Observatory Hill
Observatory Hill
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Observatory Hill
The area
Address
How to get there
- Circular Quay • 8 min walk
- Wynyard • 9 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
5,345 within 3 miles
Attractions
1,063 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
211 reviews
Excellent
108
Very good
85
Average
18
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Michael N
Lawson, Australia1,163 contributions
May 2024 • Solo
This is a great place to get an unusual view of the bridge and the harbour.
I think the observatory is only open for booked tour groups, but the walk up the moderate slope is well worth it. There is a stage you can climb to maximise the views.
Plenty of god restaurants nearby in The Rocks.
I think the observatory is only open for booked tour groups, but the walk up the moderate slope is well worth it. There is a stage you can climb to maximise the views.
Plenty of god restaurants nearby in The Rocks.
Written May 10, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael-4551
Caloundra, Australia5,532 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
Visited on Saturday 27th May. Went to check out the observatory and the views of the harbour and bridge. Well worth going to see.
Written June 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Constanza Diez Riera
89 contributions
Jul 2019 • Friends
Good spot to watch the sunset, take some food and so a picnic while you are there and enjoy the view of the north side
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Manish K
Dubai, United Arab Emirates3,993 contributions
Dec 2019
The Sydney Observatory is located on top of a small hill known as Observatory Hill. The hill is not that difficult to climb, though from the top, it seems like a huge drop down to the streets below.
The Observatory itself is a rather small one, with some old instruments displayed and one can spend around 15-20 minutes inside. Outside, however, there are some nice lawns with excellent views of the 'Coat-Hanger' (as the Harbour Bridge is called by locals) and the Darling Harbour too. There is also a bust of Hans Christian Anderson here.
The Observatory itself is a rather small one, with some old instruments displayed and one can spend around 15-20 minutes inside. Outside, however, there are some nice lawns with excellent views of the 'Coat-Hanger' (as the Harbour Bridge is called by locals) and the Darling Harbour too. There is also a bust of Hans Christian Anderson here.
Written April 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Titus D
Sri Lanka6,908 contributions
Seeing of the Clear Panoramic Views Around the Observatory Hill Look Out Point is Weather Dependent.
Feb 2017
Seeing of the clear panoramic views around the Observatory Hill is weather dependent. With a beautiful clear summer sky the views and grounds were lovely. Therefore it is a great photography area if whether God favours you.
With friends, we saw very clear views onto the Bridge and down to the older sections of The Rocks district, Northern Sydney, the Harbour area and Darling Habour area which makes it a fully worth the short climb up from the lower road.
Starting from “The Rocks”, is an easy walk for you, although it appears to be at the highest location in The Rocks but do not try doing so if you have trouble in walking.
This is a really nice lookout point, the views are beautiful both during the day and at night it is also popular spot for weddings too. Some families were seen making a picnic by sitting on rugs relaxing and children playing etc. The grass is neatly cut and the large trees provide shade in summer.
You can feel the joy, and it makes you happy. You can easily have a picnic hee. Lovely stop along sight-seeing journey.
This is one of the favourite places in Sydney to sit and read and book and enjoy the sights and sounds of the thriving city of Sydney all around me.
Traffic rushes past on the right, headed for the iconic bridge, Droves of enthusiastic people take pictures of the area,the boats chug past on the water down below, "The Rocks" and the Habour area. The atmosphere up here is wonderful.
If you wish, you can visit also the museum of the observatory which is free. We witnessed the most interesting, the dropping of the time-ball at 1 p.m. It is done each day. Visitors to the Sydney Observatory or its hill are strongly recommended to time their day-time visit such that they could witness the dropping of the time-ball. The Sydney Observatory is one of the few places in the world where one can still find a functioning time ball that is used to tell time.
I recommend to you to try climbing the Observatory Hill from the area of “The Rocks’ if you don’t have trouble in climbing.
With friends, we saw very clear views onto the Bridge and down to the older sections of The Rocks district, Northern Sydney, the Harbour area and Darling Habour area which makes it a fully worth the short climb up from the lower road.
