20 Best hidden Instagram spots in Sydney | Photos
There’s more to Sydney than meets the eye. From hanging birdcages, to a desert and ocean baths, these are the 20 most picture-perfect locales around Sydney.
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There’s more to Sydney than meets the eye.
From hanging birdcages, to a desert and ocean baths, Sydney has so many hidden gems that it would take years to discover them all.
It’s no surprise then Australia was officially declared the most Instagrammable country in the world in 2019, with most tags located in Sydney.
With its winning combination of internationally-famous landmarks, astounding natural beauty and unbeatable weather, it’s little wonder the world is turning its lens on Sydney.
So, strike a pose and check out these 20 most picture-perfect locales around Sydney.
AUBURN BOTANIC GARDENS
Tranquillity might not be the buzzword that springs to mind when you think Auburn, but it’s the right word for the 9.2 hectares lush greenery inside the Auburn Botanic Gardens. The gardens are broken down into themed areas that include a Japanese garden, complete with a pond, waterfall and ornamental bridges.
KUTTI BEACH, VAUCLUSE
Tucked between Parsley Beach and Watsons Bay, Kutti Beach is not easy to track down. If you find yourself at the end of Wharf Road in front of the Vaucluse Amateur Sailing Club thinking you’ve hit a dead end, look a little closer. You’ll see a staircase, follow it down and you’ll discover a small row of beachfront mansions and their boathouses joining a perfect stretch of golden sand. With sailboats to gaze out on and palm trees a plenty, Kutti Beach feels a million miles away from the tourist mecca of Watsons Bay.
HORNBY LIGHTHOUSE, WATSONS BAY
This iconic red and white striped tower makes it well worth the stroll from Watsons Bay ferry terminal on the South Head Heritage Trail. It almost resembles something made by the hand of Willy Wonka, but the lighthouse and the nearby lightkeeper’s cottage dates back to 1858. This South Head location is a prime whale spotting vantagepoint, and the walk from Camp Cove will take you past plenty of cool pit stops, from historic gun emplacements to Lady Bay Beach, one of Sydney’s few official nudist bathing spots.
CHINESE GARDEN OF FRIENDSHIP, DARLING HARBOUR
Much more than just a city garden, you will find waterfalls, lakes, exotic plants, pavilions and hidden pathways inside the Chinese Garden. With koi carp swimming in the lakes, willows weeping in the breeze and a Teahouse serving Chinese tea and dim sum, you just may never want to leave.
GREEN SQUARE LIBRARY, ZETLAND
Welcome to the future of libraries, where it‘s about more than just books. This six-storey glass tower is a futuristic library that has everything from an open-air amphitheatre to a baby grand piano.
The main space is conceived as a living room, complete with a kids‘ corner and pint-size nooks built into the walls for children to crawl into with a book. In the middle of the collection space is a sunken garden; the perfect place to sit and read under the sun.
GRAND CANYON, BLUE MOUNTAINS
Widely regarded as the most impressive walking track in the Blue Mountains, the 6km Grand Canyon Walk will leave you in awe, as you hike through lush rainforest including several creek crossings, small waterfalls, huge cliff walls, and rock overhangs.
The Grand Canyon walking track is a circuit trail, and you can start this hike from three different locations. All of these three starting points (parking areas) are located along Evans Lookout Rd in Blackheath.
However, if you’re visiting any time before January 30 the Grand Canyon can now only be walked in a clockwise direction in a bid to control record crowds and parking issues.
As part of a trial the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service said the walk would be made one way until the end of the month due to help maintain social distancing.
Visitors have been asked to enter at Evans Lookout and exit at Neates Glen and to adhere to all directional signage on the track.
JELLYBEAN POOL, GLENBROOK
Named after its shape, which resembles a jellybean, the divine spot is perfect for a day trip from Sydney or when staying in the Blue Mountains.
It’s a family friendly place, has a good sized area of beach, some shallow water and plenty of space to swim too.
And it’s just a very short (but steep) 200 metre walk down from the car park. Keep in mind, what goes down must come back up! There are also no toilets or cafes.
BARRENJOEY LIGHTHOUSE, PALM BEACH
The Barrenjoey Lighthouse walk is a short bush walk with big rewards, amazing views over Palm Beach and whale watching during winter and early Spring. It’s a relatively small peninsula, primed for spectacular views. From the top you can see the vast stretch of Pacific Ocean to the east, Hawkesbury River to the north and the gorgeous still waters of Pittwater and Broken Bay to the west.
The walk via Smugglers Track looks down over Palm Beach and Pittwater. It has 360 degree views from the top of the headland with a heritage lighthouse and lighthouse keeper’s cottages.
CHOWDER BAY, LOWER NORTH SHORE
The very picturesque Chowder Bay, now part of Sydney Harbour National Park, is one of those harbour bays with everything. There is a wharf, enclosed baths, change rooms, childrens playground, lots of grass, picnic tables and several places to buy food. When the picnic lunch is over, there’s bushland to wander through, or you can go fishing or snorkelling in the clear water.
MACCALLUM POOL, CREMORNE POINT
This salty seaside pool is located on the very edge of Cremorne Point. You’ll stroll down past leafy flowering gums, before arriving at the harbour edged pool — panoramic views of the city skyline and bobbing boats are contrasted with the pool’s well worn rope fencing and aquamarine lining. The pool originally was just a rock pool, before being turned into a proper 33-metre swimming pool by locals and the council in the 1920s.
