northern beaches trike tour – Gerry + Leanne 19.10.22

From Brisbane, Gerry + Leanne are in Sydney for a holiday. They decided to see a part of Sydney they had never been to. We suggested the northern beaches trike tour which they thought was a great idea. In the 4 hours they saw many of the beautiful beaches and national park.

Our trike rider Fred picked them up from their hotel in the Sydney CBD.

Firstly they rode down Macquarie Street, home of specialist doctors and lawyers. Past the Sydney Opera House and onto the Cahill Expressway,

Sydney Harbour Bridge

This led to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We always tell our passengers to look up and enjoy the unique view. The more than 6,000,000 rivets are so interesting and the arch is so iconic. It’s nicknamed ‘The Coathanger’ because of its arch-based design. It is the largest steel arch bridge in the world.

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Heading north though the expensive area of Northbridge and over the Roseville Bridge. Up into the Terry Hills and through the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The park has significant Aboriginal sites, including ancient red ochre rock paintings and rock engravings. The waterside suburb of Church Point was next, it’s a beautiful area.

Bungan Beach and Palm Beach

East to the beaches: Bungan Beach (a surf beach that is 600m long – so it’s quite short), Newport Beach (this is the home beach of three times world surfing champion, Tom Carroll), Avalon (my, Kat’s, favourite beach when growing up, with its reddish golden sands) and then to the tip of the peninsula – Palm Beach – for a coffee stop. Palm Beach is also called Summer Bay in the soapie “Home & Away”. So far, the northern beaches trike tour was a lot of fun. Already they had seen so many of the beautiful places many visitors or locals to Sydney don’t get to see.

Whale Beach

After coffee, they rode past Whale Beach, Bilgola and onto Mona Vale. The origin of the name Whale Beach is unknown, although it is presumed to be associated either with the shape of the northern headland, or a beaching of a whale.

Narrabeen Lagoon

They rode via Narrabeen Lagoon (also referred to as Narrabeen Lake). It is Sydney’s Northern Beaches largest estuary system located just behind the world famous surfing beach at Narrabeen. It is a haven for wildlife.

Past the lovely beaches of Collaroy, Dee Why, Curl Curl, Harboard, Freshwater and on to Manly. Manly Beach is one of Australia’s most famous beaches, best known for being the beach where the world’s first surfing contest was held in 1964.

Manly

However, the 4 hours was up so Fred dropped them off in Manly. They could explore that area, have some lunch and catch the ferry back into town. Gerry loves Sydney and his knowledge of it and it’s suburbs is amazing. If you don’t know anything about Sydney, that’s ok because our trike and Harley riders do. They will explain all the areas they ride you through. In conclusion, Gerry + Leanne loved the northern beaches trike tour. They saw so many scenic areas which were all new areas to them. Next time they are in Sydney, they will do another trike tour of a different area of Sydney.

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/the-beach-beauty/
https://www.manlyaustralia.com.au/

Harley joyride – Isabella + Tina 16.10.22

Tina has always wanted to do a Harley joyride and today was the day! When her daughter Isabella heard about she wanted to come along as well. Our Harley riders Wayne and Bear picked them up from their home at Glenorie. This is 44 km north-west of the Sydney CBD.

Glenorie and the historic Great North Road

Glenorie has a rural character so is a great place to start a Harley ride. The road that runs through this area is Great North Road, which has been renamed Old Northern Road.

The Great North Road is a historic road that was built to link early Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, now Australia, with the fertile Hunter Valley to the north. Built by convicts between 1825 and 1836, it traverses over 260 kilometres (162 mi) of the rugged terrain that hindered early agricultural expansion.

The road is of such cultural significance it was included on the Australian National Heritage List on 1 August 2007 as a nationally significant example of major public infrastructure developed using convict labour and on the UNESCO World Heritage list as amongst: “” .. the best surviving examples of large-scale convict transportation and the colonial expansion of European powers through the presence and labour of convicts.”
Thanks to Wikipedia for the info.

Forest Glen and Maroota

10 kms up the road is Forest Glen, a tiny rural area. Further on is Maroota which is located at a high point, about 200 m above sea-level, on the ridge-following Great Northern Road. Maroota is situated on, and owes its nature to, Chris Nesci (the Maroota Sand) which geologists think may be the oldest known remnant of the largest waterway in the Sydney region, the Nepean-Hawkesbury system.

Wiseman’s Ferry

The road continues up to Wiseman’s Ferry. This is the oldest ferry crossing still in operation in New South Wales. Surrounded by beautiful national parks Wisemans Ferry is a rustic village on one of Australia’s most famous waterways – the sparkling Hawkesbury River. It’s a wonderful part of Sydney and it’s the last northwest suburb of Sydney. After a look around, they continued riding. Turning back at Wiseman’s Ferry and continuing back to Maroota, they turned right and went onto a different road. Sackville Ferry Road.

