Hyde Park Sydney

Located just south of the Central Business District, this 40 acre park has been used for a variety of sporting and recreational activities and for military training drills since the early days of the Colony. In 1810 it was named Hyde Park, after the famous Hyde Park in London, by Governor Macquarie who dedicated the space to "recreation and amusement of the inhabitants of the town and a field of exercises for the troops" In that same year it became the site of the first official horse race in Australia.

Today Hyde Park shows off numerous interesting monuments and two themed gardens. The Nagoya Garden celebrates the relationship of Sydney with it's Japanese sister-city Nagoya. The Sandringham Garden is a memorial to King George V and King George VI. A major focal point at the northern end of the park is the Archibald Fountain donated in 1932 to commemorate Australia's contributions to France during WW1 and, at the southern end, the ANZAC War Memorial which sits at the head of the Lake of Reflections. The Obelisk dedicated by the Mayor of Sydney in 1857, is actually a cleverly disguised sewer vent, something that didn't come out until after its unveiling! There are several other monuments as well, but we'll leave them for you to discover.

In its early years, pedestrians often cut through Hyde Park sometimes interfering with sports activities and today you too may find yourself cutting across this beautiful park as a short cut to several Sydney attractions.

Nearby attractions: Hyde Park Barracks, St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney Tower, and the Australian Museum.

Accommodations near Hyde Park: