Circular Quay
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, the Quay is home to some of
Sydney’s most famous attractions. It consists of pedestrianized walkways, restaurants, bars, and parks, as well as a
train station, bus stops, and ferry terminals.A walkway on the southern side of Circular Quay runs towards the iconic Sydney Opera House and the magnificent green oasis that is the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Another walkway, on the northern side, leads to the equally iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and The Rocks, the oldest neighborhood in the city. The area is always bustling, as it is the number one tourist hotspot in Sydney. The combination and variation of attractions in and around Circular Quay is close to unique. In addition, the area is also home to some of the city’s very best restaurants. And the harbor views are, obviously, unbeatable.
The New Year’s Eve fireworks in Sydney Harbour are world-famous and Circular Quay happens to be the focal point of this fantastic spectacle.
History
landed in Sydney Cove, the very location
of present-day Circular Quay. At first the area was used almost solely for shipping. It wasn't until a while later that
it became a center of entertainment and transportation.When trams were still operating, Circular Quay was the focal point. In 1861, the first tram ran through the Quay along Pitt Street to the old Sydney Railway Station. It was horse-drawn. The purpose of these trams between the train station and Circular Quay was to provide easy connections to ferry terminals. 27 regular tram services used to run. Now, the only Australian city that still has an operating tram system is Melbourne.
The original name of Circular Quay was Semi-Circular Quay, which is what it actually is. The only reason for shortening the name was convenience.
Transportation
The Cahill Expressway is a major elevated road that runs on top of the City Circle station in Circular Quay and connects the suburb of Woolloomooloo
with North Sydney. The first freeway ever built in Australia, it runs
through The Domain and the Royal Botanic Gardens via tunnels and cuttings,
past Circular Quay and across the Harbour Bridge. This urban freeway was named after John Cahill, who was the premier of
New South Wales at the time of construction. Incidentally, it was he who also gave the
start sign for the building of the Opera House.Circular Quay used to be a main tram terminal. Nowadays, many bus routes follow the former tram lines and have stops at Circular Quay. Five commuter ferry terminals are located at Circular Quay. The Quay is also the end-point for all ferries that operate in the Parramatta River and Sydney Harbour. In addition to the public ferries, there is also a large offer of harbor taxis, boat tours, and harbor cruises by smaller companies.
Things to See and Do
Home to many of Sydney’s major icons, Circular Quay provides entertainment and excitement to all visitors. After arriving at the Quay it really is hard to choose where to go first. On the eastern side lie the Opera House and the huge Royal Botanic Gardens, which offers fantastic views of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Located to the west are the magnificent Harbour Bridge and the old neighborhood of The Rocks, one of the city’s most interesting and lively areas. The Quay is fringed with excellent restaurants, great bars, and nice cafés.Visitors can take a ferry to Sydney Olympic Park along the beautiful Parramatta River, or to one of the foreshores of Sydney Harbour National Park where they can enjoy a picnic or go for a swim. In addition, there are also ferries to Manly, with its fantastic beach and aquarium, or across the harbor to Taronga Zoo, the world’s only zoo with a view.
For culture, people can visit the Museum of Contemporary Art and the City of Sydney Library.
Similar Landmarks
Another popular and bustling harbor area in Sydney is Darling Harbour, probably the one main center of entertainment and nightlife in the city. There are ferries from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour.Do you see any omissions, errors or want to add information to this page? Sign up.
Author: bramreusen. Last updated: Feb 17, 2015
Pictures of Circular Quay