Sackville

Driving through the Hawkesbury area is just beautiful. They rode through Sackville North to the Sackville Ferry, a car ferry that crosses the river to Sackville. The suburb is home to five National Heritage Listed sites: Three residences, St Thomas’ Anglican Church and the Sackville Cemetery, which dates back to 1828. It’s quite amazing and a great road to ride on. So far, the Harley joyride was a lot of fun with lots of scenic sights.

Ebenezer

After the ferry ride and the ride through Sackville, they came to Ebenezer. The town was named after Eben-Ezer in the Bible, 1 Samuel 7:12, wherein Samuel set up a stone between Mizpah and Shen and gave the name to Ebenezer. It’s another little historic, pretty village.

Windsor

The next place they rode through was Windsor, a bigger town than the others with a population of around 1900 people. Windsor was chosen during settlement because of its agricultural potential and accessible location. In 1813 a report was given to Governor Macquarie from Earl Bathurst detailing a proposed invasion of the Hawkesbury River by France. This planned invasion that did not eventuate targeted the Windsor granary in order to cut off supply to Sydney, demonstrating the relative importance of this new settlement on a global scale.

It’s still important now for bike riders, as very picturesque town with some interesting roads to ride on. However, it does flood easily in that area.

However, the 2 hours were just about over so our Harley riders took them back to their home in Glenorie. In conclusion the Harley joyride was a lot of fun. Later Tina wrote:

Testimonial

Hi Katrina,
Omg we had the best time ever!

And hell yes, please post the photos, for sure I will post a review on Facebook if that’s ok or whatever site you want me to.?

Thank you for everything.
Tina

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/design-your-own-ride/

birthday present trike tour – Bill + Olivia 16.10.22

The birthday present trike tour was originally a Harley tour. Olivia thought her dad would love a Harley tour. He didn’t because he rides his own motorbikes and didn’t like the idea of sitting behind someone else. So, he changed the Harley to a trike so Olivia could come with him. He was pleasantly surprised at how much fun it is to be driven around. They saw some lovely and famous sights of Sydney and the weather turned it on for them! Our trike rider Brian, picked them up from Circular Quay and took them on a fun 2 hour tour.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Firstly, they rode over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We always tell our passengers to look up and enjoy the unique view. The more than 6,000,000 rivets are so interesting and the arch is so iconic. It’s nicknamed ‘The Coathanger’ because of its arch-based design. It is the largest steel arch bridge in the world.

Kirribilli

Next, they rode past Kirribilli House. Kirribilli House is the secondary official residence of the Prime Minister of Australia. After that, they rode around the corner to Jeffrey Street Wharf. From here, the views across Sydney Harbour towards the Sydney Opera House and the CBD are magnificent. In addition, it also has an up-close view of the side and underneath of the bridge. A perfect place to stop for photos.

The Kirribilli Loop

They rode under the north side of the bridge and continued on their tour. The underside of the northern end of the SHB – Sydney Harbour Bridge – is very interesting. The Kirribilli Loop was finished by riding past Luna Park and the North Sydney Olympic Pool.

St Mary’s Cathedral, Woolloomooloo and Kings Cross

Past St Mary’s Cathedral which is very impressive, even when riding past. It’s a Gothic Revival architectural building which opened in 1928. It took from 1866 to 1928 to build and has a height of 75m. Next, they rode through the inner eastern suburb of Woolloomoolloo and past the famous Harry Cafe De Wheels. Here they stopped for a look, the photos of the famous people who have visited here, are interesting. Harry’s Café de Wheels has been serving customers for over 80 years. They make delicious pies, hotdogs and more. Then it was up the hill and through Kings Cross.

Eastern suburbs

Continuing on, they rode through the infamous Kings Cross, though it has calmed down a lot since it’s heyday – home of the famous and huge Coca Cola sign. Kings Cross is also home to nightclubs and ladies of the night though it is not nearly as raunchy as it was in the 1970s (apparently). After there, they headed east through the posh suburbs of the eastern suburbs of Sydney, including the Bays: Rose Bay, Double Bay and Rushcutters Bay.

Watsons Bay and The Gap

North through some upper class suburbs, they rode to “The Gap” and stopped for photos. The view towards North Head and out to the South Pacific Ocean. Watsons Bay sits on the end of the South Head peninsula.

