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Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian
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Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian

By Journey Walks
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
About
Founded as a convict colony, Sydney’s history is simply fascinating. Discover it with a local historian on this small-group walking tour of The Rocks, which wraps up inside a converted 19th Century storehouse with a cobblestone beer-garden. See a scale model of the area in Customs House; visit historic slums, speakeasies, and ruins in The Rocks’ cobbled lanes; and hear tales of derring-do as you visit the landmarks in Macquarie Place.
from
HK$273.40
per adult
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 16-80, max of 15 per group
Duration: 2h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More

Highlights
  • Explore The Rocks, Sydney’s historic heart, with a local historian
  • Numbers are capped at just 14 travelers for a more intimate experience
  • Visit around 20 different sites, each with its own captivating story
  • Conclude your tour at an historic cobblestone beer-garden with a chance to make new friends over a drink

  • A local Sydney crime historian as your tour guide
  • 2.5 hour walking tour covering approximately 20 historic sites and stories
  • Tour finishes in the heart of The Rocks beside historic pubs and cafes with local recommendations
  • A visit inside Customs House to discover scale model of Sydney from above
  • A visual folder with historic imagery, maps and portraits of the area presented by your guide
  • Entry/Admission - Customs House
  • Entry/Admission - Macquarie Place Park
  • Entry/Admission - The Argyle
What's not included
  • Food is not included on this tour, but your tour guide will have fantastic local recommendations
  • Gratuities


Start:
  • Customs House, 31 Alfred St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
    This tour meets in front of CUSTOMS HOUSE (31 Alfred Street Circular Quay). Your guide will be located outside the building on right hand-side if facing the entrance. Your guide will have a white tour folder that says CONVICT HISTORY TOUR and will check you in.
End:
  • Endeavour Tap Rooms, 39/43 Argyle St, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia

  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 48144P1

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • We continue our tours in all weather conditions so please dress accordingly. Umbrella's are a good idea if wet weather seems likely.
  • Due to the layout of The Rocks, some stairs are unavoidable at certain points along the way, but majority of the route follows flat terrain.
  • Anyone requiring special assistance is kindly asked to make contact with your local operator in advance.
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are advised that this tour may include the names and images of people who are now deceased.
  • Your guide is a native English speaker and will carry tour folder with A3 size images to help illustrate the area's past
  • Groups are kept small (10 person maximum) and we encourage questions and interaction.
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travellers can participate
  • Your guide will ensure that Covid-safe social distancing measures and a contact free policy is in place throughout the tour
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travellers

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

Which attractions will I visit with Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian?
How much is Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian?
Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian price starts from HK$273.37. Discover and book Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian on Tripadvisor
What is the Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian cancellation policy?
Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian on Tripadvisor
Which company provides Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian?
Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian is hosted by Journey Walks. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Journey Walks on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian on Tripadvisor

