Sydney Live Cam

Cafe Sydney is a casual, all-day restaurant and bar perched on the rooftop of Sydney's historic Customs House. A sheer glass wall is all that stands between the diner and stunning views of Sydney Harbour, from the Opera House to the Harbour Bridge and beyond. Cafe Sydney is not an expensive, formal, "special occasion" restaurant. Instead it is a relaxed, lively venue featuring the best of Australian and international design, material, food and wine.

Although very close to the heart of the city, North Sydney has a surprising amount of land dedicated to open space and recreation.

In part this is due to the hilly terrain which preserved inaccessible pockets of land from early development. However, it is also due in part to far-sighted planning decisions by earlier generations of civic-minded individuals.

Apart from the more traditional run of parks, playgrounds and sporting fields, a matter of particular local pride has been the preservation of remnant areas of native bushland along the harbour foreshore.

Another new initiative extending the concept of community ownership of green open space is the recently launched Streets Alive project which involves community members in the care of roadside gardens.

Some Good Points - Clark Palm TreeNorth Sydney has some of the most beautiful parks and gardens in Sydney, the best known of which are located on the series of 'points' that jut into the harbour from the North Sydney side.

Each has its own special character - the Federation charm of the Cremorne Point Foreshore Walk, the picture postcard views of the city from Kurraba Point and Blues Point, the tranquil bushland walks on Balls Head Reserve and Berry Island, and the unique urban character of Bradfield Park located directly under the Harbour Bridge and looking out at the Opera House and city skyline.

Recreation Facilities - Apart from these harbourfront playgrounds which are perfect for picnics and relaxing walks, North Sydney Council also maintains a large number of parks with well-developed recreational facilities such as children's playgrounds, sporting fields or community centres.

These include major parks such as St Leonard's Park north of the CBD, Civic Centre Park between Stanton Library and Council Chambers, Waverton Park on Berry's Bay, Brennan Park above the railway line in Wollstonecraft, Primrose Park and Tunks Park in Cammeray near Middle Harbour and Forsyth Park in Neutral Bay.

Hidden Gems - But for many people, the real gems are the small tucked away parks that are known mainly to those who live nearby. Take for instance the Charlie Watts Park at Lavender Bay, which is wedged between a steep cliff and a railway line. This small park is a whole world to itself. It has a wonderful array of ancient jacarandas and unusual pines and a maritime-themed children's playground. A magical exit through a railway tunnel takes you to Lavender Bay and a foreshore walk that extends all the way around to Luna Park and Kirribilli. It is a wonderful place for a family picnic, and because it is so discreetly located, chances are that you will have it all to yourself.

Berry BayThen there is the very private and secluded feel of the Lady Gowrie Lookout - a small piece of land directly behind the Prime Minister's residence at Kirribilli. The seats on each of the tiny landscaped terraces that wind their way down to the harbour's edge have a wonderful view across the harbour to Kurraba Point.

Over on the western side of McMahons Point the much more extensive Sawmillers Reserve also leads down through a series of secluded terraces to a unique waterfront view. This time, however, the view of the harbour across Berry's Bay has a strong maritime flavour with an old shipwreck just metres offshore and an unusual array of ferries and other vessels moored around the Bay.

Milsons PointSt Thomas' Rest Park in Crows Nest is also very evocative of the past. It is an unusual park because it is a former cemetery and its main features are the clusters of historic headstones from some of North Sydney's earliest families including the Milsons, Berrys and Wollstonecrafts. In spite of it's location above the Warringah Expressway this park is a very tranqil spot.

Special mention also must be made of Milson Park which in October each year is bordered by a breathtaking double row of mature jacarandas in full bloom.

A Fine Heritage - The existing parks and gardens of North Sydney are the result of a struggle over the past 120 years to preserve and extend areas of open space for public use. For example, in the late 19th century it was only sustained public outcry from concerned local residents that prevented Cremorne Point from being developed as a coal mine! This fine tradition continues with the recent release of a Masterplan to bring former industrial land on the Waverton Peninsula back into the public domain. We will soon see another addition to North Sydney's extraordinary collection of fine public spaces.

Urban consolidation and increased traffic have deprived younger children of many of the safe playing areas enjoyed by previous generations who grew up in a less hurried age. Playgrounds and parks play an important role as a communal back yard in inner city areas such as North Sydney.

In recognition of the importance of playgrounds Council developed a Playgrounds Management Plan in 1995 which resulted in a five year capital works program to replace and upgrade many of the 31 playgrounds scattered throughout the area.

As we near the end of this development phase the results are apparent, with a wide range of innovative play equipment complimenting the more traditional range of swing sets and climbing equipment. The 'giant' slide and maritime theming of the Charlie Watts playground, the startling wooden constructions and climbing frames at Berry Isle, or the Tarzan's Swing in Green Park all provide a memorable play experience.