North Bondi and Brighton Lookout

There are a couple of lookouts at the North Bondi headland. They all offer beautiful views of Bondi Beach and out to the Tasman Sea, part of the South Pacific Ocean. Fred stopped there for a few photos and so they could admire the view. So far, on the uncle + nephew trike tour they have seen some great views and scenic sights. So far, the birthday present trike tour is a fun experience.

Bondi Beach

Next, they drove past the world famous Bondi Beach to the south side. Looking from the two ends of the beach give a different perspective. This is the beach where Bondi Lifeguards of the Bondi Rescue TV series is filmed. When in Sydney it is one of the places you should visit. The beach is seriously nice (but not our favourite) and we usually stop near the lifeguard station, made famous by the TV series “Bondi Rescue”. Bondi Beach is one of the most visited tourist sites in Australia. Bondi Beach is recorded by the Australian Museum that Bondi means place where a fight using boondi sticks (nullas nullas or fighting sticks) took place.

Tamarama + Bronte

Riding further south, along more beautiful, though possibly less well known, beaches. The suburb of Tamarama has a small ocean beach about 1 kilometre south of Bondi Beach and a couple of hundred metres north of Bronte Beach. It is an extremely narrow beach and deceptive for its size. Tamarama Beach is often referred to as Glamarama (or Glamourama), owing to the alleged abundance of glamorous people who sunbathe (often topless), on what must be one of the smallest strips of sand in the state (Wikipedia).

Bronte Beach sits on Nelson Bay, surrounded by Bronte Park. Bronte offers scenic cliff-top walking paths south to Coogee via the Waverley Cemetery and north to Tamarama and Bondi Beach. However, time was almost up so Brian took them back to Circular Quay via Centennial Park.

Centennial Park

Riding through the huge Centennial Park is a lovely experience. 120 fields and venues, and 35+ different sports played in the Centennial Parklands. It is the largest community sports precinct in Australia! The history is also interesting: “Originally a swamp and then set aside as land for the water source for Sydney. Centennial Park was reconstructed as a public park and opened in 1888. Sir Henry Parkes’ vision was to create a ‘People’s Park’ in which the citizens of Sydney could ‘take in the air’ away from the Sydney town centre.”

In conclusion, the birthday present trike tour was actually a successful present. It was so lovely that Olivia and Bill could have some daughter and father time. It was a fun experience – Feel the Freedom!

https://www.trolltours.com.au/tours-and-prices/

3bridges Harley tour – Casey 03.10.22

Casey is in Sydney for a holiday. She’s from Melbourne and came up to see Phantom of the Opera and wanted to see more of Sydney. So she picked us to do the 3bridges Harley tour.

Our Harley rider Phil, met her at Central Station and off they went.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Firstly, they rode over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We always tell our passenger to look up and enjoy the unique view. The more than 6,000,000 rivets are so interesting and the arch is so iconic.

Kirribilli

Next, they rode past Kirribilli House. Kirribilli House is the secondary official residence of the Prime Minister of Australia. After that, they rode around the corner to Jeffrey Street Wharf. From here, the views across Sydney Harbour towards the Sydney Opera House and the CBD are magnificent. In addition, it also has an up-close view of the side and underneath of the bridge. A perfect place to stop for photos.

The Kirribilli Loop

They rode under the north side of the bridge and continued on their tour. The underside of the northern end of the SHB – Sydney Harbour Bridge – is very interesting. The Kirribilli Loop was finished by riding past Luna Park and the North Sydney Olympic Pool.

They continued riding on through North Sydney and Crows Nest before joining River Road. It is a fun road to ride on. River Road leads to Burns Bay Road which, in turn, leads to another bridge but not one of the main three.

Fig Tree Bridge, Tarban Creek Bridge, Gladesville Bridge

The Fig Tree Bridge opened in 1963 and spans the Lane Cove River. After that bridge, they continued on and crossed the second of the bridges Tarban Creek Bridge. This spans Tarban Creek, likewise, it has nice views east to the Harbour Bridge. Then they got to bridge #2 of the main 3 Bridges, the Gladesville Bridge. It has wonderful views along Parramatta River towards the Harbour Bridge and the city.

This bridge is on the main arterial thoroughfare of Victoria Road. They travelled along for a short while before turning off into the inner west suburb of Drummoyne. Following the shoreline of Iron Cove, which is part of the Parramatta River, they saw some lovely water views. It is part of the 7 km long Bay Run. So far, the 3bridges Harley tour was a great experience.

ANZAC Bridge

Our favourite bridge is the ANZAC Bridge. We think it is incredible, a work of art and design. It is main bridge #3. Similarly, it is also great to see without a roof over your head inhibiting the view.

Most noteworthy, the stay cable design concept development and final design for the new bridge were carried out by the Roads & Traffic Authority of NSW. Finally, the bridge was opened to traffic on 03 December 1995 as the Glebe Island Bridge.

