54 St James: Your guide to a great stay in Sydney
1. The basics
2. Best local: Your local services guide
3. Best local shopping
4. Local things to do
5. Best Shopping
6. Best Local Eats and Drinks
7. Best of Sydney
8. Places to Visit
About this guide:
This Guide is compiled by Bernie and Simon, your hosts at 54 St James.
It presents many of the things we love about our local area and the things we love to do in Sydney. These are our personal recommendations and favourites. No sponsorship is involved.
1. The BasicsTop
Security
Security is vital to the St James building and to your safety at all times. Please use the tag on the key set to access the building, but do not let anyone you do not know into the building. If you see anything that may breach security, please let the Building Manger, Paul Jones, in the office on the ground floor know. Please ensure the front door to the apartment is locked at both locks when you leave.
If you lose the keys or they are stolen, please ring the World Apartments contact number immediately.
Laundry
The laundry is on the roof, accessed from level 10 via the stairs at the western end of the corridor. There are coin operated washers and dryers and the cost is two one dollar coins for each load in each machine. The Laundry is open until 10pm.
Garbage
There is a garbage cupboard at the end north western of the corridor, one for each floor, for all your refuse and recycling (paper, bottles, cans and plastics). It is cleared daily and garbage is collected from the street level on a Monday and Thursday mornings. Please deposit garbage in the cupboard regularly.
TV and Foxtel
To turn on the TV, firstly turn on the power point. Use the Foxtel remote an press the Foxtel button. You can then use the Channel button (ch) to flick across all Foxtel channels.
To use free to air (ABC, channels 7, 9 and 10 and SBS) press the P button on the TV remote.
To switch back to Foxtel, press the source button. Use the source button also to switch to the DVD player.
An energy saving tip is to turn off the electricity associated with the TV/DVD at the wall each day when you leave, as stand by uses a lot of electricity.
2. Best Local : Your local services guide Top
These are the best places to get local services:
Getting Around
Buses
The 389 (City to North Bondi service) is at your door (stop on Stanley St) for travel to the City and Circular Quay ( all Ferries leave from here) going north, or Paddington/Woollahra, Bondi Junction and North Bondi going east.
From Oxford St, buses go to Paddington, Centennial Park, Bondi Junction, Bondi and all the city south beaches (Clovelly, Bronte, Coogee, Maroubra).
From Castlereagh St you can get buses to Newtown.
For buses to Leichardt, Glebe or Balmain, you need to walk to George St.
You can pre purchase bus tickets (single trip, Travel 10, Day Tripper) from the Stanley St Convenience Store or Taylor Square Newsagent on Oxford St.
Maps and timetables are available from www.131500.info/realtime/default.asp or ring the Transport Info Line on 131 500.
Trains
You are 10 minutes walk from Museum Station, 15 minutes from Town hall station and 25 minutes walk through the botanic gardens to Circular Quay station. Trains take you anywhere.
Maps and timetables from www.131500.info/realtime/default.asp or ring the Transport Info Line on 131 500.
Tram
There is a tram that goes from Central through Darling Harbour, Pyrmont, and then to Lilyfield in the inner west, but you need to walk to George St or Central. It is usually quicker to walk. The Monorail runs along Pitt St to Darling Harbour and the Casino but it is mostly a tourist thing: better to walk !
Car hire
All the hire companies have their Sydney offices on William St, just 2 minutes walk. The best weekly car hire is from Bayswater (180 William - 9360 3622) or for daily hire or specialty hire (sports, 4wd), use either Thrifty (75 William -1300 367 227) or Hertz (Cnr Riley and William – 13 30 39).
Car parking
The nearest (and cheapest) car park is in Riley St Car Park (between Stanley and William - 2 minutes walk) offers $12 a day (early bird) or $14 on weekends, or $400 a month for minimum 3 months (call 1300 727 483)
ATM and branches (branches in italics)
Westpac (Crown cnr Oxford, 150 William St, Town hall station, King and Castlereagh)
Commonwealth (83 Oxford, 38 Oxford, 1 Oxford, 395 Bourke up from Taylor Square, Liverpool and Castlereagh),
NAB (55 Oxford, 80 William St),
ANZ (81 Oxford, 205 Castlereagh),
Credit Union (Pelican St), are all close. All take Visa.
Dry Cleaning
Euro Star is good and close at 100 Oxford St (close to Palmer St)
GPs
Holdsworth House (1/32a Oxford St Darlinghurst),
407 Doctors (407 Bourke near Taylor Square) are good, and bulk bill.
Hospital Emergency
St Vincent’s Hospital (Victoria St, cnr Burton) is the best in the country probably.
