Milsons Point to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair Loop
Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Garden & City Icons
View of The Harbour Bridge from Kirribilli
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Summary
A classic harbour loop linking Milsons Point, the Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, Circular Quay, the Opera House and the Royal Botanic Garden before returning via the Cahill Walkway.
Distance: 10 km
Time: 2–4 hours
Steps: 14,000
Level of difficulty: Easy -
Sydney Harbour Bridge walk
The Rocks historic precinct
MCA & Circular Quay
Sydney Opera House forecourt
Royal Botanic Garden waterfront paths
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair & Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool
Art Gallery of NSW & Sydney Modern
The Calyx & Botanic Garden cafes
Cahill Walkway harbour views
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Easily accessed by train to Milsons Point Station (T1 North Shore Line)
Very exposed to sun and wind across bridge and foreshore
Busy tourist areas — allow extra time on weekends
Mrs Macquarie’s Point access occasionally closed for events
Multiple toilets, water and food options along route
Suitable year-round
This easy harbour loop links many of Sydney’s best-known landmarks in a single walk — the Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, Circular Quay, the Opera House and the Royal Botanic Garden — before returning via the Cahill Walkway.
There is a lot to see along the way: historic precincts, galleries and gardens, and plenty of places to stop for food, coffee or simply to take in the harbour views. While the walk can be completed in a couple of hours you’ll get a lot more out of it if you take your time.
MILSONS POINT TO MRS MACQUARIES CHAIR
Distance 10 km Steps 14000
Time 2-4 hours Level of Difficulty Easy
WALKING THE TRAIL
Milsons Point to The Rocks (via Harbour Bridge)
The walk begins at the steps of the Harbour Bridge, just a few steps from Milsons Point Station.
Climb the stairs and follow the crowd to cross one of the most beautiful harbours in the world. Below you are ferries, yachts, and the glistening sails of the Sydney Opera House. Above you soars the world’s largest steel arch bridge, totalling 1,149 metres and comprised of over 550,000 tonnes of steel.
The bridge is nicknamed ‘The Coathanger’, for obvious reasons. It first opened in 1932 after eight years in the making. Its height makes it visible in many far-flung parts of Sydney and it acts as the main stage New Year’s Eve fireworks each year.
Look up at the top and you’re sure to see groups of overall-clad figures walking along the upper-most arch. Since 1998, Bridge Climb Sydney has been escorting people over the arch of the bridge. To date, more than four million people have done the climb. If you’ve yet to try it, I recommend you give it a go. I loved the whole experience and I’m scared of heights! The views can’t be beaten and you feel like you’re on top of the world.
At the southern end, the path curves left to steps down to Cumberland Street. Cross Cumberland Street and take the Argyle Steps down into The Rocks.
The Rocks to Circular Quay
Tallawoladah (The Rocks) retains many traces of Sydney’s colonial history and is home to some of its oldest buildings. Many of these buildings now house cafés, galleries and small shops. The Rocks Markets operates from Friday to Sunday offering local food and fashion, handcrafted jewellery, and objects by independent artists and artisans.
The Visitors Centre on Argyle St is a good place to visit if you want to learn more about the area, or drop into the Rocks Discovery Museum in Kendall Lane. The Rocks Walking Tours company offers tours daily.
At the edge of The Rocks, at the harbour end of Argyle St sits Sydney's premiere contemporary art gallery, the MCA. If you have the time, it’s worth a look.
The Rocks and Rocks markets as viewed from the bridge
Turn right here at the MCA and follow the path around to the Circular Quay ferry wharves. Above you is the train station and the Cahill Expressway which you’ll walk along on the way back.
Circular Quay has many moods. On rainy days everything looks grey; the wind whips umbrellas around and commuters bang into each other rushing for ferries. But on sunny days, the harbour glistens and the quay has a real holiday vibe. Circular Quay is a tourist gateway taking travellers to places like Taronga Zoo, Manly Beach and Rose Bay on board the iconic Sydney ferries.
From the ferry wharves, follow the curve of the Quay around to the Opera House.