The bridge was given its current name on Remembrance Day in 1998 to honour the memory of the soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (known as Anzacs) who served in World War I.

However, the hour was up so Phil dropped Casey back at The Rocks. In conclusion, the 3bridges Harley tour was a big success and a lot of fun. Casey saw so much that the average traveller to Sydney doesn’t.

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/three-bridges-trike-tour/

last minute trike tour – Girish + Viju 26.09.22

Our passengers decided to do a last minute trike tour this morning. We could organise a trike rider at late notice but we can’t always. They were waiting to fly out to go home and decided a trike tour would be a great way to spend some waiting time. It was! Our trike rider Fred picked them up from Circular Quay.

The Rocks

Firstly he took them under the southern side of the bridge. The Rocks is a neighbourhood of historic laneways in the shadow of Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Rocks became established shortly after the colony’s formation in 1788 so it is the oldest residential, developed area in Australia – the birthplace of modern Sydney. With the arrival of European settlers in 1788, it was here that the convicts first set up house and shop.

Barangaroo

Then it was to the Barangaroo waterfront and through the comparatively new development of Barangaroo. A spectacular transformation from a disused container terminal on the edge of Sydney’s CBD into a spectacular 22-hectare waterfront precinct. The new Crown Casino is here and there are plenty of restaurants.

Fred continued driving through Circular Quay, as close to the Opera House as is legally possible in a vehicle. Then it was along Macquarie St, home to many medical specialists offices. NSW Parliament is also here, founded on 22 May 1856.

St Mary’s Cathedral

Past St Mary’s Cathedral which is very impressive, even when riding past. It’s a Gothic Revival architectural building which opened in 1928. It took from 1866 to 1928 to build and has a height of 75m.

Mrs Macquarie’s Point

This led them to ride along Art Gallery Road, past the Royal Botanical Gardens to Mrs Macquarie’s Point was next. It has beautiful views looking west towards the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. They ride past Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is an exposed sandstone rock cut into the shape of a bench, on a peninsula in Sydney Harbour. It was hand carved by convicts in 1810, for Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of NSW. The Art Gallery of NSW is also along this road, it’s beautiful historic sandstone buildings were built between 1896 and 1909.

Woolloomooloo and Kings Cross

Next, they rode through the inner eastern suburb of Woolloomoolloo and past the famous Harry Cafe De Wheels. Harry’s Café de Wheels has been serving customers for over 80 years. They make delicious pies, hotdogs and more. Then it was up the hill and through Kings Cross.

Eastern suburbs

Continuing on, they rode through the infamous Kings Cross, though it has calmed down a lot since it’s heyday – home of the famous and huge Coca Cola sign. Kings Cross is also home to nightclubs and ladies of the night though it is not nearly as raunchy as it was in the 1970s (apparently). After there, they headed east through the posh suburbs of the eastern suburbs of Sydney, including the Bays: Rose Bay, Double Bay and Rushcutters Bay.

Watsons Bay and The Gap

North through some upper class suburbs, they rode to “The Gap” and stopped for photos. The view towards North Head and out to the South Pacific Ocean. Watsons Bay sits on the end of the South Head peninsula. This is where the photo was taken.

North Bondi and Brighton Lookout

There are a couple of lookouts at the North Bondi headland. They all offer beautiful views of Bondi Beach and out to the Tasman Sea, part of the South Pacific Ocean. Fred stopped there for a few photos and so they could admire the view. So far, on the uncle + nephew trike tour they have seen some great views and scenic sights. So far, the last minute trike tour was a lot of fun.

Bondi Beach

Next, they drove past the world famous Bondi Beach to the south side. Looking from the two ends of the beach give a different perspective. This is the beach where Bondi Lifeguards of the Bondi Rescue TV series is filmed. When in Sydney it is one of the places you should visit. The beach is seriously nice (but not our favourite) and we usually stop near the lifeguard station, made famous by the TV series “Bondi Rescue”. Bondi Beach is one of the most visited tourist sites in Australia. Bondi Beach is recorded by the Australian Museum that Bondi means place where a fight using boondi sticks (nullas nullas or fighting sticks) took place.

Tamarama + Bronte

Riding further south, along more beautiful, though possibly less well known, beaches. The suburb of Tamarama has a small ocean beach about 1 kilometre south of Bondi Beach and a couple of hundred metres north of Bronte Beach. It is an extremely narrow beach and deceptive for its size. Tamarama Beach is often referred to as Glamarama (or Glamourama), owing to the alleged abundance of glamorous people who sunbathe (often topless), on what must be one of the smallest strips of sand in the state (Wikipedia).

