The Paddington Reservoir Gardens are a hidden gem in the middle of Sydney. You will find them next to the Paddington Town Hall on Oxford Street. Well sign posted they are difficult to miss. We caught the number 440 bus from Central Station and got off near Town Hall, making it an easy trip.
Previously a major water reservoir for the area they fell into disrepair after being superseded. With the roof now mostly gone the interior and support columns are visible, providing a unique setting. With the previously underground reservoir now exposed, it has been turned into an amazing sunken garden. Stairs and walkways provide access to the lower section.
Wandering around the lower section is surreal, because of the structures surrounding you. The archways appear to be from an ancient ruin overgrown by the gardens. Cleverly designed modern stairways and viewing platforms blend in with the older construction.
Looking Down From the Street
Paddington Reservoir Gardens
Columns and Archways
Columns and Archways
The Gardens
The Gardens
Columns and Archways
Looking Down From the Street
What Did We Think?
A fantastic spot to visit and something different to the usual garden and attractions. Very peaceful with a surreal atmosphere in the centre of the city.
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The West Head area of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park has some wonderful bush walks with fantastic views over the surrounding waterways.
Driving into the park you get to see lots of natural scenery, whilst on a good sealed road. The road has a lot of hills – with poor visibility at times, this mainly refers to the huge amount of cyclists (there were groups and dozens of single riders on the road). We had to drive slowly as it was not always safe to pass then.
We chose to do the Red Hands Track and Resolute Track to West Head Beach. There is plenty of parking available in a well sign posted car park. For us the first track was a little disappointing, with uninspiring bush land and badly damaged aboriginal hand stencils. The second walk however made up for it, being a challenging grade 4 walk. We liked it because is provided a different challenge to the ordinary tracks,with more unpredictable laid out paths and natural rock formations that we needed to navigate to continue on the walk. At the same time it was still easy to find your way through. At the beginning of the tracks, there are maps with details of each walk. On the tracks, you will be rewarded with an amazing views, beaches, wildlife, and Australian bush scenery.
Red Hands
West Head Lookout
The walk commenced at the West Head Lookout, which has great views. Take a look at the picture below! We spent some time here enjoying the views over Broken Bay before, planning our walk on the Resolute Track.
View From West Head Lookout
Resolute Track to West Head Beach
The Resolute Track took us through great bush scenery, climbing over rocks, enjoying varied stops to look out at the different views as we descended to the bottom towards West Head Beach. The track continues past the beach, but we turned here to walk down and enjoy all this little beach offered. The steps down and back up are steep, but the reward is a lovely little remote beach, with scenic inlet views and yacht watching. If the weather is good, you could take your bathers and have a swim. The walk is very hilly so wear good waking shoes, to protect your feet. You can take your shoes off to walk in the water.
Walking around the beach we found some amazing weathered rocks looking like honeycombs as well as some great views over the water. We were the only ones there on our visit, We sat on the rocks and had a bite to eat, it was very peaceful.
The return walk to the lookout was very steep, but we stopped regularly to enjoy the natural surroundings and take some photos.
Steps Going Down
Steps Going Up
West Head Beach
Honey Comb Rock
The Resolute Track and West Head Beach were beautiful and we really enjoyed the opportunity to spend the morning walking, savouring the great scenery and the amazing views in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Middle
Head on Sydney Harbour houses the remains of Sydney’s original fortifications.
Designed to repel an invasion from the sea, these huge concrete structures no
longer have their guns, but remain as a reminder of times when Australia
thought it was going to be invaded.
The Royal Australian Navy still has a presence in the area with HMAS Penguin still an active naval base. The car park for Middle Head is near the base. There is a fee for parking here and ticket machines are located in the car park.
Several of the old administration buildings are still in use and you walk past them on your way to the gun emplacements. The concrete structures are extensive, and you are free to walk around, through and over them. We explored them for a while and then admired the views over the harbour and towards North Head and South Head with Hornby Lighthouse.
Fortifications
Fortifications
View to North Head Across the Harbour
View to South Head Across the Harbour
There is a small display of cannon carriages, but this is in need of signage and maintenance to give context to the display. Likewise, the tiger cages constructed in the area require an explanation to make them relevant.
Tiger Cage
There are no food and drink outlets on the site, but we took our own and had a great view over the harbour while we ate.
Beehive Casements
Situated
on Middle Head and maintained by National Parks and Wildlife, this old fortress
can only be accessed by a guided tour. Details of the dates and costs can be
found on NPWS website.
To get
there, you drive through leafy Mossman and pass many lovely houses. Parking in
the area is limited, so either arrive early, or walk from one of the larger car
parks. Warning signs along the road show that parking in a non designated area
will incur a $300 fine.
Beehive Casements Tour
The guide
met us at the beehive casements where he gave an overview of their history and
significance to Sydney. We then walked down stairs to the interior of the fort.
The stairs can be slippery so take care. Once inside, you can see the extent of
the excavations needed to build them. The passageways are often wet, because
the sandstone they were built with is porous and water constantly sleeps
through.
Embrasures
facing Sydney Harbour provide a magnificent view and show why the forts were
built here as they have a commanding view of any ships attempting to enter the
harbour.
The shape
of the interior provides the name of the casements, as they look like a conical
beehives. The remains of several old cannons lie on the rock floors, but have
unfortunately been burnt by vandals in the past. Some other remnants like racks
for tools and coat racks still line the walls but have become rotted or rusty,
providing some interesting photographic opportunities.
Upper Works of the Beehive Casements
Beehive Casements Tunnel
Beehive Casements Interior
Stairs Down to Lower Level
Burnt Cannon Carriage
Burnt Cannon Carriage
For
another perspective of the beehive casements, look for them when taking the
Manly ferry. They can be found low down on the waterline of the cliffs. Looking
carefully the three gun embrasures are visible.
Beehive Casements From Sydney Harbour
A great place to visit and see Sydney’s early history as well as fantastic views over the harbour. For more early fortifications and military history, visit nearby Bradleys Head and the HMAS Sydney (I) mast and Royal Australian Navy memorials.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