Opera House to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair
The Opera House sits on Bennelong Point on the Eastern side of the Quay. Its unique shape and distinctive design make it one of the world’s most recognised buildings and one of Sydney’s most visited tourist destinations.
If you want to experience the House in action check out what’s on at the Box Office or book a place on one of the themed guided tours that take place daily.
Take time to wander the forecourt and skirt around the perimeter of the House before entering the Royal Botanic Garden via the Queen Elizabeth II Gate.
The foreshore path skirts the garden edge toward Mrs Macquarie’s Point, passing magnificent Moreton Bay figs and open lawns with sweeping harbour views.
You could easily spend a whole day in these gardens, there is so much to see. For now though you’re just going to skirt the edge, enjoying the fabulous views and scenery enjoying the harbour views — you can explore the gardens more fully on the return.
Continue along the foreshore path to Mrs Macquarie’s Point. Access occasionally closes for events at Mrs Macquarie’s Point. If this is the case, exit via Victoria Lodge Gate and follow the upper path back down to the point.
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair itself is a simple sandstone seat carved by convicts for Elizabeth Macquarie, wife of Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821. She is said to have sat here watching for ships arriving from Great Britain. The setting — shaded trees and views across Farm Cove to the bridge and Opera House — is one of Sydney’s most photographed.
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair to the Art Gallery of NSW
Continuing around the peninsula, the path looks across to Garden Island, home to the Royal Australian Navy. Further on is Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool, named for the Australian swimmer who won five Olympic medals in the 1920s. The pool is open daily through the warmer months (September- April).
Mrs Macquaries Road will lead you up past the wharves of Woolloomooloo and on to the steps of The Art Gallery of NSW.
The gallery is free to enter and a pleasure to wander through.
Some very recognisable works adorn the walls on four levels. Australian art, early and modern features widely and includes an impressive collection of Aboriginal Art in its many forms. The gallery also has a large stock of European, Asian and Pacific art as well as an ever growing contemporary collection.
Each year the Art Gallery of NSW hosts the Archibald Prize, a popular portraiture competition which revels in controversy. Other popular draw-cards are the Wynne and Sulman prizes, held at the same time as the Archibald, and the Biennale brings a contemporary cutting-edge every two years.
A recent addition to the gallery is the Northern Building which hosts Sydney Modern. This fresh new space features site-specific art commissions and acquisitions by major Australian and international artists. Well worth a visit.
Directly across the road from the gallery is the Woolloomooloo Gate through which you’ll return to the Royal Botanic Garden.
The Botanic Gardens to Milsons Point
The gardens are huge, 30 hectares all told with winding paths, lawns and trees and plants from across the globe. For a rest stop, follow the main path past the Palm House and fountain, then left at Macquarie Wall toward the Botanic House restaurant and Farm Cove Eatery café beside the lotus pond.
Nearby is the Calyx, an indoor exhibition space with a vast vertical garden and rotating themed displays. To get to the Calyx, follow the signs back up past the Garden Shop and toilets.
To complete the walk’s loop and return to Milsons Point, head through the gardens toward Government House.
Along the way you’ll pass the fragrant Rose Garden and the Conservatorium of Music, then exit via the Northern Depot Gate just beyond Government House.
Walking up the Tarpeian Lawn adjacent to Macquarie Street, you’ll notice a scattering of sandstone blocks embedded into the earth. This seemingly random collection is actually an artwork called Memory is Creation Without End, by Kimio Tsuchiya. It is made up of remnants from demolished buildings and structures such as the Pyrmont Bridge. Each piece of stone, darkened with age, testifies to their lost function and to the loss of those old buildings in the city’s collective memory.
Continuing up the hill, you’ll feel and hear the roar of traffic as you reach the Cahill Expressway.
This much-maligned, and let’s face it, ugly piece of infrastructure, nonetheless offers some fabulous views over the harbour and an easy way to get back to the Harbour Bridge.
The Cahill joins the bridge at the Rocks steps then it’s a pleasant twenty minute stroll across the base of The Coathanger and back to Milsons Point.