Bronte Beach sits on Nelson Bay, surrounded by Bronte Park. Bronte offers scenic cliff-top walking paths south to Coogee via the Waverley Cemetery and north to Tamarama and Bondi Beach. Stopping here for a coffee was a great way to just sit, relax and soak in the atmosphere.

Centennial Park

Riding through the huge Centennial Park is a lovely experience. 120 fields and venues, and 35+ different sports played in the Centennial Parklands. It is the largest community sports precinct in Australia! The history is also interesting: “Originally a swamp and then set aside as land for the water source for Sydney. Centennial Park was reconstructed as a public park and opened in 1888. Sir Henry Parkes’ vision was to create a ‘People’s Park’ in which the citizens of Sydney could ‘take in the air’ away from the Sydney town centre.”

However, the 1.5 hours was up so Fred dropped them back at the inner west suburb of Balmain. Here they could continue exploring a very interesting and early settlement part of Sydney. In conclusion, the last minute trike tour was a lot of fun, a great way to spend time while waiting for their flight home.

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/eastern-sydney-panorama-trike-ride/

Eastern Suburbs Beach tour – Frank + Pan 21.09.22

Frank’s daughter Sinead organised the Eastern Suburbs Beach tour for her father and his partner. From Ireland, they had been on holidays here in Sydney to visit family.

While waiting for their plane to take them home, Sinead thought it would be a great idea for them to do a trike tour. They had done one with us 5 years ago while out here. They had loved it then and they loved it today!

The Rocks

Fred our passengers up from the Rocks. He took them under the southern side of the bridge. The Rocks is a neighbourhood of historic laneways in the shadow of Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Rocks became established shortly after the colony’s formation in 1788 so it is the oldest residential, developed area in Australia – the birthplace of modern Sydney. With the arrival of European settlers in 1788, it was here that the convicts first set up house and shop.

Barangaroo

Then it was to the Barangaroo waterfront and through the comparatively new development of Barangaroo. A spectacular transformation from a disused container terminal on the edge of Sydney’s CBD into a spectacular 22-hectare waterfront precinct. The new Crown Casino is here and there are plenty of restaurants.

Fred continued driving through Circular Quay, as close to the Opera House as is legally possible in a vehicle. Then it was along Macquarie St, home to many medical specialists offices. NSW Parliament is also here, founded on 22 May 1856.

St Mary’s Cathedral, Woolloomooloo and Kings Cross

Past St Mary’s Cathedral which is very impressive, even when riding past. It’s a Gothic Revival architectural building which opened in 1928. It took from 1866 to 1928 to build and has a height of 75m. Next, they rode through the inner eastern suburb of Woolloomoolloo and past the famous Harry Cafe De Wheels. Harry’s Café de Wheels has been serving customers for over 80 years. They make delicious pies, hotdogs and more. Then it was up the hill and through Kings Cross.

Eastern suburbs

Continuing on, they rode through the infamous Kings Cross, though it has calmed down a lot since it’s heyday – home of the famous and huge Coca Cola sign. Kings Cross is also home to nightclubs and ladies of the night though it is not nearly as raunchy as it was in the 1970s (apparently). After there, they headed east through the posh suburbs of the eastern suburbs of Sydney, including the Bays: Rose Bay, Double Bay and Rushcutters Bay.

Watsons Bay and The Gap

North through some upper class suburbs, they rode to “The Gap” and stopped for photos. The view towards North Head and out to the South Pacific Ocean. Watsons Bay sits on the end of the South Head peninsula. This is where the photo was taken.

North Bondi and Brighton Lookout

There are a couple of lookouts at the North Bondi headland. They all offer beautiful views of Bondi Beach and out to the Tasman Sea, part of the South Pacific Ocean. Fred stopped there for a few photos and so they could admire the view. So far, on the uncle + nephew trike tour they have seen some great views and scenic sights. So far, the Eastern Suburbs Beach tour was a lot of fun.

Bondi Beach

Next, they drove past the world famous Bondi Beach to the south side. Looking from the two ends of the beach give a different perspective. This is the beach where Bondi Lifeguards of the Bondi Rescue TV series is filmed. When in Sydney it is one of the places you should visit. The beach is seriously nice (but not our favourite) and we usually stop near the lifeguard station, made famous by the TV series “Bondi Rescue”. Bondi Beach is one of the most visited tourist sites in Australia. Bondi Beach is recorded by the Australian Museum that Bondi means place where a fight using boondi sticks (nullas nullas or fighting sticks) took place.