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 48144P1

Reserve your spot

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • You'll start at
    Customs House
    31 Alfred St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
    This tour meets in front of CUSTOMS HOUSE (31 Alfred Street Circular Quay). Your guide will be located outside the building on right hand-side if facing the entrance. Your guide will have a white tour folder that says CONVICT HISTORY TOUR and will check you in.
    See address & details
  • 1
    Journey Walks
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
  • 2
    Customs House
    Stop: 10 minutes - Admission included
    See details
  • 3
    Tank Stream Fountain
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
  • 4
    The Rocks
    Stop: 80 minutes
    See details
  • 5
    The Argyle
    Stop: 10 minutes - Admission included
    See details
  • You'll end at
    Endeavour Tap Rooms
    39/43 Argyle St, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia
    See address & details
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
  • Journey Walks
    344
    Australia
    Joined in September 2016
  • emm3cee
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brings history to life
    Fascinating walking tour with Lucy around 1920s crime hotspots in Surry Hills and Darlinghurst. Informative and entertaining with loads of facts and stories of people that bring the locations to life. Good value for 2 hours.
    Written 5 November 2023
  • F4729TZsuel
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Once Upon a Crime in Paddington - a great few hours of history
    Max from Journey Walks took us on a fabulous walking tour today - Once Upon a Crime in Paddington. Having spent a lot of his younger years in Paddington, Max brought with him not only amazing knowledge but an obvious passion and love for the area. My husband and I have lived in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs for most of our lives and yet we were taken down narrow alleyways and heard stories we’d never known of before. We were with a group of about 10. Max did not use a microphone and yet we heard every word he spoke. It was really great and we can highly recommend the outing. The presentation was so professional that I would expect all the tours on offer would be worth doing.
    Written 7 October 2023
  • Jane M
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loved the Paddington crime tour
    Did the "Once upon a Crime in Paddington" walk and loved it. Max was fantastic - an engaging storyteller and has clearly done his own meticulous research (no Googling here!). I live in the area and hadn't heard any of the stories before. It was well paced, with drinks in a pub along the way and a drink together on the rooftop of a pub afterwards. Definitely value for money and a great way to spend the afternoon. Thoroughly recommended.
    Written 17 August 2022
  • mckay61
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Paddington Crime Tour
    This was a fantastic informative tour about the crimes in Paddington, Max is very engaging and knowledgable guide, would highly recommend this or any one of his tours to anyone from Sydney or visiting Sydney
    Written 11 August 2022
  • wendyjL9516ZG
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Paddington Crime Tour
    We recently went on a Paddington Crime tour, I would thoroughly recommend doing this tour. Max was very informative and I learnt many interesting historical events that took place. The buildings in Paddington are full of character and Max shares the events that took place. We will all definitely book another tour with Max next time we are in Sydney!! Max was an excellent communicator with my initial enquirers 😊😊😊
    Written 11 August 2022
  • Christine R
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fabulous walk through Balmain East
    We went on a walking tour organised through The Fenwick at Balmain. The tour went for over two hours and centred around East Balmain. Max was our guide and he was extremely knowledgeable. He’d done a lot of research and relayed some fascinating and funny stories! His voice was loud and clear too! Highly recommend Journey Walks!
    Written 26 May 2022
  • Pallidan
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Exceptional
    We did this tour 2 April 2022. Max, the tour guide, was exceptional. The tour was over three hours and was extremely interesting, information very well presented and a truly great experience. Highly recommended.
    Written 2 April 2022
  • kategreen12018
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An Incredible Tour!
    For newcomers and locals alike, this is an incredibly interesting tour of Sydney's iconic suburb, Kings Cross. Max takes you on a truly engaging and scandalous social history tour of Kings Cross and its neighbouring suburbs. Max was an informative and very knowledgeable guide and historical story teller. A 'must do' in Sydney!
    Written 16 January 2022
  • EliseY39
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating Balmain East historical tour
    We did the Balmain East tour with lunch at the Fenwick afterwards. Max was a fantastic tour guide and incredibly well researched. We found out about the human side of the history of Balmain which made the tour so much more interesting. Lunch at the Fenwick afterwards was fantastic and we found the whole day very reasonably priced for the tour and lunch. Will be booking again!
    Written 24 May 2021
  • N6839RZandrewm
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    East Balmain Historical Walking Tour
    We really enjoyed the passion that our tour guide (Max) had with respect to the history of East Balmain. Max was very informative and he was able to impart his knowledge with great enthusiasm - sometimes history tours can be a little "boring", but Max had the ability of making the tour very interesting and enlightening. The walk was not too physical either so it would suit people of all age groups. The walking tour was conducted at respectful pace and there was plenty of time to take in the surrounds. Would certainly recommend this particular walking tour for tourists, locals and Sydney siders in general.
    Written 9 May 2021
  • Jane P
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    much more than we had imagined
    we'd expected this to be a nice 90 ramble around East Balmain before lunch at Fenwick. It was that and much much more. Great research, engaging and interesting tour guide, loads of fun info and then a three-course lunch. A top day -- all for a very very reasonable price. Now booking on to all the Journey walks we can find!
    Written 7 May 2021
  • Samantha B
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    East Balmain tour - Fascinating trip back in time!
    Loved this fascinating tour of East Balmain. Max has a great passion and a wealth of knowledge about the history of the area which he brought alive with an array of entertaining stories about the life and times of the colourful characters who have lived here over the years. I particularly enjoyed the historic photos and pictures he showed us to illustrate how things used to look and how they have changed through time. All together a wonderful way to spend an afternoon topped off with a fabulous meal at historic The Fenwick!
    Written 5 May 2021
  • Woollahra2025
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best Walking tour
    We were very lucky to secure a couple of places in the inaugural East Balmain walk with Journey Walks followed by an sumptuous lunch at The Fenwick. Our guide - Max was the best prepared and personable tour guide we have ever experienced. He not only knew the history but made it especially interesting by adding stories of the people who lived and worked the area such that the places we visited really came to life. This is a not to be missed opportunity to discover local treasures in a very enjoyable couple of hours.
    Written 5 May 2021
  • toriafly
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing Balmain walking tour
    We did the inaugural East Balmain walking tour with Journey Tours followed by lunch at the Fenwick. Would highly recommend. Max was great - very informative and enthusiastic about the East Balmain area. He had great props and wonderful stories which made the two hours pass fast. The lunch at the Fenwick was also delicious and very generous. Really good value day covering local history!
    Written 4 May 2021
  • TheRealRoberto
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    History buff’s delight
    A fascinating insight to another time brought to life by our enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide April. Walking in the footsteps of the legendary characters brought the stories to life. April’s commentary bordered on performance at times and her passion for the subject matter was clear and greatly enhanced the experience. Make sure you wear good walking shoes - it’s called Surry Hills for a reason. Well worthwhile.
    Written 2 May 2021
See all 344 reviews
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles223 reviews
Excellent
221
Very good
2
Average
0
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0
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MissP1
London, UK8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
This was an excellent tour lasting around two and a half hours which absolutely brought the history of the original penal colony and the early development of the city of Sydney to life. We visited several different sites in The Rocks which had all been significant with pictures and anecdotes about the many events and characters who played their different parts along the way. It was really fascinating and would highly recommend to anyone looking to find out how this great city began.
Written 26 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tassylass
Burnie, Australia364 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Max was fabulous ! Engaging and well informed he spoke clearly and loudly. For 2.5 hours he took us through laneways and buildings capturing a vivid picture of life in early NSW. Tom’s perspective on how Europeans impacted on Aborigines ; smallpox, loss of traditional hunting practices and disregard with their pollution of the environment made some in our group think of that impact with a better understanding than previously. Tom used humour and stories about different historical figures adding to the enjoyment of our tour.
Note- there are several sets of steps and some uneven surfaces.
Written 3 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

