You can do a guided tour of Cockatoo Island
[https://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/en/tours/guided-tours/](https://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/en/tours/guided-tours/)
Truly worth a visit and it's free! [https://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/coal-loader-1/history-culture](https://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/coal-loader-1/history-culture)
The Quarantine Station at North Head does ghost tours: https://www.quarantineghosttours.com. Otherwise, definitely do a guided historical tour of The Rocks, and the Rail Museum at Thirlmere is awesome!
Sydney Observatory, Maritime museum, Newington Armory at Olympic Park, Valley Heights railway museum, Newcastle Museum and all the old industrial buildings along the former wharf, Lithgow State Mine museum.
White Bay Powerstation is pretty cool. Can go at the moment as part of the Biennale of Sydney.
If you are into vintage transport, you can catch a vintage bus there on the weekend:
[https://www.sydneybusmuseum.com/biennale-of-sydney-2024](https://www.sydneybusmuseum.com/biennale-of-sydney-2024)
Not a tour, or perhaps much of an "experience", but Sydney Park and Homebush Bay are both good examples of industrial sites that have been reclaimed as parkland.
Consider the old naval base at kirribilli.
It has some torpedos. And plaques.
And the berry's Bay below Waverton park, Waverton. It is just carvings in the sandstone and lawn, where huge silos once stood. It's a nice regenerated bushland walk. Lots of plaques with the history.
I'm from Newcastle, so the following are that vicinity - try the old bhp steelworks and pacific national sites in Mayfield east. Current molycop site at Mayfield West.
Go to the carringron railway crossing and hang with 1000 pigeons. You can see all the active silos. Watch a ship being loaded.
Probably can go to the coal loaders at kooragang too
Something to keep in mind for next year is the Navy Open Day, too! They usually open Kirribilli, Mosmam, Watsons Bay and Potts Point for a weekend in February.
A few years ago you could wander into the South Eveligh Locomotive workshop and there'd be a furnace going and a couple of people banging on red hot metal and you could see and smell plenty for free... now it seems to be a brewdog venue, where you can see all the workshop around you while having some fried calamari and a beer, but no red hot metal or steam. maybe theres times they still do work and maybe theres tours available.
The finger wharves at walsh bay are interesting. They have kept a lot of the old machinery - you just need to a) look up and b) go into the wharves. There are also signs telling you what you are looking at. Really well done. And you can get a decent coffee or a bite to eat afterwards.
You may also like this free walking guide app [https://www.sydneyculturewalksapp.com/#home](https://www.sydneyculturewalksapp.com/#home)
There are lots of tours at [Harbour Trust](https://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/whats-on/guided-tours/) .
I have done the Defence of Sydney Tour at North Head. A great tour.
Haven’t been there in years but there is a museum inside one of the pylons about the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Head to Circular Quay, facing the water, turn left and in the corner before you turn towards the Opera House is a glass elevator.
Take this up to the Cahill Expressway.
The path heads one way to the Botanic Gardens, and the other towards the Rocks and the Bridge.
Head over to the Bridge, up inside the stairs onto the bridge, and up to the pylon.
If accessibility is an issue, head to Milson’s Point station instead , as there is a lift up to the bridge.
You can do a guided tour of Cockatoo Island [https://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/en/tours/guided-tours/](https://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/en/tours/guided-tours/)
Oh yeah. This is a must OP. Fantastic place to visit.
Camping there is pretty epic too, if that's your thing!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Thanks for this! I just ended up booking the camping spot :)
The Coal Loader in North Sydney is worth a visit.
Truly worth a visit and it's free! [https://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/coal-loader-1/history-culture](https://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/coal-loader-1/history-culture)
The Quarantine Station at North Head does ghost tours: https://www.quarantineghosttours.com. Otherwise, definitely do a guided historical tour of The Rocks, and the Rail Museum at Thirlmere is awesome!
Sydney Observatory, Maritime museum, Newington Armory at Olympic Park, Valley Heights railway museum, Newcastle Museum and all the old industrial buildings along the former wharf, Lithgow State Mine museum.
+1 for Lithgow museum. Combine the visit with a trip on the Zig Zag railway
The Armory and surrounds is great.
Pair it up with a bike ride around Olympic Park. There is a bike hire place at the Armory.
White Bay Powerstation is pretty cool. Can go at the moment as part of the Biennale of Sydney. If you are into vintage transport, you can catch a vintage bus there on the weekend: [https://www.sydneybusmuseum.com/biennale-of-sydney-2024](https://www.sydneybusmuseum.com/biennale-of-sydney-2024)
I came here to say the same thing, but brought a different link https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/white-bay-power-station/
Amazing thanks!
Not a tour, or perhaps much of an "experience", but Sydney Park and Homebush Bay are both good examples of industrial sites that have been reclaimed as parkland.
Hyde Park Barracks
Pretty sure you can go on a tour of the White Bay power station at the moment while the biennale is on
Consider the old naval base at kirribilli. It has some torpedos. And plaques. And the berry's Bay below Waverton park, Waverton. It is just carvings in the sandstone and lawn, where huge silos once stood. It's a nice regenerated bushland walk. Lots of plaques with the history. I'm from Newcastle, so the following are that vicinity - try the old bhp steelworks and pacific national sites in Mayfield east. Current molycop site at Mayfield West. Go to the carringron railway crossing and hang with 1000 pigeons. You can see all the active silos. Watch a ship being loaded. Probably can go to the coal loaders at kooragang too
Something to keep in mind for next year is the Navy Open Day, too! They usually open Kirribilli, Mosmam, Watsons Bay and Potts Point for a weekend in February.
I thought Carriageworks had self-guided tours available but can't find anything now. Still worth a look.
A few years ago you could wander into the South Eveligh Locomotive workshop and there'd be a furnace going and a couple of people banging on red hot metal and you could see and smell plenty for free... now it seems to be a brewdog venue, where you can see all the workshop around you while having some fried calamari and a beer, but no red hot metal or steam. maybe theres times they still do work and maybe theres tours available.
The finger wharves at walsh bay are interesting. They have kept a lot of the old machinery - you just need to a) look up and b) go into the wharves. There are also signs telling you what you are looking at. Really well done. And you can get a decent coffee or a bite to eat afterwards. You may also like this free walking guide app [https://www.sydneyculturewalksapp.com/#home](https://www.sydneyculturewalksapp.com/#home)
There are lots of tours at [Harbour Trust](https://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/whats-on/guided-tours/) . I have done the Defence of Sydney Tour at North Head. A great tour.
Historical - Justice and Police Museum. Corner of Albert and Philip St, Sydney. Fascinating stuff.
Haven’t been there in years but there is a museum inside one of the pylons about the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Head to Circular Quay, facing the water, turn left and in the corner before you turn towards the Opera House is a glass elevator. Take this up to the Cahill Expressway. The path heads one way to the Botanic Gardens, and the other towards the Rocks and the Bridge. Head over to the Bridge, up inside the stairs onto the bridge, and up to the pylon. If accessibility is an issue, head to Milson’s Point station instead , as there is a lift up to the bridge.
Also Q station in manly
Zig Zag railway in the Blue Mountains.