Tamarama + Bronte

Riding further south, along more beautiful, though possibly less well known, beaches. The suburb of Tamarama has a small ocean beach about 1 kilometre south of Bondi Beach and a couple of hundred metres north of Bronte Beach. It is an extremely narrow beach and deceptive for its size. Tamarama Beach is often referred to as Glamarama (or Glamourama), owing to the alleged abundance of glamorous people who sunbathe (often topless), on what must be one of the smallest strips of sand in the state (Wikipedia).

Bronte Beach sits on Nelson Bay, surrounded by Bronte Park. Bronte offers scenic cliff-top walking paths south to Coogee via the Waverley Cemetery and north to Tamarama and Bondi Beach.

Centennial Park

Riding through the huge Centennial Park is a lovely experience. 120 fields and venues, and 35+ different sports played in the Centennial Parklands. It is the largest community sports precinct in Australia! The history is also interesting: “Originally a swamp and then set aside as land for the water source for Sydney. Centennial Park was reconstructed as a public park and opened in 1888. Sir Henry Parkes’ vision was to create a ‘People’s Park’ in which the citizens of Sydney could ‘take in the air’ away from the Sydney town centre.”

However, the 1.5 hours was up so Fred dropped them back at The Rocks. Here they could continue exploring our wonderful city. In conclusion, the Eastern Suburbs Beach tour was a lot of fun, a great way to spend time while waiting for their flight home.

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/eastern-sydney-panorama-trike-ride/

trike ride birthday gift – Graham + Holly 17.09.22

Holly bought her dad the trike ride birthday gift. It was his 80th birthday so she wanted to do something special for him. An experience rather than an object to gather dust. Graham wanted to go somewhere without too much traffic.

Fred, our trike rider, picked them up from Graham’s home in Freshwater.

Freshwater, Curl Curl, Dee Why etc

Firstly, they rode along the beaches to Curl Curl, Dee Why and Narrabeen. Such pretty beaches and good ones to swim at.

Narrabeen Lagoon

They rode via Narrabeen Lagoon (also referred to as Narrabeen Lake) is Sydney’s Northern Beaches largest estuary system located just behind the world famous surfing beach at Narrabeen. It is a haven for wildlife. So far, the trike ride birthday gift was a lot of fun. Already they had seen so many of the beautiful places many visitors or locals to Sydney don’t get to see.

Warriewood to Church Point

Next, they rode through Warriewood and Mona Vale to Church Point. Aborigines had been here for 14,000 years or more and was discovered by the English in March 1788 by Sydney’s first Governor, Arthur Phillip. He was exploring its lower reaches in search or arable land.

West Head

Into Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and amongst the trees West Head. There are incredible views from West Head lookout, regarded as one of Sydney’s best in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. From West Head lookout, you can see Broken Bay on your left, Pittwater on your right and Barrenjoey Headland and Lighthouse in front.

Wakehurst Parkway

However, the two hours was almost up. Fred rode them south and along the Wakehurst Parkway. We love the Wakehurst Parkway because the legal speed is faster than most Sydney limits. Back via Belrose, Forestville and Brookvale to home. In conclusion, the trike ride birthday gift was the best ever, well up there with the best. Holly wrote, “Thank you so much. It was great!”.

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/design-your-own-ride/

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/lookouts/west-head-lookout

surprise 80th trike ride – Geoff + Sheila 17.09.22

Geoff turned 80 – congratulations! His (and Sheila’s) daughter organised the surprise 80th trike ride with us. Our trike rider Fred, picked them up from their house in the inner west of Sydney.

ANZAC Bridge

Firstly, they rode over this fabulous bridge, our favourite bridge is the ANZAC Bridge. We think it is incredible, a work of art and design. It is main bridge #3. Similarly, it is also great to see without a roof over your head inhibiting the view.

Most noteworthy, the stay cable design concept development and final design for the new bridge were carried out by the Roads & Traffic Authority of NSW. Finally, the bridge was opened to traffic on 03 December 1995 as the Glebe Island Bridge.

The bridge was given its current name on Remembrance Day in 1998 to honour the memory of the soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (known as Anzacs) who served in World War I.

Barangaroo

Then it was through the comparatively new development of Barangaroo. A spectacular transformation from a disused container terminal on the edge of Sydney’s CBD into a spectacular 22-hectare waterfront precinct. This leads into the Rocks which is the birthplace of modern Sydney. With the arrival of European settlers in 1788, it was here that the convicts first set up house and shop.

Crown Casino

They drove past Crown Sydney (also referred to as One Barangaroo), is a skyscraper in Barangaroo, Australia. It stands at a height of 271.3 m (890 ft) with 75 floors, making it the tallest building in Sydney and 4th tallest building in Australia. Construction first began in October 2016 and was completed in December 2020.

Harbour Bridge Southern Side

Then it was along Hickson Road and under the southern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where this photo was taken. What a wonderful view! They continued on down George St and into Circular Quay. Further on they came close to the Sydney Opera House from a different angle. Even as “forever Sydneyites” we never get tired of looking at the Opera House. So far, the surprise 80th trike ride was so much fun.

Hyde Park + Chinatown + Wentworth Park Greyhound Racing

Further into Sydney, they rode past the lovely Hyde Park and into Chinatown. Sydney, and the colony of NSW, experienced Chinese migration as early as 1828. The first group of Chinese labourers from Amoy (modern day Xiamen) embarked for NSW in 1848.

However, the hour was almost up so Fred rode them past the Wentworth Park Greyhound Racing track. Greyhound racing first appeared on Wentworth Park land in 1932. Past the Sydney Fish Markets (best in Australia and we know!), over the wonderful Anzac Bridge again to drop off in the inner west. In conclusion the surprise 80th trike ride was a huge success.

Semi testimonial ?

Hi Katrina,

They had a great time, they absolutely loved it and Fred was wonderful, so patient with us getting them ready for the ride and they said he had excellent knowledge of the places he showed them. Will definitely write a review…

Thank you
Aggie

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/design-your-own-ride/

Explore Sydney Harley ride – Honassan 17.09.22

Honassan is a student from Indonesia and wanted to have a look around Sydney. What better way than on a Harley so he booked the Explore Sydney Harley ride.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Firstly, they rode over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We always tell our passengers to look up and enjoy the unique view. The more than 6,000,000 rivets are so interesting and the arch is so iconic. It’s nicknamed ‘The Coathanger’ because of its arch-based design. It is the largest steel arch bridge in the world.

Kirribilli

Next, they rode past Kirribilli House. Kirribilli House is the secondary official residence of the Prime Minister of Australia. After that, they rode around the corner to Jeffrey Street Wharf. From here, the views across Sydney Harbour towards the Sydney Opera House and the CBD are magnificent. In addition, it also has an up-close view of the side and underneath of the bridge. A perfect place to stop for photos.

The Kirribilli Loop

They rode under the north side of the bridge and continued on their tour. The underside of the northern end of the SHB – Sydney Harbour Bridge – is very interesting. The Kirribilli Loop was finished by riding past Luna Park and the North Sydney Olympic Pool. So far, the Explore Sydney Harley ride was a lot of fun.

Balmoral Beach

Then they rode the back way along the north shore and past the lovely posh Balmoral Beach. Everyone who comes here loves it! Balmoral Beach is not so well known by visitors and tourists, but the stunning natural beauty of the beach and surrounds make it well worth a visit.

Spit Bridge lookout

Crossing the Spit Bridge is fun and then it was a fun ride up a windy hill to the lookout. From there, you can see great views of Middle Harbour. The Spit Bridge is a steel and concrete girder bridge with a bascule lift span. However, the hour was almost up so Phil our rider turned around and went back different route.

Then it was back over the Harbour Bridge and Honassan was dropped back off at his home. In conclusion, the Explore Sydney Harley ride was a huge success. He saw places he never knew existed and saw some beautiful views of Sydney Harbour.

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/the-north-shore-skimmer-trike-tour/

What to do in Sydney? – Glyn + Lisa 16.09.22

What to do in Sydney? That’s a great question. Our passengers are from the UK and were in Brisbane when they did a “what to do in Sydney?” search. We came up, so they booked a tour with us yesterday while they were on the flight to Sydney. Well, we started talking before the flight and finalised it afterwards.

Our trike rider Fred, picked them up from their hotel in the Sydney CBD.

Harbour Bridge Southern Side

Then it was along Hickson Road and under the southern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. What a wonderful view! They continued on down George St and into Circular Quay. Further on they came close to the Sydney Opera House from a different angle. Even as “forever Sydneyites” we never get tired of looking at the Opera House. ?

Then they drove along George St (a major road in Sydney), past Circular Quay to St Mary’s Cathedral.

St Mary’s Cathedral

Past St Mary’s Cathedral which is very impressive, even when riding past. It’s a Gothic Revival architectural building which opened in 1928. It took from 1866 to 1928 to build and has a height of 75m.

Mrs Macquarie’s Point

Luckily, there was still time left so they rode along Art Gallery Road, past the Royal Botanical Gardens to Mrs Macquarie’s Point was next. It has beautiful views looking west towards the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. They ride past Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is an exposed sandstone rock cut into the shape of a bench, on a peninsula in Sydney Harbour. It was hand carved by convicts in 1810, for Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of NSW. The Art Gallery of NSW is also along this road, it’s beautiful historic sandstone buildings were built between 1896 and 1909.