Physiotherapy
Darlinghurst Physio 66 Oxford St is the best
Post Office:
The Darlinghurst Post Office is the closest at 1 Oxford St (cnr Wentworth Ave).
Hairdressor – Paul at Get haircreators at 187 Bourke St is good – 9332 1112 to book
Optometrist – George Skoufis at 38a Oxford St (9360 7487 to book an appointment) is the best in Sydney (probably in Australia) - for great service and a wonderful range of frames.
3. Best local shopping Top
Convenience Store
The Stanley St store is the best, cnr Stanley and Crown. Open from 7am.
Supermarket
Either Duffy’s on Oxford (cnr Riley) or Woolworths at St Margaret’s (Bourke St, along from Taylor Square). You can walk up to Kings Cross to get to a Coles (under the Coca Cola sign).
Patisserie and Breads
Sweet Infinity (53 Riley, near William) and Lumiere (St Margaret’s on 417 Bourke) are good, but get to Bourke St Bakery (25 minutes walk or by bike - 633 Bourke Surry Hills) because it is fantastic !
Bottle shops
Darlinghurst Cellars is the closest – on Liverpool St near Oxford. Vintage Cellars is probably the best, on Oxford St (cnr Riley) or Best Cellars at 91 Crown St (towards William St) for better wines. Most pubs sell take aways also.
Chemist
Priceline has a good range at good prices (start of Oxford St, near Wentworth Ave)
Newsagent
Taylor Square newsagent at 163 Oxford St is closest.
Flowers
Pearsons on Oxford (cnr Burton) is the best.
De Luca at 237 Victoria St is also good.
Hardware
Carroll’s is closest at 163 William (up from Bourke).
Nearest Bunnings is at Rose Bay or Mascot (www.bunnings.com.au)
4. Local things to do Top
Gym
Fitness First is at Oxford Square (cnr Oxford and Riley) and charges $18 for casual visits (or $180 for 11 visits).
City Gym is the closest (Crown St between Stanley and William) and charges $19.50 for casual visits or $80 establishment, and $43.95 per fortnight for a minimum 3 months.
Cinema
Palace on Oxford (two locations) is the best.
The Moonlight Cinema in Centennial Park for films under the stars, runs from December to March. Program available in apartment.
Swimming pool
Boy Charlton is the best, in the Domain (entry fee) although Cook and Phillip is the closest (cnr College and William).
Internet café
There are lots of corner stores and café’s with a few internet computers (including the Stanley St convenience store), but Everywhere Internet (cnr Castlereagh and Liverpool) is a good larger local alternative.
Pubs
There are no great pubs locally. The Lord Roberts (Stanley St) has the advantage of being close and with a nice enough mixed crowd (and pretty good pub food). The East Village (Stanley St) is for a better dressed crowd.
But walk a bit further to the Darlo Bar (Darlinghurst Rd, cnr Liverpool) or the Green Park (Victoria St, cnr Liverpool) because they are better. And the Beauchamp (267 Oxford St, cnr South Dowling) is also good with quite a good dinner menu.
For Gay pubs, try the Oxford (Taylor Sq), Midnight shift and the Columbian, all along Oxford St, they are mostly dives but very gay dives.
Bookshops
Ariel (42 Oxford, Paddington) or Berkelouw (19 Oxford, Paddington) are opposite each other and the best locals.
The Bookshop is the best local gay bookshop (207 Oxford, Darlinghurst)
Music shops
Best is Hum at Oxford Square (83 Oxford, cnr Riley). Also has DVDs.v
DVD hirev
Civic Video at 172 Riley St (just off Oxford) is the nearest.
5. Best shopping Top
Shopping Districts
Westfield Bondi Junction – is the best shopping centre in Sydney. They have a huge variety of stylish shops and a very good food hall. Take the 389 bus form your door to Bondi Junction. Try the food hall for lunch - it is remarkably good.
Oxford St Paddington – is a wonderful strip of shops, especially for fashion and beauty. Plenty of good café’s and food stores as well.
Do brunch or lunch at Love Supreme at 180 Oxford for great pizza, patisserie and paninis.
Queen Victoria Building – at George St (opposite the Town Hall) is magnificent, with lots of fashion and beauty stores. Have a light meal at one of the café’s in the centre promenade.
Also visit The Galleries Victoria on the opposite corner for more.