STOCKTON SAND DUNES, PORT STEPHENS
Dreams of an Arabian Desert experience may be off the cards this year, with travel to the Middle East more than unlikely happening. But a little over two hours north of Sydney lies the phenomenal Stockton Bight Sand Dunes – the largest moving coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. Created tens of thousands of years ago, the otherworldly dunes are far more than a desert playground – its ancient layers holding the secrets of the Worimi people, the traditional custodians of Port Stephens. Located in the 4200ha Worimi Conservation Lands, the remarkable dunes stretch 32 kilometres from Birubi Beach in Port Stephens all the way to Newcastle. As well as their indigenous significance, the sand dunes are an adventure playground, with an exciting range of activities on offer, including 4WD experiences, fishing along NSW’s longest beach, Aboriginal-guided quad bike cultural tours, and camel and horse riding.
LITTLE CONGWONG BEACH, LA PEROUSE
Little Congwong Beach Walk can be found on the northern headland of Botany Bay. It begins in the car park in Anzac Parade in La Perouse (near Bare Island, home to popular tourist attraction Bare Island Fort). After only 700 metres you’ll be at your destination, having passed through the tranquil Congwong Beach along the way.
COLLINS BEACH, MANLY
With its scenic harbour views, Collins Flat Beach, just north of Sydney city and nestled between North Head and Little Manly Cove, is an idyllic spot for a romantic picnic.
Whether you’re swimming in the calm waters or nibbling on gourmet snacks, this hidden beach, with a breathtaking view across The Heads, feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
OBSERVATORY HILL, SYDNEY CBD
Home to the Sydney Observatory and located in the heart of Sydney in Millers Point, this park has panoramic views of Sydney Harbour. The site has numerous historical buildings — the signal station, a rotunda, the remains of Fort Philip and the Sydney Observatory (hence the name Observatory Hill). The building is used as a museum and public observatory, where you are able to book night tours to stargaze at Sydney’s night sky.
ANGEL PLACE BIRDCAGES, SYDNEY CBD
Most visitors and Sydneysiders are completely unaware they’re missing out on seeing a hidden gem tucked away in a lane way in the heart of the city. Just off George St, you step into a laneway called Angel Place, paved with square stonelike brickwork, amid a concrete jungle of cold cement in various forms. The artwork is called Forgotten Songs and was designed by Michael Thomas Hill. As you stand underneath the birdcages you can hear the sounds of the birds that once inhabited Sydney before the city built up to what it is today. As day becomes night, the sounds of the birds change too.
THE DAIRY, WESTERN SYDNEY PARKLANDS, ABBOTSBURY
The Dairy is one of the quieter locations in the Parklands, attracting groups of people looking for a serene picnic spot. Simply sit and enjoy the vast district views from its hilltop location.
Accessed from The Dairy, the Pimelea Loop is an easy 30-minute walk through nature. The Parklands Track connects The Dairy to Calmsley Hill City Farm, Lizard Log, Moonrise Lookout, Sugarloaf Ridge and beyond to Prospect Reservoir. It is ideal for a long or short walk or cycle. There are picnic shelters and electric barbecues also available.
LAPSTONE ZIG ZAG, EMU PLAINS AND KNAPSACK BRIDGE, PENRITH
The Lapstone Zig Zag was a switchback railway built near Lapstone between 1863 and 1865 to move goods and people up the steep Eastern side of the Blue Mountains. Eventually the whole thing was scrapped in place of an alternative rail line up Glenbrook Gorge and the construction of M4 motorway that is in use today. The line of the old track and the old Knapsack Gully bridge is now a popular walking track. The walk follows where the tracks once stood, through sandstone cuttings, passing an Old Station that was called Lucasville, to the famous Knapsack Viaduct. The Knapsack Viaduct is signposted from the motorway (Emu Plains exit). From the carpark, near the junction of the old highway, take the footpath that follows the old railway and highway route to the viaduct. From here, a path descends below the stone arches, then down to Elizabeth Lookout.
HAWKESBURY LOOKOUT, HAWKESBURY HEIGHTS
Ideally located on the drive between the Hawkesbury region and the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury Lookout offers beautiful scenic views and is a great picnic spot. This grassy lookout is bordered by tall trees and is an excellent spot to pull over on your drive from Hawkesbury to the Blue Mountains. Relax on one of the seats in front of the view and look out over the Nepean River and across the Cumberland Plain. The lookout also provides BBQ and picnic facilities for people who wish to take in the fresh air of the Blue Mountains while overlooking the plains. From Richmond turn into Springwood Road at Agnes Banks and follow the road for 10km. After some tight bends, the lookout is on the left.
GLENBROOK GORGE, GLENBROOK
Perfect for the adventurous at heart, this dynamic track will have you rock-hopping down the beautiful Glenbrook Gorge in no time. Located in the eastern reaches of Blue Mountains National Park, Glenbrook Gorge track is short yet challenging and bound to get that heart pumping. Tracing the base of the gorge, there’s the chance to get off-track as you wave your way down the creek. Look out for the historic railway tunnel built in 1911. The rubble from its construction can still be seen on the sandbar where Glenbrook Creek meets Nepean River, near the end of the track. Take a well-deserved breather and enjoy the tranquillity of the surrounding bush. You can choose to climb out to Lapstone Station, or if you‘ve got more time and energy to spare, retrace your steps up the gorge and enjoy a refreshing dip in Jellybean Pool on the way back. Remember to take your binoculars if you want to bird watch.
KEITH LONGHURST RESERVE, MINTO HEIGHTS
Known locally as The Basin, this scenic location is a stunning example of a typical Georges River gorge landscape, and offers striking views in the late afternoon sun. Go bushwalking or mountain biking on one of two trails that weave through beautiful native forest. A popular secluded waterhole punctuates the bottom of the longer and historic Old Ford Walking Trail. Discover ancient sites once inhabited by the local Dharawal people as well as wildlife that call the reserve home.
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