Woolloomooloo and Kings Cross

Next, they rode through the inner eastern suburb of Woolloomoolloo and past the famous Harry Cafe De Wheels. Harry’s Café de Wheels has been serving customers for over 80 years. They make delicious pies, hotdogs and more. Then it was up the hill and through Kings Cross.

Eastern suburbs

Continuing on, they rode through the infamous Kings Cross, though it has calmed down a lot since it’s heyday – home of the famous and huge Coca Cola sign. Kings Cross is also home to nightclubs and ladies of the night though it is not nearly as raunchy as it was in the 1970s (apparently). After there, they headed east through the posh suburbs of the eastern suburbs of Sydney, including the Bays: Rose Bay, Double Bay and Rushcutters Bay.

Watsons Bay and The Gap

North through some upper class suburbs, they rode to “The Gap” and stopped for photos. The view towards North Head and out to the South Pacific Ocean is amazing. The Gap is a spectacular place to lookout from, and it boasts an eclectic selection of flora and fauna for visitors to discover. The cliff itself is made from Sydney Sandstone, making it a part of the Sydney Basin and home to numerous bird and animal species.

The Gap also has a long history as a suicide spot for Sydney, given the easy access, combined with the flat wavecut ledge, and its dramatic location at the extreme edge of the city. A suicide was reported as early as 1863, that of Anne Harrison. She had lived at the Gap Hotel where her husband was licensee in the early 1860s. While there, her young nephew, who was visiting, accidentally fell to his death over The Gap.

She seems to have developed depression and after they had moved to the other side of the city, she took a cab in the middle of the night back to the Gap Hotel. From there she walked to The Gap to take her own life. Since then, there have been many suicides at The Gap or the adjacent cliffs, but also numerous accidental deaths from walking on the cliff top, first recorded in 1868, or from fishermen and others climbing down to the rocks below.

It became a location where someone wishing to disappear might pretend a suicide or accident, and has been used in possible murders made to look like suicides. Unrecorded are the numerous rescues by police, residents and visitors of people attempting suicide or having accidents.
https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/the_gap

North Bondi and Brighton Lookout

Then they turned back as this is as far as you can go on South Head. There are a couple of lookouts at the North Bondi headland. They all offer beautiful views of Bondi Beach and out to the Tasman Sea, part of the South Pacific Ocean. So far, the what to do in Sydney search was a huge success. There is so much to do and see.

Bondi Beach

Next, they drove past the world famous Bondi Beach to the south side. Looking from the two ends of the beach give a different perspective. This is the beach where Bondi Lifeguards of the Bondi Rescue TV series is filmed. When in Sydney it is one of the places you should visit. The beach is seriously nice (but not our favourite) and we usually stop near the lifeguard station, made famous by the TV series “Bondi Rescue”. Bondi Beach is one of the most visited tourist sites in Australia. Bondi Beach is recorded by the Australian Museum that Bondi means place where a fight using boondi sticks (nullas nullas or fighting sticks) took place.

Tamarama + Bronte

Riding further south, along more beautiful, though possibly less well known, beaches. The suburb of Tamarama has a small ocean beach about 1 kilometre south of Bondi Beach and a couple of hundred metres north of Bronte Beach. It is an extremely narrow beach and deceptive for its size. Tamarama Beach is often referred to as Glamarama (or Glamourama), owing to the alleged abundance of glamorous people who sunbathe (often topless), on what must be one of the smallest strips of sand in the state (Wikipedia).

Bronte Beach sits on Nelson Bay, surrounded by Bronte Park. Bronte offers scenic cliff-top walking paths south to Coogee via the Waverley Cemetery and north to Tamarama and Bondi Beach.

Coogee

Next was Coogee Beach, another beautiful beach and slightly more famous than the previous beaches, due to a well known hotel in Coogee. The name Coogee is said to be taken from a local Aboriginal word koojah which means “smelly place”. Another version is koo-chai or koo-jah, both of which mean “the smell of the seaweed drying” in the Bidigal language, or “stinking seaweed”, a reference to the smell of decaying kelp washed up on the beach. Coogee was gazetted as a village in 1838. The first school was built in 1863, and the building was converted into the Coogee Bay Hotel in 1873 (Wikipedia).

However, the 2 hours was up and Fred dropped them off here in Coogee. Here they could continue their exploration of Sydney beaches. It was the prearranged drop off point, we don’t just stop the ride when the time is up ?. In conclusion, the passengers loved their “what to do in Sydney?” tour! They saw so much in a short space of time and had fun doing it. What great memories of their trip to Sydney they have!

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/design-your-own-ride/