Hyde Park

About Hyde Park

Hyde Park is a big park in the middle of Sydney. Named after Hyde Park in London, the Hyde Park of Sydney is located on the eastern side of the Sydney Central Business District and is the southernmost of a chain of parkland that extends from Port Jackson in Sydney Harbour. Hyde Park is approximate rectangle - it is squared at the southern end and rounded at the northern end. Hyde Park is bordered to the west by Elizabeth Street, to the east by College Street, to the north by St James Road and Prince Albert Road and to the south by Liverpool Street.

Among the sights around Hyde Park's boundaries are the Supreme Court of New South Wales, St. James Church, Hyde Park Barracks and Sydney Hospital to the north, St Mary's Cathedral and the Australian Museum to the east, the Downing Centre to the south, the David Jones Limited flagship store and the Sydney Central Business District to the west. Park Street bisects Hyde Park in the middle from east to west.

The Sydney Hyde Park was named after the original Hyde Park in London. The park has been around since 1792. The area was first used as Sydney's first racecourse and was later as a cricket ground. At the centre of Hyde Park is the Archibald Fountain, opened in 1932. It honours Australia's contribution to the Great War in France. At the northern end of Hyde Park are the Nagoya Gardens. It features a giant outdoor chess set and the entrance to the underground St. James railway station.

At the southern end of Hyde Park is the ANZAC War Memorial located behind the 'Lake of Reflections' or 'Pool of Remembrance' and the entrances to the Museum railway station. A monument consisting of a 104-millimetre gun from the German light cruiser SMS Emden stands at the south-eastern, Oxford Street entry of Hyde Park.

At the western end, or Elizabeth Street side, at the Bathurst Street entrance of Hyde Park is a 125 foot obelisk decorated with Egyptian features. The obelisk was erected in 1857 and unveiled by the then Mayor, George Thornton. The obelisk is in fact a sewer vent. Further south is another Middle Eastern inspired monument to the fallen Sydneysiders of the Great War.

The Sandringham Gardens are located on the eastern side of Hyde Park near the intersection of Park Street and College Street.

There are approximately 580 trees in Hyde Park. They include Moreton Bay Figs, Palms and other trees. Hyde Park is famed for its magnificent fig tree lined avenues. Unfortunately, in 2005, a number of these trees had to be chopped down due to disease. A draft is now being considered on the removal and replacement of about 230 diseased trees in Hyde Park.

Getting there

Nearest CityRail Station: Museum, St James

Nearby Sights

Anzac War Memorial

Australian Museum

Hyde Park Barracks

Queen Victoria Building

St Andrew's Cathedral

Great Synagogue

Lands Department Building

Marble Bar

Martin Place

Museum of Sydney

State Theatre

Strand Arcade

Hyde Park Location Map

View Hyde Park in a larger map

Captain Cook's Statue, Hyde Park
Author: J Bar (cc-by-sa-3.0)

Source Attribution: Wikitravel and Wikipedia

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