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Australia
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New South Wales
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Sydney
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Tours & Activities
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Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking History Tour Led by Historian
2h30
By walk
Instant confirmation
About this activity
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Journey Walks, Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Australia
Meet you guide at our Journey Walks' starting point Quay Bar — an outdoor venue with coffee and bathrooms where you can take a seat and enjoy being transported back in time as your guide introduces the age of British penal colonies and the story you are about to undertake on foot.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Sydney Customs House 31 Alfred St Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Australia
Begin your journey by unraveling the elaborate sandstone facade of Sydney Customs House — the gateway for people and goods arriving by ship into Sydney through the 19th & 20th Century.
Then enter inside Customs House see a unique model of the entire city including Circular Quay and The Rocks in miniature (scale 1:500) below your feet as your guide illustrates the forming of the natural harbour and the urban settlement of Sydney.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Australia
In The Rocks you'll find yourself wandering though back alleys and along cobbled lanes, passing some of the oldest pubs and houses in Sydney and getting lost in the stories of convicts, sailors and street gangs who occupied and worked in the area. Your guide will lead you to hidden sandstone ruins, old slums and underground cellars turned speak easy bars. The Rocks area is full of character, quirks and surprises.
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes
Stop At: Macquarie Place Park, Bridge Street, Sydney, New South Wales Australia
Discover the hidden and forgotten relics found in Macquarie Place including the underground Edwardian lavatory, the First Fleet anchor and the Obelisk of distances — Sydney's first public monument designed and built by convicts for the Governor of NSW.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: The Argyle, 18 Argyle Street The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Australia
Enter into a hidden courtyard in the heart of The Rocks where you'll find the original customs house and ex-cellars once filled with barrels of spirits and tobacco that now function as a bar and club. The Argyle will be our final stop where your guide will sum up the tour and include a free drink to end t he journey in style.
Duration: 30 minutes
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Show less
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Journey Walks, Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Australia
Meet you guide at our Journey Walks' starting point Quay Bar — an outdoor venue with coffee and bathrooms where you can take a seat and enjoy being transported back in time as your guide introduces the age of British penal colonies and the story you are about to undertake on foot.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Sydney Customs House 31 Alfred St Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Australia
Begin your journey by unraveling the elaborate sandstone facade of Sydney Customs House — the gateway for people and goods arriving by ship into Sydney through the 19th & 20th Century.
Then enter inside Customs House see a unique model of the entire city including Circular Quay and The Rocks in miniature (scale 1:500) below your feet as your guide illustrates the forming of the natural harbour and the urban settlement of Sydney.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Australia
In The Rocks you'll find yourself wandering though back alleys and along cobbled lanes, passing some of the oldest pubs and houses in Sydney and getting lost in the stories of convicts, sailors and street gangs who occupied and worked in the area. Your guide will lead you to hidden sandstone ruins, old slums and underground cellars turned speak easy bars. The Rocks area is full of character, quirks and surprises.
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes
Stop At: Macquarie Place Park, Bridge Street, Sydney, New South Wales Australia
Discover the hidden and forgotten relics found in Macquarie Place including the underground Edwardian lavatory, the First Fleet anchor and the Obelisk of distances — Sydney's first public monument designed and built by convicts for the Governor of NSW.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: The Argyle, 18 Argyle Street The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales 2000 Australia
Enter into a hidden courtyard in the heart of The Rocks where you'll find the original customs house and ex-cellars once filled with barrels of spirits and tobacco that now function as a bar and club. The Argyle will be our final stop where your guide will sum up the tour and include a free drink to end t he journey in style.
Duration: 30 minutes
Included
- A local Sydney expert as your tour guide
- 2.5 hour walking tour covering approximately 20 historic sites and stories
- Alcoholic Beverages - 1x after drink refreshment (local beer/wine/soft drink) at an historic pub in The Rocks
- Local recommendations and extra question time with your guide is included after the tour.
- Entry/Admission - Customs House
- Entry/Admission - Macquarie Place Park
- Entry/Admission - The Argyle
Not included
- Food is not included on this tour, but your tour guide will have fantastic local recommendations
- Gratuities
Additional
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- We continue our tours in all weather conditions so please dress accordingly. Umbrella's are a good idea if wet weather seems likely.
- Due to the layout of The Rocks, some stairs are unavoidable at certain points along the way, but majority of the route follows flat terrain.
- Anyone requiring special assistance is kindly asked to make contact with your local operator in advance.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are advised that this tour may include the names and images of people who are now deceased.
- Your guide is a native English speaker who will communicate information clearly, ensuring you can hear every word
- Groups are kept small so that the platform for questions, discussion and interaction can be kept large
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers
Features
Tourism
90%
Cultural
75%
Sport
25%
Reviews
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Max is an excellent tour guide. A very interesting and informative walk. I loved the "back alleys' and the stories Max was able to tell us about Australian History. I liked the way he threw in a few questions too to keep us thinking. I have bad feet but I found there were enough stops to relax and listen, so I was able to manage this tour just fine. I hear Max has another tour up his sleeve. "Rum and Rascals". I can't wait to hear more from Max about Australia's past. Wish Max had been my history teacher!
An informative look into the city's history. Max was a great guide - informative and polite. Open to many questions and responded with clear answers. I highly recommend this tour.
The walking tour was educational, gave us a glimpse into the past of Sydney's discovery by the British, the life's of the convicts and historic buildings. Conducted at a good walking pace with many stops at places you would not find if exploring on your own. I would definitely recommend the tour to anyone wanting to learn more about the early history of The Rocks.
Max Burns took us on a walk back into the past on our small group tour of The Rocks... his knowledge of the history and his ability to communicate all of it to us in such and enjoyable manner made this tour a wonderful start to our vacation in Australia and NZ...Max made history come alive and we are so happy we were able to spend our first morning with him!!!
A truly insightful experience that engaged our small group from start to finish! Our guide was a natural storyteller with an extensive background in Australian history and architecture. We were struck by his ability to weave Aboriginal, convict, colonial and military history into a clear and entertaining narrative through the Rocks and Circular Quay over 2 hours. Would certainly recommend this tour to both visitors and locals! I learnt so much!