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Historical Walking Tours

historical walking tours footThese self-guided historical walking tour brochures have been developed by the City of Sydney History Program to introduce you to different aspects of Sydney's fascinating history.

Each brochure features a clear map of the walk with numbered points of interest, detours and museum stops suggested along the way.

Each tour takes approximately 1 to 2 hours.

Download a brochure below or pick up a hard copy from one of the Council Locations, Community Centres and Libraries.

The Rock and Roll Walk of Fame and Shame


Oxford Street

The Rock and Roll Walk of Fame and Shame is a podcast that takes you back to Oxford Street, to the very hub of an emerging rock'n'roll scene in the 60s 70s and 80s that changed the face of artistic Sydney. Featuring Radio Birdman, Mental as Anything, The Missing Links and many more... you'll visit the locations, hear the songs and listen to guest voices from Sydney's rock'n'roll past.

Listen Now (23 Minutes)

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King Street & Enmore Road

Many of Sydney's musicians and artists moved to the Inner West and its new cultural hub Newtown and adjoining suburbs Erskineville and Enmore.

On this tour we take you along City Road to King Street, Enmore Road and beyond - featuring the King of King Street John Kennedy, Hoodoo Guru Brad Shepherd and musician, manger and Ivy League label boss, Andy Kelly.

Listen Now (16 Minutes)

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Colony

This tour departs from Customs House and covers Millers Point and The Rocks. The earliest European Sydneysiders - convicts, soldiers, whalers and sailors - all walked this route. The Rocks and Millers Point have been overlaid by generations of change, but among the bustling modern city streets remnants and traces of these early times can be found.

Commerce

From imposing banks to opulent shops and old warehouses, much of Sydney's commercial history can be seen in its buildings. This walk will take you through the heart of the City's financial and retail district pointing out landmarks, their architectural features and the history behind them. The walk starts at St James Station and finishes at the QVB.

Community

This walk will take you from Town Hall, south into what was once the industrial backyard of Sydney. Today it contains Sydney's Spanish Quarter and Chinatown, along with arguably the most significant 20th century Aboriginal site in the City of Sydney. The walk concludes in Hyde Park.

Parade

Oxford Street has hosted many parades: military and celebratory, ceremonial and political. Parade along Oxford Street from Hyde Park South in the city to Centennial Park in Paddington and discover the evolution of this cosmopolitan area.

Passion

Kings Cross, along with its adjoining locales of Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay, has a rich and risque history. Once the domain of grand houses and stylish apartments, it has also been the haunt of artists, actors, writers and musicians. 'The Cross' eventually became the city's red light district and an entertainment zone that never sleeps. Departing from Kings Cross Station, the circular route uncovers the history of Sydney's bohemian wild side.

Port

In past decades, the Pyrmont-Ultimo peninsula belonged to Sydney's industrial heartland, with its wharves, goods yards, woolstores and factories contributing enormously to the city's economic wealth. Departing from Pyrmont Bridge, this tour visits key sites in the industrial and maritime history of Sydney, as well as exploring an often overlooked Sydney community.

Preservation

The Glebe has always been a place of contrasts. The Glebe Point area became fashionable in the 19th century, while the southern part of Glebe became a working class district. This tour will explore an area which has not only a fascinating built environment but a long history of bohemian lifestyle, activism and intellectual pursuits.

Strip on the Strip

This booklet presents the stories that inspired the bronze street plaques set in the pavement of Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross. Part guide, part history, the "Strip on the Strip" booklet highlights the colour, diversity and wit of Kings Cross: the bohemians and artists, entrepreneurs, residents and businesses.

Sydney Heritage Walk

20 historic sites. Walk at your own pace. Compare past to present. See how Sydney has changed.

Walk on Water

This walk is a guide to Sydney's water features and was developed in conjunction with the historical exhibition Water, Water Every Where. Thirty different water features are identified on the map along with photographs and historical information.

 

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Please Note:
While care is taken to ensure accuracy, the City of Sydney cannot guarantee that information expressed here is correct and recommends that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use. The City of Sydney makes no warranty or undertaking, whether expressed or implied, nor does it assume any legal liability, whether direct or indirect.