Meet your guide for the Complete Sydney Walking Tour at the front of the heritage-listed St James train station — the oldest underground railway station in Sydney. Take a moment to admire the historic neon Chateau Tanunda Brandy advertisement at the station entrance while you learn about the abandoned tunnels that lie below.
You will then wander through Sydney’s main shopping precinct and see the iconic store that single-handedly turned the area into a retail hub.
Somewhere around here your guide will stop with you for a coffee or tea at one of his or her favourite Syndeysider cafes.
A walk through the retail precinct can’t be complete without admiring Sydney’s grandest shopping centre. Stroll through the Queen Victoria Building, or QVB as it is known to locals. Hidden inside this beautiful old market hall is an unopened letter from Queen Elizabeth II to the people of Sydney- nobody but the Queen herself knows what the letter contains.
After the grandeur of the QVB, we visit the only shopping centre that can compete with its beauty, the Strand Arcade. It’s last remaining Victorian shopping arcade in the city. This was one of the first buildings in the city to be lit with electricity, and locals used to travel to visit the Strand and see the electric lights.
We will now start to see a different side of the city as we leave the retail precinct behind and head towards the business and finance centre of the CBD. Keep an eye out along the way for locations used in the filming of movies such as The Matrix and Superman.
Hear the fascinating story of the mystery “Eternity Man” and find out where his secret message is still hidden in one of Sydney’s largest sandstone buildings.
We venture underground for a quick trip back to the convict days of Sydney to glimpse remains of the city’s first water supply, the Tank Stream. See the route of this hidden stream that still flows silently beneath the city.
We will pause at one of Sydney’s most important war memorials; the Cenotaph, meaning “empty tomb.” Learn how Australians commemorate our veterans, find out who the ANZACS were and why ANZAC day has particular relevance to the Australian national identity. You will also learn about a unique Aussie tradition; the game of “two-up”, find out why it is only legal once a year, and where you can play it year-round.
Next up, you will discover some of Sydney’s hidden laneways, street art installations, and small bars as we meander our way through back alleys following the trail of the Tank Stream.
The best views of Sydney Harbour await you at Circular Quay, as we leave behind corporate Sydney, and step back in time to its early convict days.
As we discover The Rocks, the oldest part of Sydney, you will learn about the man who saved this important area from demolition. Once a thriving hot-bed of prostitution, street gangs, and drunkenness, these days the Rocks is a thriving hot spot for tourists. It still maintains its proud heritage of historic “watering holes” for the thirsty. We will dart down alleys and learn about the once crime-riddled streets while also getting tips for the best souvenirs to pick up from Australia.
We will stop at the base of a Wollemi Pine, one of the oldest species of trees in the world and learn about its miraculous discovery. Here you will learn about Australia’s ancient history, and the indigenous Australians who have inhabited the country for some 60,000 years.
Our tour will finish with views of Australia’s most iconic structures; the Sydney Opera House, and Sydney Harbour Bridge. There will be plenty of photo opportunities while your guide tells you their fascinating stories. Find out which famous actor used to work high up on the Harbour Bridge, where to go for the best views, and hear about how the opening ceremony was nearly hijacked! Learn the incredible story of the Opera House, how the design was chosen, what happened to the architect, and how it almost never came to completion.
Our final stop will be at a classic Aussie institution; a pub, for a well-deserved beer at the end of your Sydney walking tour.