Pitt St Mall – has David Jones (King St) and Myer plus all the clothing chains and lots of specialty shops. Have coffee or lunch in the Strand Arcade (the only remaining Victorian era arcade in Sydney).
Shopping for Gifts
The best gift stores in Sydney are in the neighbourhood:
Boxx – at 49 Flinders St and Lanterne – at 330 Victoria St are fabulous.
And for very quirky gifts, try Mao and More (Chairman Mao era memorabilia plus) at 267 Cleveland St, Surry Hills.
6. Best local eats and drinks Top
Best local for quick breakfast
The Arch – basic fare in Stanley St
Peaberry – good coffee and eats in Yurong St, close to Burton
Lilliblack - (cnr Yurong and Liverpool) – a reasonable local.
Single Origin – Reservoir St for maybe the best coffee and eggs in town.
Only open week days.
Best local for weekend breakfast
Forbes and Burton – cnr Forbes and Burton is one of the best for breakfast
variety, good service and a stylish crowd.
Bills –443 Liverpool St (down the hill from Victoria St) for the best scrambled
eggs anywhere.
Zinc – 77 McLeay St Potts Point for a stylish setting and a definite place to be seen
Petit Crème – 118 Darlinghurst Rd for good French influence food. It’s slightly daggy, but very popular on weekends.
Fratelli Paradiso – 12 Challis Ave Potts Point, where the glamour crown and stars breakfast.
Uliveto – 33 Bayswater Rd Potts Point for a great breakfast, with a smart crowd.
Dov @ Delectica – 130 Victoria St Potts Point has a good menu for a local breakfast and lunch spot that draws a loyal crowd.
Lumiere – at St Margaret’s on 417 Bourke St if you want good coffee, good food and the relaxed gay ambiance only Sydney offers.
Best Local for brunch and lunch (and great coffee)
Kings lane Sandwich – Kings Lane off Palmer St for great salads, best sandwiches in Sydney and great coffee. A local must !
Tropicana –227 Victoria St potts point is a Sydney icon offering solid food at affordable prices.
Love supreme – at 180 Oxford St Paddington (opposite Victoria Barracks) is recommended for has a great salads, pizza, panini and pastries.
Pizza e Birra – great Pizza in a stylish setting at 500 Crown St, Surry Hills
Fratelli Fresh – Macleay St Potts Point (above Woolworths) . Great modern Italian. Good for Breakfast too.
Kawa – at 348 Crown St. Relaxed setting, good coffee and food.
Best Local for dinner
Phamish (Best Vietnamese) – cnr Liverpool and Boundary Sts for modern Vietnamese at great prices in café setting. No bookings, so phone ahead and put your name on the list.
Mint (Best Middle Eastern) – 579 Crown St Surry Hills for innovative flavoursome and memorable dishes
Spice I am (Best Thai) – 90 Wentworth Ave Surry Hills is the best Thai in Sydney, in café setting. Very busy so arrive early.
Mahjong Room (Best Modern Chinese) – 312 CrownSt Surry Hills for smart style, wonderful modern chinese, great service
Bar Reggio (Good basic Italian) - Crown St ( near Stanley) reliable Italian at modest prices. Very popular so expect to wait a while.
Eleni’s at the Civic Hotel (Best Greek) – for great greek food at value prices - at 388 Pitt (cnr Goulburn).
Almond Bar (Great Assyrian Tapas) – at 379 Liverpool has a good classic middle eastern menu, with great service and stylish attitude
Encasa (Best moderate priced Spanish Tapas) – at 423 Pitt St. Magic tapas at a great price.
Best Special Occasion
Universal – Republic courtyard, palmer St for superb food and service. Very special. Go just for the desserts.
A Tavola (Best Italian) – 348 Victoria St Darlinghurst is just devine. A shared table and great service for real Italian, headed for heaven.
Longrain – 85 Commonwealth St for great Thai Australian fusion and a great bar.
Billy Kwong – 355 Crown St Surry Hills for modern chinese from prominent chef Kylie Kwong.
Verde (Second best Italian) – the best upmarket Italian in Stanley St ( cnr Riley). Recommended.
Bodega (Best Spanish-inspired Tqpas) – 212 Commonwealth St Surry Hills. Great stylish tapas in a lush setting from chef, Elvis Abrahanowicz. Fabulous.
Best Fast Food and Take Away
There is not a lot of choice, if you want quality, but here goes:
Snakebean – at 95 Oxford St for maybe the best local Asian take out.
Bar Reggio – Crown St (near Stanley). The crowds here every night of the week can’t be wrong. This is good, solid Italian fare at great prices.
Maya Indian
Dimitri’s Pizzeria – 324 Crown St is a local institution for very fabulous pizza and plenty of Sydney attitude.
Best local Coffee
Single origin – 60 Reservoir St has coffee roasted on the premises from Fair Trade coffee. Probably the best coffee in Sydney. Say hi to the slightly mad owner Gavin. Highly recommended.
Bill and Toni’s – a Stanley St icon, if you like strong Italian coffee and is reputed to be a celebrity spotting venue.
Toby’s Estate –cnr Cathedral and Palmer Sts Woolloomooloo for great coffee roasted on site.
Bar Coluzzi and Latteria sit next to each other at 322 Vitoria St – old faithfuls, very popular.
Best Bread, Patisserie and Cakes
Bourke St Bakery it’s a 25 minutes walk or 10 minutes by bike to 633 Bourke Surry Hills) but it is fantastic! It is a must.
Sweet Infinity (53 Riley, near William) for a nice selection of breads and sweet things and good coffee.
Lumiere (St Margaret’s on 417 Bourke) is real good.
Christopher’s Cakes at 409 Bourke St – great creamy middle eastern and Greek
cakes.
Luneburger: fabulous German bakery on the lower ground level of the QVB (cnr George and Park St, opposite the Town Hall)
Max Brenna Chocolate – 437 Oxford St Paddington for everything chocolate as you’ve never seen it before – a must visit.
Swiss Bakerz – 101 Oxford St for wonderful patisserie things and coffee.
Best cheap and cheerful (lunch and dinner)
The Arch – on the south side of Stanley St for real Italian coffee and snacks
Una’s – 340 Victoria St for huge snitzels at good prices. A Sydney institution.
Maggie’s – shop 7 50 McLeay St Potts Point is like Una’s.
Bar Reggio – Crown St (close to Stanley) for good Stanley St Italian. It can be noisy, but it’s good.
Tropicana - 227 Victoria St Potts Point for reliable pasta, focaccia, salads and coffee at good prices.
The Balkan – 217 Oxford St for reliable tasty grills, eastern European style.
Best Bars
Will and Toby’s – in the Oxford hotel (Taylor Square)
Slide – 41 Oxford St
Mars Lounge – 16 Wentworth Ave
Jimmy Liks – at 186 Victoria St for the very smart set.
Hugo’s bar – 19 Bayswater Rd, for great cocktails and pizza.
Bungalow 8 at King St Wharf for great cocktails and a lounge feel with water views - great for Sunday afternoon with friends.
Water Bar - at the Blue Hotel at the Finger Wharf Woolloomooloo is way stylish.
Tilbury Hotel – 12 Nicholson St Woolloomooloo draws a stylish crowd. It has a variety of fine bar, great wine list and a great restaurant.
7. Best of Sydney Top
Best Museums and Galleries
Australian Centre for Photography – often has high quality, sometimes very challenging exhibitions. Located at 257 Oxford St Paddington, (20 minute walk)
Art Gallery of NSW – always reliably with a good permanent collection and terrific special event exhibitions. On Art Gallery Rd in the Domain ( 15 minute walk)
Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) – patchy but often brilliant contemporary art. Western edge of Circular Quay (catch the 389)
Museum of Sydney – for a good introduction to Sydney’s past. Cnr Phillip and Bridge St City (15 minute walk through the Botanic gardens) or by 389 bus. Open 9.30 – 5, $10 admission. Phone 9251 5988
Sydney Jewish Museum – 148 Darlinghurst Rd (10 minute walk) is very good, if challenging.
Best built environment tours
Opera House – guided tour of Sydney’s World heritage icon.
Harbour Bridge climb –bridge climb is a must, though it is a bit expensive (from $179).
Cockatoo Island - fascinating convict, ship building and naval history - 11/2 hour tours on Wed, Sat and Sun – Tour is $18. Ring 8969 2131 to pre book and get Ferry access information
Mint and Hyde Park barracks –adjoining Historical buildings from Sydney’s colonial history, at the Hyde Park end of Macquarie St. Open 9.30 – 5. Phone 8239 2311.
Government House – at the Opera house end of the Botanic Gardens. Open 10 – 4 with tours on the half hour.
