On Wed, 28 Aug 2002 02:06:26 -0400, Reef Fish
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Since this list IS 'Sydney & Elsewhere', I thought it appropriate to
> pose a challenge to you blokes and blokettes to write a short (less
> than a picture) essay on the subject "If you have only three days to
> sightsee in Sydney -- here's a list of what you should do (detailed
> itinerary) and why."

I'll take you up on that. :)

And having read the rest of the digest for the day, I have some unfair
advantage over wot Strike has already proposed.

You need one very important thing for my day in Sydney:

A driver, with car, who knows the ropes.

You get picked up at the Hilton at least by 0830, head across the
Bridge to McMahons Point Wharf, McMahons Point to admire the view  of
the Bridge and Opry (to kill some time) and then head straight for
Hornsby and Mt Colah to turn into Ku-ring-gai Chase at that point.
This gets rid of the boring bit of the trip. Half way between the
entrance to the Chase and Bobbin Head, on the right hand side, is the
Kalkari Visitors Centre (opens at 0930 which is why you had to kill
time): emus, birds everywhere, snakes, possums, wallabies, all
available for your delectation and living "wild" (no fences other than
the main one to keep out the non-natives such as the bl**dy foxes).
You also pick up your Ku-ring-gai Chase maps here. Oh, it's all free
and there's also a theatre showing wild things if you've a mind but at
the week end you'll have to pay to get into the Park proper - keep the
ticket for re-entry into the Chase later in the journey.

You then continue down to look at the delights of Bobbin Head, not
forgetting Apple Tree Bay. On the way out towards Turramurra, rejoice
in the rainforest immediately along the narrow and twisty road. Now
hook a left and left again at St Ives onto Mona Vale Road (another -
small - boring bit). At Terrey Hills turn left to re-enter Ku-ring-gai
Chase and do the loop of Liberator General San Martin Drive (nope, no
idea but is ture sounds South American don' it) which will take you
along past Akuna Bay (good for a pit stop). At the end of the drive,
turn left and head up West Head Road to, you guessed it, West Head.
The views are spectacular to say the least but keep a sharp eye out
for the Lyre birds which are so used to visitors they simply ignore
them. This is most unusual, Lyre birds are usually extremely shy and
usually can only be seen at dawn and dusk if at all - not necessarily
so here.

You now need to retrace the road and you might like to stop off at the
Elvina Track which, if you've a mind, you could walk down (and back)
about halfway where, immediately before it gets to the steep bit down,
you should see a track leading off to the left which you should take
to the waterfall (climb down until you get to the drop off) where the
view is equally spectacular Not too many people know about this spot.
This detour should take no more than an hour, you'll need decent
joggers or similar, a broad brimmed hat, some water and a sharp eye
for bull ants. You can't miss 'em, they're a good three times the size
of a conventional ant and you definitely don't want to get bitten by
one of them puppies. Fortunately it's unlikely to happen. Retrace your
steps and continue back in the car until you hook another left into
McCarrs Creek Road.

OK, that's my favourite bit of Sydney out of the way.

You can now drive up to (our) Palm Beach and look across to where you
were at West Head from the end of Waratah Rd. Now is the time to head
south along all those great beaches which Strike rightly pointed out
are Sydney's best. Depending on your driver's geographical
expertise/mapreading skills, there are some nice little detour roads
from the main drag which will let you see the beaches, and headlands,
in all their spectacular beauty. On the way back I'd:

* stop off at the Fairfax Lookout at North Head (ahem, on the way past
S ... She ... Shelley Beach) :o
* have a coffee in the Cafeteria section of the Bathers Pavilion
Restaurant at Balmoral with a view straight out The Heads
* admire the Bridge and Opry House from across the water at:
        Kurraba Point
        Jeffrey Street Wharf, Kirribilli

The locals will realise that I've suggested an anti clockwise route.
This is because we drive on the left and quite possibly 90% of the
views will be found on the left hand side of the car.

Cheers, HTH,

Christian