Sydney’s famous North Head at the northern entry to Sydney Harbour is set to reopen to visitors in the next few weeks, after being closed for over two years due to fire and landslips. 

 

The upgrades to the popular viewing spot include two new lookouts, upgrades to the walking tracks, as well as new green spaces, and thousands of new plants. 

‘North Head is a much loved place for Manly locals and visitors to Sydney, because it has a unique combination of incredible nature, history, and peacefulness, all just a stone’s throw away from the city centre,’ said NSW Minister for Environment, James Griffin.

The two new lookouts, Burragula, which peers across Sydney Harbour towards South Head and the city, and Yiningma, which face north for views along the clifftops to Blue Fish Point, have been designed to reflect North Head’s cultural significance as a previous gathering place for teaching and ceremonies.

 

View across to South Head and the city | Photo by Destination NSW

 

Co-designed by Aboriginal design company Bangawarra and local Manly architects CHROFI, each lookout features a different Aboriginal totem relevant to the area. 

‘The lookouts feature magnificent local Sydney sandstone that has been engraved with Aboriginal totems of whales, which can be seen from North Head as they migrate, and long-nosed bandicoots, which are often found scurrying around as the sun sets,’ said Mr Griffin. 

NSW National Parks has also replanted 10,000 new native trees and shrubs in the area and created a 2,500 square metre turfed recreation space, all of which is expected to open in March.

 

Feature photo thanks to Andrew Gregory; Destination NSW