Hickson Rd, Sydney, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

Hickson Road is the waterfront street along the western edge of The Rocks in Sydney, passing beneath the approaches to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It follows the line of the old working shoreline, and today it is a useful walking link between Circular Quay, Dawes Point and Walsh Bay.

The story behind it

The Rocks was one of the first parts of Sydney to be settled, and for much of the 19th century it was a crowded, rough district of sailors, dockworkers, taverns and narrow lanes. In the late 1800s it was known for street gangs called pushes, and the Rocks Push was the best known of them. They were notorious for brawls, robberies and attacks, and the steep stairs and tight laneways gave them plenty of cover. The waterfront was a place of wharves, storage and trade, so goods of all kinds passed through this stretch of shore.

When bubonic plague reached The Rocks in 1900, the authorities responded by taking over large parts of the district, clearing buildings and moving residents out. Many people at the time saw it as a chance to remake an area the city had long wanted to tidy up. Close to Hickson Road, Campbells Cove carries the name of Robert Campbell, one of the colony's earliest prominent merchants. His era overlapped with the Rum Rebellion of 1808, when soldiers of the New South Wales Corps arrested Governor William Bligh. Lachlan Macquarie arrived afterwards as governor, brought his own regiment, the 73rd, and set about restoring order to colonial life.

What to look for

• The stretch of waterfront itself, where the line of the road still hints at the working shore that once held wharves and warehouses.
• The steel arches and approach spans of the Sydney Harbour Bridge overhead, which give the street an unusual sense of scale.
• The steps and lanes climbing up into The Rocks, which show why the district was so hard to police in the gang years.
• The sandstone buildings and old stores around Campbells Cove, a reminder of the merchants who traded from this shoreline.

Tips for your visit

• It is an ordinary public street, so there is nothing to book and you can walk it at any time. Allow 15 to 30 minutes if you are simply passing through, longer if you explore the lanes.
• Late afternoon is a pleasant time to walk here, when the light warms the sandstone and the harbour.
• Campbells Cove, Circular Quay, Dawes Point and Walsh Bay are all within easy walking distance, so it fits well into a longer wander.
• Wear comfortable shoes, as the Rocks has steps and slopes, and check current opening hours for any museums or shops you want to visit nearby.

See it on a quest

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in The Rocks, Sydney suits this area well, because The Rocks has a dark reputation to match. You reach Hickson Road on foot as one stop of a longer route, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Highlights of Sydney: From Prison to Freedom Land follows the city's journey from convict settlement to modern harbour city, and this waterfront belongs to that story. You walk between the stops, hear about each place when you get there and solve a puzzle in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

Dorothy’s Quest: The Trials of Oz in Sydney gives you a lighter way to see the same streets. You move on foot from stop to stop, the app explains what you are looking at, and a puzzle waits at each place. One ticket covers the whole group.