Harbour Bridge – tick!
Opera House – tick
Ferry to Manly – tick!
Taronga Zoo – tick!
Luna Park – tick!
Have you got the feeling of “been there-done that” with your visit to Sydney? Trying to save a bit of cash? Here’s a fun, free activity for families. Walking along the Lavender Bay foreshore and discovering some cute little sculptures in Art Barton Park.
Art Barton is the artist responsible for the original decorative murals at Luna Park, Sydney’s harbourside amusement park. While some of the originals remain in Coney Island most have been replaced with more modern and durable works.
To get to Art Beaton Park, walk through (or beside) Luna Park following their signs to the picnic area and keep going, BUT not too fast, you will miss the little statues of characters from children’s books. The views of the harbour and its landmarks are hard to beat but it’s well worth directing your attention to the concrete plinths and their passengers.
Blinky Bill, the Gumnut Babies and the Magic Pudding invoke lots of childhood memories for old chooks like me. I remember being tucked up in bed and listening to my Mum read the stories of Dorothy Wall and Norman Lindsay out loud using character voices.
I could hear those voices in my head as I walked along the path in search of treasures. I know I missed some and I did not recognise them all. They were characters that were not part of my family’s anthology.
Allow about 30 minutes for the walk. If you have a bit longer you can follow the path and then the signs to all the way around to Blues Point for some stunning head-on uninterrupted views of the Bridge. The walk from Luna Park to Blues Point return is around 4 km.
If you work up an appetite, walk over to Kirribilli and enjoy a bite at one of its cafes. I can recommend the Fitzroy Café on Ennis Street. Very friendly staff and an interesting menu. I enjoyed some homemade granola with yogurt for breakfast. Grab a gelato and walk down to the park above the Jeffery Street Wharf and watch the big cruise ships come in and out. Not a bad way to end the day!
How to get to Luna Park: The closest railway station is Milson’s Point. The route to Luna Park is well sign posted. Alternatively, catch the ferry to the Milson’s Point Wharf from Circular Quay. For those who like to be more active it’s an easy walk across the Bridge.