Best Built environment (Contemporary)
Rose Seidler House – Modernist icon from the 1950’s, Harry Seidler’s first work in Australia. Sundays only 10 -5, Admission $8, Phone 9989 8020
Sydney Architecture Walks – Piano, Utzon, Harbourside buildings, Walsh Bay, Circular Quay, and others. Wed and Sat at 10.30 usually. Ring 8239 2211 for dates and times. Price $25.
Best walks for nature
Domain and Botanic Gardens – along Yurong St, through Cook and Phillip Park, through the Domain, along Art Gallery Rd, out to Mrs Macquarie’s chair, return along Domain sea wall, into the Botanic gardens.
Bondi to Bronte walk – bus to Bondi, take walk form the south end of the beach to Bronte. Return or take a bus to Taylor Square
Centennial Park – take a bus or walk (30 minutes) up Oxford St to the Park.
Sydney Park – take the train to St Peters station. Park is opposite the station.
Taronga to Balmoral – ferry to Taronga Zoo then follow the signs for the walk to balmoral. Bus back to the Ferry. Ring 8969 2100
Sydney Harbour Circle walk – the full walk is 26 kilometres around the harbour and over the 7 bridges. But there are good walks along part of the track, including a great one over the Harbour Bridge and through Lavender Bay. Walking map is in the information pack at the back of this guide.
Spit Bridge to Manly – bus to the Spit bridge then follow the signs along the harbour to Manly. Ferry back. Walking map is in the information pack at the back of this guide.
Best Galleries to buy Art and Crafts
Birrung Gallery - at 134 William St has a great range of contemporary Indigenous Art at good prices, owned by World Vision.
The Australian Art Print Network – at 68 Oxford St Darlinghurst (near Burton) has wonderful Indigenous prints at affordable prices. This is where the prints in the apartment come from.
Outre Gallery - at 13a Burton for contemporary prints etc at good prices.
Object Gallery – at 417 Bourke St in the St Margaret’s complex for very fine Australian crafts and design works.
8. Places to visit Top
Here are a few ideas for places to visit that are not on the general tourist map:
Cockatoo Island - Remarkable convict and maritime history. Join an historical tour on Saturday or Sunday for $25. Ring 8969 2131 to book. Catch the ferry from Circular Quay.
Taronga to Balmoral walking track - take the ferry (from circular quay) to Taronga and download a map of the walk on www.horbourtrust.gov.au . Have lunch at Awaba, Beaches or the Bathers Pavilion Café on the Esplanade, then take the bus back to the ferry stop.
Bicentenary Park - 100 hectare natural heritage site at Sydney Olympic Park includes wetlands, mangroves, a boardwalk and bird hides. Hire a bike at the visitor centre to get to everything ($12 an hour). Call 02 9714 7888 or sydneyolympicpark.com.au. Get there by train, bus or ferry.
Ferry to Parramatta and back: from Circular Quay, up the Harbour and along the Parramatta river. It takes 55 minutes one way and costs $7.70.
Sydney Park: take the train to St Peters. Sydney Park is fantastic. Have lunch at Café Acoustica at 641 King St (opposite the Park, near the station) or walk up King St to any of 100’s of eateries.
The Bay Run – very popular 7 kilometre harbour walk around the Iron Cove. Get any of the 500 series buses from the Queen Victorian building (George and Druitt) to the Iron cove bridge (19 minute trip).
Nutcote – May Gibbs’ (Snugglepot and Cuddlepie) home on the harbour for 40 years has been fully restored to 1930’s style. Open Wednesday to Sunday 11 – 3. Ring 9953 4453 for details. Catch the ferry (circular quay) to Hayes St wharf, Neutral Bay and follow signs.
Harbour City Walk: walk across the harbour bridge, around the harbour edge past Luna Park and around lavender Bay, then up stairs to visit Wendy Whitley’s fabulous garden built on railway land. Keep walking around the Circle walk and visit Balls Head. Take the train back from Waverton station.
Rose Seidler House – Modernist icon from the 1950’s, Harry Seidler’s first work in Australia. Sundays only 10 -5, Admission $8, Phone 9989 8020. Catch the train to Wahroonga station, then walk for 40 minutes.
See www.hht.net.au/museums/rose_seidler_house/how_to_get_there
Pyrmont Point Park – great restoration of public space on the harbour. Walk across the Pyrmont bridge at Darling harbour ( end of Market St) and turn left (Pirrama St) around the harbour to the point. Have lunch looking across the harbour at Jones Bay Wharf (several restaurants including the fabulous Flying Fish – 9518 6677) or keep walking around the point and lunch at the Sugaroom (end of Harris St – 9571 5055).