Visit Sydney Australia

Name another big city anywhere in the world that has an untouched piece of natural vegetation like this just 3km from its central business area. An oasis of bushland just a couple of minutes drive from the harbour bridge, Forsyth Park Reserve is wedged in the gully between the Ben Boyd Road ridge and Bent Street.

The vegetation remains in the same virgin state as when the Aborigines used to hunt and gather here, long before white men arrived. Wildlife Watch volunteer sightings indicate that there is a diversity of owl species in the area. The White-throated Nightjar, Barn Owl and Tawny Frogmouth have all been seen in the bushland of Forsyth Park. The Park's's bushland pocket is on the corner of Bent St and Yeo St, Neutral Bay, however access is best from Montpelier St.
Forsyth Park's bushland pocket is on the corner of Bent St and Yeo St, Neutral Bay, however access is best from Montpelier St.

UBD Map 7 Ref M 4.

It's only small, but there is a ribbon of beach at the head of Neutral Bay near Anderson Park. It's just big enough for the kids to paddle in. But on 19th October 1934, pioneer aviator and adventurer Air Commodore Charles Kingsford-Smith and Captain P. Gordon Taylor took off from it, at the commencement of what was to become the first flight across the Pacific from Australia to the United States of America.



Their aircraft was the Lady Southern Cross, a Lockheed Attair Monoplane VH-VSB, the plane in which Kingsford-Smith and Tommy Pethybridge would die a year later. After their historic flight, they had the Lady Southern Cross shipped to England in order to be the first to make the flight from England and Australia. They left England on 6th November 1935 and arrived safely in Singapore the next day. After an overnight stay they continued their epic journey and were last seen flying over the Bay of Bengal 320 km south of Rangoon, Burma. They never arrived at their destination. Small pieces of wreckage were found washed up on a nearby beach a year later but the wreck of the plane and the bodies of the aviators were never found.

This waterfront site was once a gasworks providing gas for street lights, homes and businesses on the North Shore of Sydney. In 1942 and as part of the war effort, the site was resumed by the Commonwealth Government and became a torpedo manufacturing and maintenance factory as well as a service facility for the naval vessles of the Pacific Fleet.

In 1967 the site was commissioned as the base for the Royal Australian Navy's Oberon Class submarines and was named HMAS Platypus. By 1983 closure and removal of the upper level of the Neutral Bay Gasworks and Oyster Cove Works had commenced. The upper level of Neutral Bay was sold for residential development completed by 1992. During the 1990's the decision to re-equip the RAN with Collins class submarines led to the strategic decision to relocate the facility. The submarine base was closed in 1998. Management of the Platypus site was transferred to the Harbour Trust in 2005. Platypus has been remediated.



Sub Base Platypus, the first stage of the Platypus Renewal Project is now complete and open to the public. It includes a waterside walk connecting to Kesterton Park and North Sydney Ferry Wharf, and a new submarine themed playground, BBQ and picnic area. Entrance is from Kiara Close and Kesterton Park, note the Kiara Close entrance has a set of stairs. Sub Base Platypus is open daylight hours from sunrise to sunset. The next stage of Sub Base Platypus, now underway, involves the creation of new public domain areas and base building refurbishments.



Neutral Bay Gasworks: the gasworks was established in 1877 on waterfront level, the third in Sydney. A bank of horizontal retorts and a small gas holder were installed first, followed by a Retort House in 1886-88 along with new a Gas Holder, Exhauster house, boiler House, and Coke Plant. The plant was upgraded again in the 1890s. In 1913 site works commenced for new gas works at Oyster Cove (Oyster Bay), Waverton and began operations from 1917, gradually increasing output until superseding the Neutral Bay works in 1932. In 1935 the office building was remodelled and let as flats.

Kurraba Point, which offers views across Sydney Harbour to Garden Island, is a great starting point for a pleasant walk through the suburbs of Neutral Bay and Cremorne. Catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Kurraba Point, and then walk along Shellcove Road and Honda Road to the Cremorne Reserve. An easy walking path follows the shoreline to Robertsons Point and Cremorne Wharf where you can catch a ferry back to the city.
UBD Map 8 Ref D 14.

Enjoy a pleasant harbourside walk from Kirribili to Neutral Bay and Cremorne. Take the ferry to Kirribilli Wharf. Walk along Carabella, left into Peel St, right into Elamang St, right into Clark Rd and Kurraba Road. Return by ferry from Kurraba Wharf. Along the way see Milsons Park and Careening Cove, HMAS Platypus, Anderson Park, Nucote.

The renowned children's author and painter May Gibbs lived for many years at Nutcote, a home in Wallaringa Avenue. Gibbs was the creator, illustrator and author of the famous Snugglepot and Cuddlepie classics of Australian children's literature. The house was designed by the architect B. J. Waterhouse and built 1924-25. It was later restored and is now open to the public as a museum. It has a state heritage listing. Entry fee applies. 5 Wallaringa Avenue, Neutral Bay. Open Wed - Sun 11.00am, 3.00pm.
Public transport: ferry to Kirraba Wharf, Neutral Bay. Walk up steps, left into Kurraba Rd, left into Spains Wharf Rd, right into Wallaringa Ave.

This lookout and its neighbour, Spains Lookout, boast magnificent views across the waters of Sydney Harbour to Kirribilli, Fort Denison, Garden Island Naval Base and the city of Sydney. They are on a popular foreshore walk around Cremorne Point. On the way you'll pass Kurraba Point Reserve which is the site of a quarry from which 8,000 tonnes of sandstone was extracted and used to build Fort Denison. The quarry site was later used as a shipbuilding yard. UBD Map 8 Ref D 13. Kurraba Road, Thrupps Point.