mum + sisters trike tour – Jodi, Sandy + Sara 17.09.26

The mum + sisters trike tour in Sydney, was for their mum’s birthday. They decided to come along for the ride as well. Our trike rider picked them up from outside a restaurant in Little Manly.

Little Manly

Little Manly is a calm, family-friendly harbor beach and cove located on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, about a 10-minute walk from Manly Wharf.

Manly Wharf

Firstly, they rode past Manly Wharf which is a heritage-listed passenger terminal wharf. No longer just a wharf, this area has restaurants and bars. If coming here by ferry, this is where you will land. They rode along the foreshore and up the hill.

Arabanoo lookout at Dobroyd Head

Up the hill and out of Manly to Arabanoo lookout at Dobroyd Head. It offers fantastic views over to North Head and South Head and the expansive Pacific Ocean. It’s where this photo was taken. To the right, just out of the photo is South Head.

Named in honour of Aboriginal man Arabanoo, the first Aboriginal man to live among European settlers, the lookout is a great spot for some whale watching. There are a few signs and monuments around the lookout that provide some historical information about the significance of the area.

Clontarf

Next, they rode through Clontarf (Irish: Cluain Tarbh, meaning “meadow of the bull”). It is a suburb of northern Sydney, 13 km NE of the CBD. The son of Queen Victoria, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, visited Clontarf in 1868 where he was shot in the back by an Irishman, Henry James O’Farrell. Alfred was saved because the bullet struck him at a point where his India-rubber braces, holding his trousers up, crossed over. The bullet was deflected around his rib-cage and did no major harm.

Seaforth

They headed to Seaforth lookout which faces towards the Spit. Seaforth was named after Loch Seaforth and Seaforth Island in Scotland. The land in this area was once owned by Henry Halloran, who subdivided it in 1906. The Seaforth library was built in 1887 and protected by heritage listing by Manly Council in 1995. Already, the mum + sisters trike tour in Sydney, has shown some beautiful sights.

Middle Harbour

Middle Harbour is a major northern arm of Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson), characterised as a deep, drowned river valley. Known for its scenic, rugged bushland, it offers popular recreational boating, kayaking, and fishing, along with numerous bays, beaches, and walking tracks. Key features include the Spit and Roseville Bridges, Bantry Bay, and Garigal National Park. 

The Spit

Then, it was through Spit, which is a suburb in its own right. It protrudes off Beauty Point and is home to the Spit Bridge, a bascule bridge opened in 1958 over Middle Harbour. The bridge opens at set times to allow yachts with high masts to pass. They had to wait for the Spit Bridge to close before they could cross. Crossing the Spit Bridge is fun, it has great views of Middle Harbour.

Balmoral Burn

Amazingly, the Balmoral Burn is the next experience. Phil Kearns AM, came up with the idea of running up Mosman’s Awaba St as a way to raise funds. It was to say thank you to the Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) after one of his sons received emergency care, for suspected meningococcal. It started 25 years ago and is now called The Balmoral Burn.

At its steepest the gradient is nearly 30%, and over its length it rises about 70 metres (230 ft). So far, $33.7 million has been raised! Wow! This time they headed down the hill/Burn.

Balmoral Beach

Riding on, they rode 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. The mum + sisters trike tour in Sydney, for mum’s birthday was already showing our passengers some beautiful and unique places and views!

Mosman

Through the busy suburb of Mosman. It is named after Archibald Mosman (1799–1863) and his twin brother George, who moved onto a 4-acre (16,000 m²) land grant in the area in 1831. They were involved in shipping, and founded a whaling station on a bay in the harbour, which became known as Mosman’s Bay.

Taronga Zoo

Down past Taronga Zoo. They stopped to watch the koalas feeding in the trees – this won’t happen on every tour. Taronga Zoo, officially opened in October 1916, began as a project of the NSW Zoological Society in 1881, eventually moving to its current location on Mosman in Sydney Harbour. The zoo’s history extends back to 1884 when the first public zoo in Sydney was established at Billy Goat Swamp in Moore Park.

Taronga has an absolute commitment to the conservation of wildlife in Australia and around the world.

“We are committed to the conservation of native species, with active involvement in breed and release programs, habitat recovery and the rehabilitation and release of injured or orphaned wildlife.”
Taronga is a not-for-profit. Every dollar you spend saves wildlife.

Interestingly, Taronga is an Aboriginal word meaning “beautiful view”. Divided into various zoogeographic regions, the 28-hectare (69-acre) Taronga Zoo Sydney is home to more than 5,000 animals of approximately 350 different species. Well worth a visit!

Bradleys Head

Continuing on, they rode down the hill to Bradleys Head. It has wonderful views across Sydney Harbour to the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and the CBD. It’s in the suburb of Mosman and is one of Sydney Harbour’s most prominent natural features. First Fleet officers observed and named it, almost every ship entering Sydney Harbour has sailed past it. It possesses Aboriginal, military and naval associations, and it has for many years been the location of various recreational activities. The mum + sisters trike tour in Sydney, was a fun, memorable and interesting experience.

However, half the hour tour was well and truly over, so they turned and headed north east. They rode to a lookout on the south side of the Spit. It has beautiful views over Middle Harbour and back to Clontarf. Beauty Point takes its name from the piece of land protruding into the Middle Harbour, off Sydney Harbour. It was originally known as Billy Goat Point, but was renamed when it was subdivided to be sold.

Then it was through the suburbs, back past Manly Wharf to drop off at the restaurant in Little Manly.

In conclusion, the mum + sisters trike tour in Sydney was a definitely fun, unique and memorable experience. One of the best birthday presents EVER!

Feel the Freedom!

or just email trevor@trolltours.com.au and tell us what you would like to do.