Observatory Hill Park

This is a lovely place, although you won’t see any Australians! Sign up to the Sydney Observatory. It’s fantastic at night and they have a lot of activities during the day like basket craft making. There’s a really nice view up the Parramatta River also over to the north side, Harry Seidler, Lavender Bay, Luna Park on the south side of the harbour bridge

Although Observatory Hill Park is not very big and is close to the main highway, I really love the spot. There are amazing views of the city and harbour from every part of the park. I found the surrounding water views and the numerous trees in the park calming and peaceful. It is a very popular place for picnics. The park is very clean. I would recommend the short walk up from Circular Quay to visit here.

Observatory Hill Park is one of those places that flips the city into a postcard the second you reach the crest. The lawn rolls out beneath big old fig trees, the rotunda sits like a quiet stage, and the harbour spreads wide with the Bridge front and centre. Couples take photos, runners loop the path, and office workers drift up with takeaway coffees to trade emails for a few minutes of sky. Late afternoon is especially lovely. The light softens, ferries etch bright lines on the water, and the skyline starts to glow behind you. There is more to do here than just point a camera. Bring a picnic rug and you will find an easy patch of grass with a breeze that keeps the air fresh even on warm days. If you are curious, the historic observatory next door adds a small hit of science and storytelling to the outing, and the cannons near the slope hint at the site’s past without turning the visit into a history lesson. Lunchtime crowds come and go, yet it never feels cramped because the hill has room to breathe. Wedding groups and sketchbook people are common sights and they suit the mood perfectly. Worth knowing if you are planning a stop. Shade moves with the sun, so a hat and water help, and the hill can be windy after a southerly change which makes a light layer smart. Flat shoes are kinder on the paths, especially if you use the stairs through the Argyle Cut to reach The Rocks. Toilets and cafés sit a short walk away, and Wynyard or Circular Quay stations make arriving simple. Linger for sunset if you can, then wander down to the foreshore. It is one of the easiest, most rewarding pauses in the city.

Sydney’s hidden gem! A peaceful hilltop park with stunning panoramic views of Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge. Perfect for picnics, sunsets, or just a quiet escape from the city buzz. Great photo spot, especially in the late afternoon.

📍 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 ⭑.ᐟ ❤︎ 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗱-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱: I was in the mood for a peaceful sunset spot with a view, somewhere to sit quietly and just soak in the sky ❤︎ 𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁: The view of the Harbour Bridge from above ❤︎ 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Picnics, deep talks, reading books, listening to music, watching the sky ❤︎ 𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲: Open, calm, and golden—especially during sunset ✨ This is the spot if you’re chasing sunsets in Sydney. From the top, you get a clear view of the Harbour Bridge and a perfect stretch of sky. The golden hour here feels like magic—the clouds turn orange-purple-gray, and the city lights start to glow softly. People were lying on the grass, some in pairs, others alone, but all in that same peaceful rhythm. I could’ve stayed there for hours, just listening to my music and watching the sun slip down behind the skyline. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch that perfect golden beam between the clouds. I’d wait again just for that moment and definitely come back just to sit and do nothing—because somehow, it feels like everything. —𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒇⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡

Must experience in Sydney! We went for sunset and it was packed, so make sure you’re there a little bit before😊 Got pizzas at Ship In, 9min walk from there, sat on the grass and enjoyed the sunset. Truly an amazing experience!

What a wonderful interesting tour. It was well set out, our guide was great, groups are small. The buildings and views are breathtaking. We will be back to do a day tour.

Number 1 Lookout spot in my opinion. This place has the best sunset views with the lookout of the harbour, bonus points when the moon is shining bright.

This is such a beautiful and scenic place to visit! There is a distinct view of the Harbour Bridge! Great place for a sunset picnic, highly recommend!

Observatory Hill, yes "Observe" and enjoy! If you work in the city and want a place to get away from the stress of work and collect your thoughts, without tramping through the CBD in a vain search for solace; then this is the closest one can get to a small slice of nirvana. The many park benches sit under the sweeping branches of majestic figs, the eye drawn downwards to the view of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with the heritage buildings in the near distance, the observatory and pergola behind, a master painter's vision come alive! Read a book, eat a sandwich and even, if only for a fleeting moment, feel guilty at the sight of people jogging, cycling and exercising; you will never feel alone in your serenity yet, in this small fraction of the city, you will be all consumed by an immeasurable and perfect calm.

I'm not really sure how well the observatory works here with all of the light pollution from the Sydney CBD, but I didn't come here (initially) for the observatory (though I will probably go there the next time I am in Sydney). However the gardens themselves afford a wonderful view of the harbour (and the bridge, if you consider the bridge to be anything more than, well, a bridge).

Great place to capture the last rays of sun or harbour bridge. You'll find lots of photographers here set up with tripods or along with other groups of photographers. This place is also very popular amongst weddings as you'll almost certain to come across one on the weekend.

For New Years Eve, there really is no place like this. You're situated on a beautiful park under a gorgeous oak tree, right in front of the harbour bridge, the lighting, music, and fireworks are all around you. It's perfectly built with facilities such as public toilets located nearby on Watson Road at the foot of the Lower Fort Street park entrance. If you want to go for NYE, get there in the early afternoon to grab yourself a level (not slopping) place under the tree with a good vantage of the bridge. If you prefer to avoid the masses, it's a tranquil setting for off leash dog walking and is highly popular location for walkers, joggers and fitness enthusiasts. The park's shaded benches located around the orbital pathway are a popular destination for the less sports inclined passer by who'd prefer to read a book and escape from the world.

Lovely green hillside park with panoramic vista of the harbour and bridge. Definitely worth checking out the view from here if you're in the area.

Observatory Hill is my work day happy place. Being down the road my office, I come here over lunch to take in Sydney's beauty and use the exercise equipment. It's hardly Sydney's best kept secret, the constant flow of weddings is testament to that, but it's a beautiful spot. If you work down that end of the city, you should consider it as a little mental getaway for your lunch break. There is a good workout set up with a water fountain, it'll fix that mid afternoon energy slump.

One of those places you just kind of forget about for a few years and then you hit it up again for some reason or another and BAM, it blows you out of your Nike Airs all over again and leaves you on your back under a fig tree gasping for air like a koi carp. It's a hotspot for weddings, so if you're some kind of wedding voyeur, camp yo ass out here and let the good times roll. Otherwise take a picnic and drinks and kick back in the pavilion, or (as I prefer) stretch out on the grass and lie motionless until the birds assume you're asleep and creep up to steal your watch and then you have them right where you want them. Tip top for sunsets across the city.