Guidebook for West Richland
Everything Else
The stairs at Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair in the Royal Botanic Gardens are long—there are more than 115 to scale—and there’s a lot of flat parkland at the bottom so you can alternate between bodyweight exercises and cardio up the stairs. Plus, it’s one of the most stunning open-air gyms anywhere—you’re exercising while overlooking the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
At lunchtime on weekdays—roughly from noon to 2 pm—this becomes the busiest set of stairs I have ever seen. Everyone runs here from the city to train. I recommend visiting in the morning or after work instead. It’s also relatively quiet on weekends.
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Cadeira da Sra. Macquarie
1d Mrs Macquaries RdThe stairs at Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair in the Royal Botanic Gardens are long—there are more than 115 to scale—and there’s a lot of flat parkland at the bottom so you can alternate between bodyweight exercises and cardio up the stairs. Plus, it’s one of the most stunning open-air gyms anywhere—you’re exercising while overlooking the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
At lunchtime on weekdays—roughly from noon to 2 pm—this becomes the busiest set of stairs I have ever seen. Everyone runs here from the city to train. I recommend visiting in the morning or after work instead. It’s also relatively quiet on weekends.
They’re an hour-long drive from Sydney, but the Cronulla Sand Dunes—estimated to be around 15,000 years old—are a magnet for fitness fanatics. The prospect of soft-sand conditioning draws professional and amateur athletes who make the most of sand hills of varying incline and height. They’re on the beach so you can go for a swim to cool down after training.
Make a day of your visit to Cronulla: drive down to the beach in the morning, train for a couple of hours, go for a swim, then enjoy a big breakfast. I recommend HAM cafe for great, healthy meals and smoothies. You’ll drive home feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Cronulla Sand Dunes
434 Captain Cook DrThey’re an hour-long drive from Sydney, but the Cronulla Sand Dunes—estimated to be around 15,000 years old—are a magnet for fitness fanatics. The prospect of soft-sand conditioning draws professional and amateur athletes who make the most of sand hills of varying incline and height. They’re on the beach so you can go for a swim to cool down after training.
Make a day of your visit to Cronulla: drive down to the beach in the morning, train for a couple of hours, go for a swim, then enjoy a big breakfast. I recommend HAM cafe for great, healthy meals and smoothies. You’ll drive home feeling refreshed and invigorated.
The oh-so-popular gym adjoining the Bondi ocean pools might be the busiest of its kind in Sydney. A lot of athletes come here to train, so there’s good equipment. It’s a bit like the equivalent of LA’s Venice Beach, but in Sydney. I usually incorporate a workout session in the gym with a soft-sand run and then a swim.
Weekends here are extremely busy, particularly Sunday afternoons, and you’ll find a lot of posers vying for space to get the perfect Instagram photo. Visit off-peak, on a weekday—it’s quiet and a completely different story.
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Bondi Icebergs POOL
1 Notts AveThe oh-so-popular gym adjoining the Bondi ocean pools might be the busiest of its kind in Sydney. A lot of athletes come here to train, so there’s good equipment. It’s a bit like the equivalent of LA’s Venice Beach, but in Sydney. I usually incorporate a workout session in the gym with a soft-sand run and then a swim.
Weekends here are extremely busy, particularly Sunday afternoons, and you’ll find a lot of posers vying for space to get the perfect Instagram photo. Visit off-peak, on a weekday—it’s quiet and a completely different story.
The scale of this park and outdoor gym is impressive. The equipment might not be as sophisticated as other outdoor gyms’, but there’s plenty to keep you busy and it’s always relatively quiet. It’s surrounded by a vast field that, to me, is the real attraction. The views of the city and Sydney Harbour are jaw-dropping.
After your workout, continue driving north toward the Watson’s Bay Hotel. You can go for a quick dip in the harbour before pulling up a seat in the hotel’s casual, semi-alfresco dining room. Everything from salads to ocean-fresh grilled fish is a standout.
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Reserva Dudley Page
Military RoadThe scale of this park and outdoor gym is impressive. The equipment might not be as sophisticated as other outdoor gyms’, but there’s plenty to keep you busy and it’s always relatively quiet. It’s surrounded by a vast field that, to me, is the real attraction. The views of the city and Sydney Harbour are jaw-dropping.
After your workout, continue driving north toward the Watson’s Bay Hotel. You can go for a quick dip in the harbour before pulling up a seat in the hotel’s casual, semi-alfresco dining room. Everything from salads to ocean-fresh grilled fish is a standout.
One of the nicest cliff-top coastal walks you’ll ever enjoy, it’s the first thing I get visiting friends and family to do when they arrive in Sydney. It’s about 6 km from Coogee to Bondi, and you can stop along the way at various beaches and coves for a swim. Know that it’s particularly busy when the Sculpture by the Sea event is on in October/November.
If you’re driving, park in Coogee because spots there are easier to find than in Bondi. I always walk from Coogee to Bondi and back again (about 12 km), early in the morning, before the crowds form, then go for breakfast. Try Coogee Pavilion for good coffee with a water view.
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Caminhada de Bondi a Coogee
One of the nicest cliff-top coastal walks you’ll ever enjoy, it’s the first thing I get visiting friends and family to do when they arrive in Sydney. It’s about 6 km from Coogee to Bondi, and you can stop along the way at various beaches and coves for a swim. Know that it’s particularly busy when the Sculpture by the Sea event is on in October/November.
If you’re driving, park in Coogee because spots there are easier to find than in Bondi. I always walk from Coogee to Bondi and back again (about 12 km), early in the morning, before the crowds form, then go for breakfast. Try Coogee Pavilion for good coffee with a water view.
