Tower on the Hill
Dominating the Lilyfield skyline is the historic venetian clock tower of the Sydney College of the Arts (SCA) complex. An impressive site, surrounded by a cluster of beautiful old sandstone buildings and massive wrought iron gates. There are also extensive lawns, large shady trees and tall palms dotting the estate, making it a perfect place for a picnic.
Alternatively, why not take a short stroll along the popular Bay Run. Head north toward Rozelle and Balmain where you will find a zillion cafes for a bite to eat… or plenty of boutique shops to explore!
Where: Sydney Inner West – 6km West of CBD Allow: 1/2 day
Getting there: Buses – Drive 15 mins from CBD
Also see: Balmain, Birchgrove
Lilyfield Places to See
Tucked between Leichhardt and Rozelle and within sight of the city, Lilyfield is a real hidden delight worth exploring. With historic sites, fabulous harbour views, quaint cottages and newly developed waterfront estates, a visit to Lilyfield and surrounding suburbs makes for a very enjoyable outing.
1. Sydney College of the Arts (aka Callan Park)
The impressive cluster of historic sandstone structures sits atop a hill overlooking the surrounding suburbs and Iron Cove Bay. It is hard to imagine when you wander the grounds that it was formally an asylum for the mentally ill. Since the mid 1990s Sydney College of the Arts (SCA) has occupied the complex, now an epicentre of creativity.
We enjoyed strolling around the high sandstone walls that house the tower and many of the buildings. Peeking over the fence and through gates gave us a glimpse of what was hidden inside. Then we discovered a secret doorway on the southern side, providing access to the inner courtyard. I’m not sure if we were meant to enter, but we couldn’t resist!
You don’t need to ‘get inside’ to appreciate or to photograph the buildings. However, it was worthwhile to experience the slightly unsettling feeling of being on the inside, where so many of the mentally ill would have been held against their will, or so I imagine.
2. Shady Parkland & the Bay Run
After exploring and photographing every angle of the Callan Park buildings we headed through the trees to the Bay Run and Rozelle for some much needed fuel… it was time for lunch!
The popular Bay Run has lovely views from King George Park looking toward North Sydney and Cockatoo Island. Also, just north of Iron Cove bridge is the ‘resort style’ Bridgewater Park, with large palms and modern apartments cascading toward the water, it really has a holiday feel. From Bridgewater Park you can wind your way through the streets to Darling St for something to eat.
3. Rozelle – Wander the Streets
After lunch we walked the backstreets of Rozelle. We were surprised at how well the new apartment complexes sat in harmony with the older style cottages and terraces of the area.
Then it was back to Bridgewater Park, the Bay Run and Lilyfield. We were enjoying the warm spring afternoon stroll and the boats bobbing around in the water. Seemingly from nowhere the peaceful foreshore was overrun with the footy crowd from the nearby stadium! We surmised they were all heading to Rozelle and Balmain for a pint or two. So much for a leisurely afternoon walk 🙂
4. Eat & Drink
For eating options, the area around the Rozelle Markets is quite pretty with large shady trees. If you’re looking for a place away from the noise of Darling St, you might like to consider the newly established Fruitologist on Terry St. They serve light healthy meals and juices + coffee and cakes… they have to be healthy, everything else is! Tables are set on the balcony with colourful views to the fruit, veggies and flowers. You could also do a spot of grocery shopping! As there’s no indoor seating it needs to be a pleasant day for this one.
The Corner Bar looked appealing, but it was just a little too early for a cocktail! It has some good online reviews so we will check it out next time.
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