The entire stretch of north Sydney has some of most spectacular sights and is dotted with beautiful and quaint suburbs like the Kiribilli, the Milson’s Point and the McMahon’s Point. Each of these sites is famous for their very unique village-type atmosphere and all provide a beautiful panoramic view across the harbour to Sydney city. Milson’s Point is a fantastic vantage point that overlooks the Harbour Bridge, and is named after an early Sydney settler named James Milson who was gifted the barren land for development, and who later returned most of it to the government for maintaining it as a denoted reserve. Today, Milson’s Point can boast of a Railway Station, besides the smattering of residential and commercial areas. If time permits, do browse though the quaint commercial area complete with numerous shops and restaurants. And do remember that the actual vantage points are devoid of any construction, commercial or residential. This also means that there is hardly any covered area.

Many tourists, with paucity of time and the urge to see it all in one go, do make a trip to the Darling Street Wharf at Balmain East with a quick stop-over at the Milson’s Point and then down to the McMahon’s Point. That is to cover three stops at one go. We would recommend that to really absorb the country-side and soak in the scenic views in your eyes and in the camera, do just two points at a time. From a plan perspective, some take a ferry ride to the McMahon’s Point Ferry Wharf; explore the lovely McMahons Point as well as the quaint little suburb whose commercial center is dotted with boutiques and cafes, and then move on to the Milson’s Point. Some even start their excursion with a train ride to Milson’s Point. Our point in mentioning these options is that if one does plan to cover the two points on a day, which is very much possible, it is recommended to make the trip one way by train and return by ferry, or vice-versa as per the tour agenda.

If one plans to drive down, the road is wonderful and lined with scenic beauty throughout the trip. Parking is not a problem in either place as there is ample parking space. It is recommended that one take the road called Olympic Drive straight to Milson’s Point and on return stop at McMahon’s Point. Both Milson’s Point and McMahon’s Point are open 24 hours and on all days, and the ideal time spend is about an hour or two at each point. There are no fees levied at either point for any of the available facilities. The excursion is ideal for all age groups in a family or group outing, as well as for couples and even solo travelers. As always, we are duty bound to remind you to be attired in comfortable clothes depending on the time of day and the season. The entire trip is in an open area that offers negligible cover, so a cap and shades would be handy. Most important, you certainly should not be moving to these breathtaking scenic sites without a camera.

Dee Why is a suburban area north of Sydney which is famous for its unpoilt beaches and scenic beauty. A lot of speculation exists about the name of this beautiful place, but no one knows why it is so strangely named. The earliest record of this name is a penciled note in surveyor James Meehan’s field book where he marked the place with the alphabets DY. There is another school of thought that feels that DY is a name that came from the local aboriginal language. In common parlance the place began to be referred to as DY which slowly evolved into two words Dee Why by 1950.

The beautiful Dee Why Beach is a long stretch of little over a kilometer overlooking the Tasmanian Sea. It is a favorite destination for surfers, body boarders and explorers. If you have had your fill of the beach, you can explore the area further. Cast your eyes northwards and you will see the majestic dunes that separate the beach from the Dee Why Lagoon. Towards the south is the lovely Dee Why Reserve, which is a popular picnic spot around ancient pines. The reserve is worth a visit. It has well beautifully located picnic areas, well maintained paths, platforms, a promenade area and even a war memorial that has been restored recently.

In keeping with the sporty and out-door ethos of Sydneysiders, there are two playgrounds near by. It is the headquarters of Australia’s Oldest Surfboard Riders Club, Dee Why Surfing Fraternity. It even has the Long Reef Golf Course which is very beautiful.

Nature lovers will really enjoy The Dee Why Lagoon which is a well recognized wild life refuge spread over about 77 hectares. It is a bush land that is swampy and home to local bird life and also migratory birds. Bird watchers can spend many hours watching these lovely and colorful feathered creatures, many of them rare and exquisite. Not so long ago there were many black swans to feast your eyes on. Though they are not so plentiful now, there still are many to admire.

All this scenic beauty is situated conveniently. You can easily board a bus that goes to the northern beaches; all of them stop at Dee Why Main. Since it is very close to Pittwater road, you could drive down for a wonderful day at the beach. It can be crowded on weekends as many people love spending their weekends sunbathing or surfing. On week days the beach is not so crowded and you can easily find a secluded spot and enjoy a relaxing day.

Dee Why is home to Warringah Mall, Australia’s largest indoor and outdoor shopping centre. It also has many cheap eateries serving seafood. You could find a meal that suits any budget, from the very economical to the exclusive gourmet style food.

If you are in Sydney, you should visit the beautiful Dee Why beach and lagoon which is very close to Sydney and experience the scenic splendor.

The very name ‘Balls Head Reserve’ does invite a snide snicker, but all that fades into a shade when one actually visits the area. This is one more of the famous ‘green belt’ areas of Sydney smack in the midst of a total concrete jungle and most of them are naturally located in the proximity of the harbour foreshore, thus providing a scenic splendour.

But as compared to the other ‘reserve’ spots, there is something quite different about the Balls Head Reserve, and we do mean from not just geographical, but also a historical point of view. If you care to walk a little, do hike through some inland paths with ledges and you will get to see some fairly discernible and very ancient Aborginal rock paintings, including a few odd carvings. It’s these that make this site straight out of History, giving some insight to the original aborginal settlers of Australia, which would be way before the first white man made his landing on this continent country.

The most obvious reason that draws people here is the unparallel scenic beauty of the place. The Balls Head Reserve can actually boast of the of the spectacular waterline reserve, being practically based right near the water overlooking the Harbour Bridge. This is one place of visit where your eyes will feel feasted, and the clicks of your camera may be questioned for their authencity. The absolutely enchanting panoramic sweep cuts across North Sydney to the Darling Harbour, and then from Anzac Bridge on to the Balmain and Rozelle. In between, one just cannot miss the sprawling landmark; the lotus shaped Sydney Opera House.

The most convenient transport modes to get to the Balls Head Reserve are a car, though we would recommend a train ride to the Waverton Train Station from where it is barely a ten minute walk. For more precise directions, once outside Waverton Station, one needs to walk left towards the Bay Road and then turn right just before the Harbour.

Besides the inland paths that help stretch the legs for a real worthwhile walk, and the scenic splendour that soothes the eyes, the Balls Head Reserve is actually a beautiful picnic spot with BBQ facility. This is one reserve that deserves a day spend with family or friends. And remember, the camera is always part of your attire. After all, this is amongst the locales that project Sydney on various colored brochures.