty, spicy basic Thai dishes. Mains $12 - $22..  edit

• Sails on Lavender Bay, 2 Henry Lawson Avenue, McMahons Point, ☎ +61-2-9955-5998. Fantastic views over the harbour to the bridge and Opera House. Great food, though portions are small. Entrees about $25, mains $35 - $40.  edit

• Thai Riffic, 139 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point, ☎ +61-2-9929-6268. Thai Riffic has a much higher standard of presentation than most Thai restaurants, and isn't afraid to mix up tradition a bit in favor of better looking food. But don't worry, they're also very flavorsome: not as spicy as some, but just as much lime juice and fish sauce as you'd expect. Best to go on slow evenings; it's a loud space. edit

• Maisy's Cafe, Shop 1, 164 Military Road, Neutral Bay, ☎ +61-2-9908-4030. Maisy's is a slightly crowded cafe and slightly overpriced for the quality, but the reason is that it is open 24 hours, which is very unusual in Sydney. The menu is standard burger and pasta fare, if it's a late night and you need to fill your stomach, Maisy's is the place to be. edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

The suburb of North Sydney is known as a playground for young Sydneysiders, in particular for teenagers and people in their early twenties. There are a number of nightclubs and pubs located within walking distance of North Sydney train station.

• The Commodore Hotel, 206 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point, ☎ +61-2-9922-5098 (fax: +61-2-9964-0662), [6]. A pub frequented by young professionals, it is popular and noisy. Special deals include free beer until the first point scored during major football games. edit

• The Greenwood Hotel, 36 Blue Street, North Sydney, ☎ +61-2-9964-9477 (enquiry@greenwoodhotel.com, fax: +61-2-9964-9429), [7]. This large pub has four bars, and has music events every week including R&B, hip-hop, funky house and trance. Known jokingly by locals as 'Teenwood' because of the notoriously young clientele it attracts.
• Oaks Hotel, 118 Military Rd, Neutral Bay, ☎ +61-2-9953-5515. Open 10am - 1:30am Thu; noon - 1:30am Fri; and 10am - midnight Sat to Wed. This relaxed and popular pub has a large interior and beer garden centered around a large oak. You can purchase raw meat to be barbecued, and there is also a pizza kitchen. edit

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[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Harbourview Hotel, 17 Blue Street, North Sydney (Walk downhill from North Sydney train station), ☎ +61-2-8904-1255 or 1800 801 989 (Australia only, free call) (fax: +61-2-9922-3689), [8]. The Harbourview is a mid-range hotel, and most rooms has an excellent to spectacular view of Sydney Harbour, one of the best afforded by the district. Rooms are neat but not luxurious. Double rooms range from $150 to $250 per night, higher on New Year's Eve..  edit

[edit] Contact

[edit] Phone

North Sydney is in the 02 area code. Callers from within New South Wales will not need to use the area code, but callers from the rest of Australia will need to prefix numbers with 02. International callers will need to prefix numbers with +61 2.

[edit] Internet

• Greenwood Plaza, Pacific Highway, North Sydney. Open 9am - 5pm (Monday to Friday) and 9am - 4pm (Saturday). Closed Sunday.. The Greenwood Plaza, a shopping center opposite North Sydney train station, has a number of Internet kiosks and a wireless network is accessible in parts of the center. edit

• Kinkos, 53 Berry Street, North Sydney, ☎ +61-2-9460-3444 (sydney3@kinkos.net.au). Open all hours on weekdays (7:30am Monday to 10pm Friday), 10am - 5pm (Saturday) and 12pm - 7pm (Sunday).. Kinkos provides PCs and Macs with office applications and Internet access, together with a range of printing services. Internet access is $6.50 per hour..  edit

[edit] Cope

[edit] Medical

The nearest hospitals with full emergency room services are Royal North Shore Hospital, in St Leonards on the North Shore and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown in the Inner West.

• Big Bear Pharmacy, Big Bear Shopping Centre, 116 Military Road, Neutral Bay, ☎ +61-2-9953-0609. Open 8:30am - 8pm Monday to Sunday..  edit

• Big Bear Medical Centre, Big Bear Shopping Centre, 116 Military Road, Neutral Bay, ☎ +61-2-9953-5844 or +61-2-9410-3944 (after hours) (fax: +61-2-9953-0695). Open 8am - 8pm Monday to Thursday; 8am - 6pm Friday; 9am - 5pm Saturday; and 10am - 5pm Sunday. The center has general practitioners, physiotherapists, psychologists, dentists, gynecologists and optometrists. This center does not bulk bill Australian citizens under the Medicare system, a consultation fee of $40 will be charged..  edit

• North Sydney Medical Practice, 71 Walker Street, North Sydney, ☎ +61-2-9922-3022 (fax: +61-2-9922-2826), [9]. 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday. This practice is a general medical practice. Medicare card holders will receive bulk billed (no payment required) care. edit

[edit] Supermarkets

• Coles Supermarket, Big Bear Shopping Centre, 116 Military Road, Neutral Bay, ☎ +61-2-9908-3099. Open 6am - midnight Monday to Sunday; closed some public holidays.  edit

• IGA Xpress, Greenwood Plaza, Pacific Highway, North Sydney, ☎ +61-2-9957-6978. Open 9am - 6pm Monday to Friday; 9am - 5pm Saturday; closed Sunday and public holidays..  edit

• Woolworths Supermarket, 10 Falcon Street, Crows Nest, ☎ +61-2-9439-7063 (fax: +61-2-9439-6720).  edit