Walking Tours

Sydney City Centre Self-Guided Audio Walk: Martin Place, GPO, Strand Arcade, QVB and Town Hall

Walk Sydney's Victorian heart, from the top of Martin Place down to the Town Hall and St Andrew's Cathedral.
See the Cenotaph, the General Post Office, Angel Place's birdcages, the Strand Arcade, the State Theatre and the QVB.
Follow a city that came close to losing some of its finest buildings: a tower taken down in the war, a market hall almost demolished.
Stand under Angel Place's empty birdcages and hear the songs of birds that once lived in central Sydney.
10 stops over 1.5 km, about 75 minutes, with English audio you start whenever you like.

Self-guided audio tour in English: 10 stops, 1.5 km, 75 minutes
Stops at Cenotaph, General Post Office, Angel Place's birdcages
GPS map and walking directions in your phone browser, no app needed
Lifetime access: start any day, at any hour, and replay it

A live guide: you set the pace and the pauses
A fixed start time: begin whenever you arrive
Museum and monument tickets, all optional extras

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

In the 1800s colonial Sydney built a post office like a palace, a market hall with a copper dome and a town hall with a clock tower. The twentieth century came close to losing some of them: the post office tower came down in 1942, and in 1959 a Lord Mayor proposed demolishing the market hall for a square and car park. Start at the top of Martin Place, past a bank that failed in the Depression and the memorial to the 2014 siege, under Angel Place's singing birdcages, to the Cenotaph and the General Post Office. Continue to the 1892 Strand Arcade, the 1929 State Theatre, the Queen Victoria Building, Sydney Town Hall on the colony's first permanent cemetery, and St Andrew's Cathedral. Ten stops, about 1.5 km and 75 minutes, at your own pace, in English. Nearly level, one short flight of steps, eight signalled crossings. Every stop is outside and free; interiors are optional.

What to bring

Phone and data: Bring a charged phone and earphones; mobile data helps with GPS and audio playback.

Offline prep: If you lack mobile data, open the tour on Wi-Fi before you set off.

Sun protection: Carry water and a hat in summer, as the top of Martin Place can be in full sun at midday.

Accessibility

Terrain: The route is nearly level and gently downhill along Martin Place for most of the walk.

Steps and ramp: There is one short flight of terrace steps between stops 1 and 2, with a ramp at the south end as an alternative.

Additional information

Tour format: This is a self-guided audio walk, so there is no live guide and you set your own pace.

Start point: Begin at the top of Martin Place by Macquarie Street, above Martin Place station.

Access from Circular Quay: Walking from Circular Quay takes about 10 minutes up Phillip or Macquarie Street.

Best time to go: You can walk any day and at any hour since all stops are outdoors.

Indoor visits: To go inside, visit the Strand Arcade and QVB only during their posted opening hours.

St Andrew's hours: Visit St Andrew's on a weekday from 10:00, entering quietly as it is an active cathedral.

Memorial etiquette: Keep your voice low at Reflection (stop 3) and the Cenotaph (stop 5), as they are memorials.

Anzac and Remembrance Days: Expect large crowds and services at the Cenotaph on 25 April and 11 November.

Christmas season: Expect evening crowds around Martin Place when the City of Sydney's Christmas tree and light show are on.

Road crossings: You will cross eight signalised roads including Phillip, Elizabeth, Castlereagh, Pitt, King, Market, Park, and George Streets.

Light rail caution: The light rail on George Street is almost silent, so cross only at the signalled crossing by Town Hall.

Angel Place lane: Angel Place (stop 4) is a narrow shared lane, so keep to the side for passing vehicles.

GPS accuracy: GPS can drift near tall buildings, so at Angel Place look for the birdcages, and on George Street look for the domes.

Tour access: You can start any day at any hour and replay the audio as often as you like with lifetime access.

Please check your final voucher for the redemption details and specific instructions.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

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