Starting from “The Rocks”, is an easy walk for you, although it appears to be at the highest location in The Rocks but do not try doing so if you have trouble in walking.
This is a really nice lookout point, the views are beautiful both during the day and at night it is also popular spot for weddings too. Some families were seen making a picnic by sitting on rugs relaxing and children playing etc. The grass is neatly cut and the large trees provide shade in summer.
You can feel the joy, and it makes you happy. You can easily have a picnic hee. Lovely stop along sight-seeing journey.
This is one of the favourite places in Sydney to sit and read and book and enjoy the sights and sounds of the thriving city of Sydney all around me.
Traffic rushes past on the right, headed for the iconic bridge, Droves of enthusiastic people take pictures of the area,the boats chug past on the water down below, "The Rocks" and the Habour area. The atmosphere up here is wonderful.
If you wish, you can visit also the museum of the observatory which is free. We witnessed the most interesting, the dropping of the time-ball at 1 p.m. It is done each day. Visitors to the Sydney Observatory or its hill are strongly recommended to time their day-time visit such that they could witness the dropping of the time-ball. The Sydney Observatory is one of the few places in the world where one can still find a functioning time ball that is used to tell time.
I recommend to you to try climbing the Observatory Hill from the area of “The Rocks’ if you don’t have trouble in climbing.
Written June 21, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MWandAW
North Sydney, Australia3,668 contributions
Sep 2016 • Couples
Walking through Observatory Hill Park in Sydney is a bit like walking in a time tunnel. As you walk through the pedestrian tunnel leading under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you find yourself amongst ancient Moreton Bay Fig trees which are surrounding a space observatory which was built in 1874, on the site of a Windmill built in 1797 and then called Windmill Hill. In 1803, Fort Phillip was built to protect Sydney from possible French invasion. In 1825, the eastern wall of the fort was converted to a signal station. The Observatory is still operating and tours are provided with night views of space. As you can see, this hill had many uses in Sydney's early history. It provides a visitor with fantastic views of Sydney's historic settlement, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the harbour and those wonderful trees that have stood the test of time. A great place to walk through, on your way to Barangaroo Reserve or to sit and watch the harbour on a sunny day. On week days, the park is used by personal trainers for boot camps, which takes away some of the historic vibes. Despite all this activity, it is definitely worth a visit.
Written September 4, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CliveT64
Ashford, UK355 contributions
Nov 2015
This is in Observatory Park which is a beautiful setting for relaxing, strolling and picnicking and has delightful views across Sydney Harbour as well as being home to the Observatory.
Written March 3, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
james232013
Melbourne, Australia89 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
do this it is great right near the Bridge near the Rocks plenty to see and most likley better to do at night to do some star gazing
Written June 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LANDY31
Brisbane, Australia457 contributions
May 2023
Outstanding views even walked around the old Fort Street school which my wife attended. Very well preserved
Written May 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Funambulator
The Rocks, Australia1,939 contributions
Nov 2019 • Solo
This lofty hill situated between The Rocks and Barangaroo is rich in the history of Sydney, having for for a long time served many purposes. Since European settlement it has been the site of windmills (originally Windmill Hill), a fort (Fort Phillip) and then a signal station, taking advantage of its excellent view of the harbour from the bluff, an early colony hospital, a school site, and of course the location of Sydney Observatory. During this time the hill’s name again changed to Flagstaff Hill and then to Observatory Hill. The Observatory no longer functions as a site for astronomical observations (closed in 1982) and is now a museum. Entry to the Observatory grounds is free but access to the main section and a guided tour of the equipment cost $10 ($8 with a concession). The northern and western sides of the Observatory offer views of the city and harbour that are second-to-none, so is very popular with city workers as a lunch spot and with picnickers day and night. The Hill also contains an attractive rotunda and a Boer War memorial.
Written November 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Showing results 1-2 of 2
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing