The Rocks district of Sydney has changed a lot from the ‘sly grog’ shops, brothels and taverns that the early convicts and sailors knew. But many of the old stone buildings remain to this day.
A view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as seen from The Rocks, Sydney.
The area that now nestles quietly under the southern pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was once a hotbed of poverty and vice. But today The Rocks is anything but that.
It’s now a high-class area full of great shops and shopping malls. And many of these are in renovated buildings that are more than 100 years old. The Rocks is also filled with charming pubs (bars), some top-class hotels and a variety of excellent restaurants and cafes.
The Rocks is a great place to buy some really nice Australian crafts or nick-nacks, such as Australian opals or genuine Aboriginal handicrafts. You can also enjoy a cold beer or a cappicino while you decide what’s for lunch.
Be sure to take in the Argyle Steps, which were cut into the granite stone by Australian convicts. Most of the really old buildings were built from those granite blocks of stone too.
The Rocks happens to be just a short walk from Circular Quay, where you have a great view of both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and of the Sydney Opera House. The Opera House is just off the north tip of the Sydney business and financial district, our CBD, which includes all the major banks and the Sydney Stock Exchange.
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