Gardens, sculpture, an art deco funfair and Sydney’s sailing history: a harbourside walk most visitors never find.
Bondi and Manly take the spotlight, but some of Sydney’s loveliest moments are on the north side of the harbour. A walk from Lavender Bay to Kirribilli takes in gardens, public art, heritage and some of the best harbour views in the city, at an easy pace, in a couple of hours. It’s the walk we recommend most often to guests staying in the homes we care for.
Start in Lavender Bay
Begin in Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden, a lush, winding garden built on what was once disused railway land below the Whiteley family home. Paths lead down through native plantings, sculptures and quiet seats looking out over the bay. Come early in the morning, when it’s at its calmest.
Along the foreshore: Quibaree Park and Art Barton Park
From the garden, head down to Quibaree Park at the water’s edge, then follow the boardwalk around the bay. Along the way is Art Barton Park, named after Luna Park’s long-time resident artist, with small bronze sculptures of characters from Australian children’s books and comic strips hidden among the plantings. The Harbour Bridge fills the view ahead.
Luna Park and the Olympic Pool
The foreshore leads to Luna Park, the art deco funfair that has smiled across the harbour since the 1930s. Even if you don’t stop for the rides, its famous face and harbour setting are worth the walk. Beside it, the North Sydney Olympic Pool sits almost beneath the bridge, one of the most beautifully placed pools in the world.
Under the bridge to Kirribilli
Continue beneath the Harbour Bridge and on into Kirribilli, with views across to the Opera House and Circular Quay. Kirribilli Point is home to Admiralty House and Kirribilli House, the Sydney residences of the Governor-General and the Prime Minister. Neither is open to the public, and they’re best seen from the water, but the streets around them are full of heritage homes and art deco apartment buildings.
End at the Sydney Flying Squadron
Finish at the Sydney Flying Squadron at Careening Cove, Australia’s oldest open boat sailing club, founded in 1891. On summer Saturdays, its fleet of historic 18-foot skiffs, replicas of famous boats from the first half of the 1900s, races across the harbour under coloured sails, and a spectator ferry follows the fleet. Stay for a drink on the deck as the boats come home.
Why it matters for owners
For guests, a home is only part of the stay; the neighbourhood is the rest. Walks like this are a large part of why the Lower North Shore is so loved by visitors, and why every Cove house guide includes the local walks, cafés and corners we know best. When guests fall in love with the area, they come back, and they tell their friends.
Talk to us about your home → covecuration.com.au/contact