1. Sailor's Home
106 George Street
The Rocks was originally known as a brothels district and this building was set up to provide board and lodgings for sailors, rather than have them go to the brothels. Interestingly, the building was host to sailors until the 1970s.
2. Coroners Court
(1907)
104 George Street
This is the old Coroners Court, which once incorporated the city morgue. The morgue was below the court on Circular Quay West.
3. Mariners Church
(1856-1859)
100 George Street
The neoclassical Mariners Church, a sandstone building, is historically significant because it was the first construction site in Sydney to allow stone masons to reduce their working day from 12 to 8 hours.
4. ASN Co Building
(1884)
1 Hickson Road
The Australasian Steam Navigation Co Building, with its distinctive Flemish gables and bell tower, has long been regarded as a significant Sydney landmark.
5. Campbells Storehouses
(1839-1890)
Circular Quay West
A private wharf with gabled storehouses and sandstone bays built to house tea, sugar, cloth and liquor imported from the Far Fast.
![]() |
(1923-1932)
For many years the largest single arch bridge in the world, the Sydney Harbour Bridge spans 503 metres and took seven years to build. Up until the Sydney Opera House was built, the bridge was the landmark associated with Sydney. There is a walkway across the bridge and a lookout at the top of one of the pylons, which, for a small admittance, offers some of the best views possible of Sydney Harbour and Circular Quay.
7. Dawes Point Battery
Constructed to protect Sydney Cove from invasion, it was the first fortified position in New South Wales.
8. Earth Exchange (1902-1909)
77 George Street
Now a geological and mining museum but the first two storeys were in fact built as a power station, in 1902. Strangely, by the time it was built, technological advances had made it redundant. The chimney has never been used.
9. Mercantile Hotel
(1914-1915)
25 George Street
Rare Art Noveau tiles on the outside of the building mark this historic hotel, which was named after the Mercantile Rowing Club.
10. Bunkers Hill
This hill was a desirable residential area in the 1820s, where the wealthy built their homes to overlook the harbour. It was named after Ebenezer Bunker, captain of the first whaling expedition from Sydney Cove.
![]() |
11. Foundation Park
This park contains the remnants of houses constructed on the cliff face in the 1870s.
12. The Australian Hotel
(1914)
Hotel with interesting features, including a slit-level bar, etched signage and pressed metal ceilings.
13. Susannah Place 58-64 Gloucester Street
14. Jobbins Building
(1850s)
103-111 Gloucester Street
15. 28-30 Harrington Street
(mid 1820s)
These cottages are probably the earliest remaining buildings in The Rocks.
16. The Argyle Cut
One of Sydney's greatest engineering feats, the Argyle Cut involved slicing through the sandstone ridge of The Rocks to connect Darling Harbour and Millers Point with Sydney Cove.
17. Argyle Stores
Warehouses built in the 1800s and early 1900s.
18. Argyle Terraces
(1875-1877)
15-31 Playfair Street
Worker's dwellings. In the 1880s they were known as Tara Terrace.
19. Atherden Street
(1880-1881)
Sydney's shortest street.
20. The Merchant's House
(1848)
43 George Street
The only remaining Georgian townhouse of its kind in The Rocks district that exhibits many aspects of the Greek Revival style.
21. Samson's Cottage
(1844)
Kendall Lane
An early cottage, partially demolished in the 1920s, which was built for William Samson, a stevedore.
![]() |
Unwin Courtyard |
22. The Coachhouse
(1853-1854)
2-6 Kebdall Lane
A three-storey sandstone construction built as a storehouse and stables.
23. Unwins' Stores
(1843-1846)
Stores built by merchant Frederick Unwick.
24. Michael Gannon's House
(c 1838)
45-47 Argyle Street
![]() |
Greenway Lane |
A house built around 1838, which featured a workshop at the rear from which Michael Unwin carried out his carpentry, joinery and coffin-making business.
25. Greenway Lane
Named after Francis Greenway, a prominent colonial architect.
26. Well Courtyard
Situated at the rear of Reynold's Cottage, this coutyard once contained a well and bakehouse.
27. Suez Canal
A lane created in the 1840s that was reputed to be the haunt of a notorious gang called The Rocks Push, during the late 19th century. It didn't acquire the name Suez Canal until around the turn of the century.
28. Former ES &A Bank
131-135 George Street
Gothic Revival building featuring sandstone mouldings, leadlight windows and elaborate wrought-iron gates.
137 George Street
A hotel claiming to hold the longest continuous liquor licence in Sydney. Present building dates from 1922 but an earlier hotel of the same name was known to be operating on the site by 1828.
![]() |
Cadman's Cottage |
30. Orient Hotel
(1843-1844)
87 George Street
Operated as a public house since 1851 and originally known as the Marine Hotel.
31. Cadman's Cottage (1816)
One of the oldest surviving buildings in Australia, it was built as a barracks to accommodate the coxswain and crew of the Governor's boats.
No comments:
Post a Comment