From sleaze to bohemia to yoga and health food, Kings Cross has a flair for reinventing itself. This bustling inner district, long renowned for its seedy side, has been transformed into a welcoming precinct filled with cafés, restaurants and boutiques. Visit Kings Cross’ restaurants and theaters, admire interwar architecture and seek traces of a past world.
Buy a coffee and do some people-watching from a park bench at Fitzroy Gardens. This small city park is beloved by locals and by the white ibis birds that patrol the paths.
Admire the El Alamein Fountain, a masterpiece of modernist design commemorating Australian soldiers who fought in northern Egypt during World War II. Hundreds of small spray heads are arranged around a bronze sphere, combining to resemble a watery dandelion. Watch the fountain shimmer in the wind and look for rainbows in the mist.
Kings Cross was not just Sydney’s vice capital but also an important literary and artistic hub. Linger in a café with your notebook and join in the area’s rich bohemian heritage. Prominent Australian writers and artists such as Kenneth Slessor, Dame Mary Gilmore and William Dobell have all lived here. Look for bronze plaques honoring a range of cultural luminaries as well as less prestigious figures. Learn about local occultists, Communist jazz musicians and much-loved drag queens as you go.
Take a pleasant stroll down tree-lined Macleay Street until you arrive at the Yellow House. This sunny-colored terrace functioned as an art gallery in the 1950s before housing an important artist collective, which included Brett Whiteley and Martin Sharp, among other major figures. Visit the website to check the artistic schedule or to book dinner at the restaurant.
Travel to Kings Cross easily by train or bus. Parking is limited, but taxis are available in this popular nightlife destination. Complete your visit with a walk down the historic McElhone Stairs to the docklands of Woolloomooloo, where waterfront pubs and an iconic pie cart await.