A scenic way to explore Sydney’s inner-west, the Iron Cove Bay Run is a popular 7-km loop taking you around Leichhardt and Balmain, hugging the water the whole way. I suggest starting and finishing at Leichhardt Park, one of a number of parks where you can use outdoor exercise equipment, complementing your cardio with strength exercises.
On the Leichhardt Inner West Council’s website, under walking and cycling, there’s a map of the track that you can download. Go to the Recreation tab—they call it the Bay Run. The digital map shows where you can park, where there are shortcuts, where to refuel, and where to find workout stations.
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Iron Cove
A scenic way to explore Sydney’s inner-west, the Iron Cove Bay Run is a popular 7-km loop taking you around Leichhardt and Balmain, hugging the water the whole way. I suggest starting and finishing at Leichhardt Park, one of a number of parks where you can use outdoor exercise equipment, complementing your cardio with strength exercises.
On the Leichhardt Inner West Council’s website, under walking and cycling, there’s a map of the track that you can download. Go to the Recreation tab—they call it the Bay Run. The digital map shows where you can park, where there are shortcuts, where to refuel, and where to find workout stations.
Parks & Nature
There are about 150 steps from the cliffs at South Coogee. They’re known as the Death Stairs for good reason. It’s a really long ascent, with lots of long gaps and steps at different heights. You can park anywhere along the coast—from Bondi and Bronte to Clovelly and North Coogee—to run along the water and finish with a couple of challenging stair sets.
Whatever the weather, you’ll have worked up a sweat after a couple of sets of South Coogee stairs. Jog back to Wylie’s Baths, one of the city’s most beautiful ocean tidal pools, and cool down with laps. End the day sitting on the pool’s deck, breathing in the sea.
South Coogee Stairs
4 Alexandria ParadeThere are about 150 steps from the cliffs at South Coogee. They’re known as the Death Stairs for good reason. It’s a really long ascent, with lots of long gaps and steps at different heights. You can park anywhere along the coast—from Bondi and Bronte to Clovelly and North Coogee—to run along the water and finish with a couple of challenging stair sets.
Whatever the weather, you’ll have worked up a sweat after a couple of sets of South Coogee stairs. Jog back to Wylie’s Baths, one of the city’s most beautiful ocean tidal pools, and cool down with laps. End the day sitting on the pool’s deck, breathing in the sea.
Bordered by two of Sydney’s busiest roads, Moore Park Hill is still one of the city’s best outdoor training locations. It has three tiers, so you can do short sprints or endure a longer run, and when you arrive at the peak you’re rewarded with great city skyline views. There’s also an oval at the bottom so you can add in bodyweight exercises.
After a training session here I always go to the Organic Bread Bar on South Dowling Street for a coffee and sandwich or an indulgent slice of cake. The pastries and breads are all homemade daily and are a great pick-me-up and energy boost after a big workout.
Moore Park Road
Moore Park RoadBordered by two of Sydney’s busiest roads, Moore Park Hill is still one of the city’s best outdoor training locations. It has three tiers, so you can do short sprints or endure a longer run, and when you arrive at the peak you’re rewarded with great city skyline views. There’s also an oval at the bottom so you can add in bodyweight exercises.
After a training session here I always go to the Organic Bread Bar on South Dowling Street for a coffee and sandwich or an indulgent slice of cake. The pastries and breads are all homemade daily and are a great pick-me-up and energy boost after a big workout.
This park offers so much diversity when it comes to workouts—it’s great for the whole family and is peaceful and relaxing. It reminds me of Central Park—on a smaller scale. Walk or run a 6-km lap of the main park, or add hill runs and path extensions for 8 km. There are also football fields for bodyweight training and pull-up bars in an outdoor gym.
Centennial is also great for cycling and has dedicated bike lanes. You can hire bikes at a number of places around the park and explore the neighbourhood for an hour or a day—there are plenty of great picnic spots along the way.
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Parque Centenário
15 Locked BagThis park offers so much diversity when it comes to workouts—it’s great for the whole family and is peaceful and relaxing. It reminds me of Central Park—on a smaller scale. Walk or run a 6-km lap of the main park, or add hill runs and path extensions for 8 km. There are also football fields for bodyweight training and pull-up bars in an outdoor gym.
Centennial is also great for cycling and has dedicated bike lanes. You can hire bikes at a number of places around the park and explore the neighbourhood for an hour or a day—there are plenty of great picnic spots along the way.
The outdoor gym at Rushcutters has a great setup, with a wide selection of bars for pull-ups and push-ups plus equipment for box jumps and functional training. Working out here you’re surrounded by an expansive park and a running track that hugs the water. Visit at sunset—the atmosphere is electric and the view over the marina is unbeatable.
I love visiting on Sunday afternoons. The park fills up with groups of friends playing touch football and soccer and Oztag, so if you feel like a bit of a kick-around, it’s a good place to go to jump into a game. I recommend visiting between 1 and 3 pm.
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Parque Rushcutters Bay
2A New South Head RdThe outdoor gym at Rushcutters has a great setup, with a wide selection of bars for pull-ups and push-ups plus equipment for box jumps and functional training. Working out here you’re surrounded by an expansive park and a running track that hugs the water. Visit at sunset—the atmosphere is electric and the view over the marina is unbeatable.
I love visiting on Sunday afternoons. The park fills up with groups of friends playing touch football and soccer and Oztag, so if you feel like a bit of a kick-around, it’s a good place to go to jump into a game. I recommend visiting between 1 and 3 pm.