hopkinsr
Melbourne, Australia3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022 • Couples
Fantastic tour. We all loved it. Max filled the tour with stories that make you really understand how the convicts lived and the city of Sydney was built. Not omitting the impact on our indigenous peoples. All Australians should walk this tour. Thanks Max!
Written 11 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lynne C
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Friends
Excellent tour with a very knowledgeable guide. Max's presentation of the history of Sydney Cove and The Rocks was very entertaining and informative. We were only in Sydney for a few days, with our main focus being a couple of shows, but we thought we would add a couple of short tours in as well - very glad we selected this one. Highly recommended.
Written 22 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Duminda W
Canada7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
I did the Convicts and the Rocks Tour with Max during a visit to Sydney. It was simply fantastic. Max is exceptionally knowledgeable, an excellent story teller and clearly well versed in (and passionate about) Australian and Sydney history. His ability to weave together historical facts, architectural highlights in the city and memorable stories meant that the 2 and half tour simply flew by. I would highly recommend the tour to any visit to the city.
Written 4 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sarah C
Ashtead, UK1,290 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Having found ourselves unexpectedly in Sydney for a few extra days we booked this, SO pleased we did, it was the best Walking Tour we have ever done, anywhere.

"Young Max" was enthusiastic, informative, interesting and showed (taught, not that it felt too studious) us so much about the first settlers, the social history (with a world perspective), quirky facts, peculiar remnants still visible, if only one knows where to look!

The tour was billed as 2.5 hours and the time just whizzed by. And with only four of us on this tour it felt really personal and we all asked questions, with which Max was more than happy to engage.

Highly recommended!
Written 28 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

733doctor
Manchester, UK183 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2022
Max our guide has such a wealth if knowledge that he brought Sydney alive for me .He completely mesmerized me with tales from convicts arriving ,the people officers and the prisoners how they coped with their meagre existant working hard to make the heart and bones if this beautiful city . If it's the only thing you do book this tour with Max he is an amazing historian who takes you back to the past. . Definitely not to be missed
Written 7 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gail M
Sydney, Australia16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2021
Today my sister and I joined this walking tour with April who took us on a journey into the past history of Sydney Cove and the Rocks area. As descendants of the First Fleet, we thought we knew a little of our history, but we quickly realised that April was far more knowledgeable on the subject. Her enthusiasm was contagious and her stories were captivating! Highly recommend this tour!
Written 11 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Suzy G
Port Augusta, South Australia, Australia26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
The enthusiasm of our guide "young Max", was contagious from the get-go. The walk was so interesting and informative, and one of the best "tours" I have ever done. My husband and children (11 and 8) were equally engaged. The Rocks really came alive for me. I could visualise the rich history, and now also know what to look for in the walls and paths - that shed more light on the establishment of the area. Max's interesting anecdotes and depth of knowledge were remarkable, and not just limited to the subject of the tour. Highly recommend. PS the last story at the Argyle was my personal favourite!
Written 13 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RiseM
Stamford, CT18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
Sydney has a fascinating history and Max, our guide, brought it to life in an engaging, often witty way. He has done his homework and his stories about Sydney’s famous and infamous characters gave us a great perspective on this charming city. The tour is a “don’t miss”!
Written 18 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Convicts and The Rocks: Sydney's Walking Tour Led by Historian provided by Journey Walks