Where can I see a great sunset near Sydney, Australia?
August 19, 2014 6:43 PM Subscribe
In six months I'm travelling to Sydney, Australia to visit a friend and I thought it'd be a great idea to watch the sunset to act as a memory for us both. Where is a good place outside of the city for this?
Timeout is your friend here: Best places to watch the sunrise and sunset in Sydney.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:51 PM on August 19, 2014
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:51 PM on August 19, 2014
I'd like to flip this just a little bit and suggest watching the sunrise from the lighthouse at Byron Bay, New South Wales. It's (very arguably) the place in Australia that sees the sun rise first, and is a fantastic laid-back beach community with restaurants and boutiques to boot. The sun comes up over the ocean and it's really truly spectacular with the surf crashing down below you.
It's not that close to Sydney, unfortunately, but it's worth a visit if you and your friend have the time to do so.
posted by GamblingBlues at 7:07 PM on August 19, 2014
It's not that close to Sydney, unfortunately, but it's worth a visit if you and your friend have the time to do so.
posted by GamblingBlues at 7:07 PM on August 19, 2014
Hey bud, I don't know where you are based, but as an east coast city, sunRise is easier to get spectacular without lots of travel. Otherwise, the sun here just kinda dips behind the blue mountains on the western horizon, and you are highly dependent on cloud formations for spectacularation (it does happen, but it's random). Sunrise, by way of contrast, is awesome with tonnes of spots all over and around the city.
If you want a great sunset, I recommend heading west in the blue mountains to see it fall across the ranges, OR, find a spot around the harbour in a west-ish direction - anywhere from Drummoyne to Homebush Bay/Rhodes, and watch as it sinks over the Parramatta river, turning the water to rose gold, bronze, copper and then an inky purple. I see it every afternoon I'm training back home from the city as the train goes over the bridge at Rhodes, and it's gorgeous.
posted by smoke at 8:43 PM on August 19, 2014
If you want a great sunset, I recommend heading west in the blue mountains to see it fall across the ranges, OR, find a spot around the harbour in a west-ish direction - anywhere from Drummoyne to Homebush Bay/Rhodes, and watch as it sinks over the Parramatta river, turning the water to rose gold, bronze, copper and then an inky purple. I see it every afternoon I'm training back home from the city as the train goes over the bridge at Rhodes, and it's gorgeous.
posted by smoke at 8:43 PM on August 19, 2014
Does it have to be outside the city? (Does northside count?) Because one of the best places is Kirribilli - probably Beulah St Wharf.
Sydney is on the east coast, and the sun sets in the west - ie, behind the Blue Mountains - not over the water. However, there are bits of the coast where you can stand on spits and points and look back at the mainland or across the harbour that make it look like it's setting in the water.
From Kirribilli, you're looking across the water to the west - straight through the Harbour Bridge. And you see stuff a bit like this.
Bradleys Head Amphitheatre is further away but maybe even more spectacular - the Bridge is smaller, but you can see the city and the Opera House as well.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 8:44 PM on August 19, 2014
Sydney is on the east coast, and the sun sets in the west - ie, behind the Blue Mountains - not over the water. However, there are bits of the coast where you can stand on spits and points and look back at the mainland or across the harbour that make it look like it's setting in the water.
From Kirribilli, you're looking across the water to the west - straight through the Harbour Bridge. And you see stuff a bit like this.
Bradleys Head Amphitheatre is further away but maybe even more spectacular - the Bridge is smaller, but you can see the city and the Opera House as well.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 8:44 PM on August 19, 2014
Building off that, altitude bar and restaurant at the top of the shangri la hotel in the the rocks is also pretty good.
posted by smoke at 8:48 PM on August 19, 2014
posted by smoke at 8:48 PM on August 19, 2014
As others have said, east-facing city makes this tricky.
Maybe the Blue Mountains.
Or just the Opera House, looking west to the Harbour Bridge?
posted by dontjumplarry at 12:31 AM on August 20, 2014
Maybe the Blue Mountains.
Or just the Opera House, looking west to the Harbour Bridge?
posted by dontjumplarry at 12:31 AM on August 20, 2014
Or just the Opera House, looking west to the Harbour Bridge?
The Opera Bar has the best view in town.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 12:38 AM on August 20, 2014
The Opera Bar has the best view in town.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 12:38 AM on August 20, 2014
Seconding the opera bar! Or sydney tower eye, although i know where i'd rather be (opera bar!)
As said above, sydney is east facing…. so an ocean view sunrise might be more memorable.
posted by Under the Sea at 2:55 AM on August 20, 2014
As said above, sydney is east facing…. so an ocean view sunrise might be more memorable.
posted by Under the Sea at 2:55 AM on August 20, 2014
I can confirm that the Parramatta River Ferry, as suggested by TimeOut, is indeed a good place to watch the sunset.
posted by snorkmaiden at 7:02 AM on August 20, 2014
posted by snorkmaiden at 7:02 AM on August 20, 2014
Nobody mentioned the bridge climb! I believe that they do one at dawn.
posted by GeeEmm at 3:54 PM on August 20, 2014
posted by GeeEmm at 3:54 PM on August 20, 2014
Response by poster: The reason I was seeking outside of the city was to have that whole "get away from the city" feel. I'm a person who likes to get the right feel in anything I do, and when I think watching the sunset with a friend I don't exactly see a cityscape, either in front or behind me, as something that feels right. But that's me.
I currently live in the middle of a slab of land so I'm not exactly used to east or west coast. Dawn can work too, but only if we're up all night and then decide to go see it. I wouldn't want to wake my friend and make them drive all the way out to who knows where to see dawn, though. This is why I settled on sunset.
Thanks for the link, Red Thoughts. I'll be keeping it on hand!
posted by hytrack at 8:20 PM on September 5, 2014
I currently live in the middle of a slab of land so I'm not exactly used to east or west coast. Dawn can work too, but only if we're up all night and then decide to go see it. I wouldn't want to wake my friend and make them drive all the way out to who knows where to see dawn, though. This is why I settled on sunset.
Thanks for the link, Red Thoughts. I'll be keeping it on hand!
posted by hytrack at 8:20 PM on September 5, 2014
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posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:50 PM on August 19, 2014