Oh, Darling!

Besides Circular which is the main "jetty" for the Sydney Harbour, the other harbour one must not miss when one is in Sydney is the Darling Harbour. Darling Harbour is named after Lietenant Ralph Darling, a former governer of New South Wales.

 

Besides the few bays like Cockle Bay, King Street Wharf and Pyrmont Bay, the Darling Harbour area itself is a pedestrian street full of shopping and restaurants, as well as the attractions of Entertainment Centre, Casino, Madame Tussaud's, Sydney Aquarium, Wildlife Sydney, Maritime Museum and Powerhouse Museum.

 

Darling Harbour is just on the outskirts of Sydney city centre itself, and it is also a main stop on the monorail line, as well as accessible by the Metro Light Rail, commonly called the Tram. Hence Darling Harbour is a great area to explore!

 

I took a ferry from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour. Please bear in mind that although the Metro Light Rail is included in the weekly pass, that also includes all trains, buses and ferries, the monorail is not included. If one is to take the monorail, one has to pay for the trip. Hence I decided to take the ferry as the train does not stop exactly at Darling Harbour.

 

The ferry docked at King Street Wharf Three, passing by under the Harbour Bridge, Luna Park at Milsons Point, McMahon's Point, Balmain East Wharf, the ship models of the Maritime Museum, before finally reaching King Street Wharf.

 Model ship outside the Maritime Museum

 

 View of the Darling Harbour Walkway from King Street Wharf

 

 I like this boat!

 

 This is the Starship, a restaurant cum casino boat

 

Along the way I decided to stop for lunch, and saw a place at King Street Wharf selling Prime Cut Angues steak, with salad for just A$10.00!

 My A$10.00 Angus Prime Cut Steak with salad

 

After lunch, I went to Madame Tussaud's and the Sydney Aquarium, before walking around Darling Harbour.

 



 Battleship outside Maritime Museum

 

 Marina at Pyrmont Bay

 

 A little cute tram I came across but did not take as did not wish to pay for the short ride

 

 The walkway of Cockle Bay

 

 Classic semi-circular roof of Darling Harbour, which houses the Sydney Convention Centre

 

 Cockle Bay Marina

 Wildlife Sydney, Madame Tussaud's and Sydney Aquarium can be seen from the Darling Harbour Pedestrian Walkway

 

 Darling Harbour Pedestrian Walkway, with the monorail track on top

 

 This old-fashioned lamp post signifies one end of the Darling Harbour Pedestrian Walkway

 

 

It was a great trip and Darling Harbour is one of the more prominent landmarks of Sydney where people would go to explore. The things are not as expensive as Circular Quay, yet at the same time the place has more to offer in terms of exhibitions, whereas Circular Quay has more to offer in terms of historical and cultural.

 

So which is better? I would say go for both, since both has their own unique things to offer, and both places are covered under the same ticket, so why not? It would not take too long to explore both together!