Sydney: The Rocks

'The Rocks' is the oldest area of European settlement in Australia.

Located on the shore of Darling Harbour, it is a short walk from the Opera House and very close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

This historic suburb of Sydney provides insight into the early colony days of Australia, and is written about in "Playing Beatie Bow," written in 1980 by Ruth Park.

Built by British convicts and the first settlers, The Rocks displays iconic cobble stone walk ways and most of the buildings use the locally sourced sandstone. 

The area has been restored and is maintained to preserve the part of Australia's history it encaptures. Currently, the Rocks is a hub of modern culture with fine dining, art galleries, boutique shops and accommodation.

The Rocks Discovery Museum, on Kendall Lane, is open daily and features more than 200 years of local history.

Australian artists, Ken Done & Ken Duncan, and Charles Billich all have galleries in the Rocks.

To travel to The Rocks, catch the train to Circular Quay, and head towards George St.  

Image courtesy of nospuds (Creative Commons License), Flickr.