Mrs Macquarie's Chair — Attraction in Sydney

New Year's Eve 2020.

We brought a camera (the Thule camera backpack and some Nikon gear), field umbrella, 2 steel water bottles, phones, a charging brick, iPad, sunglasses. Brooke wished she had worn a bikini under her clothes. I wore cargo shorts, a Kentaro Yoshida t-shirt and a big straw hat from the Taronga zoo. I brought a pad of paper and pencil, whixh

You are not allowed to erect any structure (e.g. a tent or staked canopy) but you can bring umbrellas and whatever you can carry, and they rent chairs. We had a spare blanket and used it to lash our field umbrella to the chair (see picture).

We queued up at 0900; the gate opened at 1000. There were probably 5-10 thousand people ahead of us. By the time we exited the queue into the park, there were another 3-5 thousand people behind us. The queue is well designed though, using every other 5 yards of a field (rugby?). The other 5 yard segments allowed members of groups to go back and forth, to bathrooms, water fountain, etc. See picture. At the gate they check bags

Brooke stepped out of line and went to the Woolworths to get food: bread, PB, honey, nuts, etc. A plastic knife was key. Napkins would have been handy. Or wet naps. That took about 25 minutes. There's various vendors on the ridgeline trail: food, beer, wine. No sushi, no hard liquor. Lots of fries and gyros.

Plenty of seating on arrival, though the best spots get taken quickly. They close the gate when it's full (and they are counting at the gate), which they said happens around 1700. By 1300 it's getting full near the point (see picture). The seating is mainly hillside facing west with lots of big eucalyptus trees obstructing the view but also providing shade. The trick is find info a view of the bridge, shade, and a sufficiently flat bit of ground. Most people end up on a 10-degree slope. This makes the chairs about level and you can rip them back a bit by putting your shoes under them.

If Google lets me, I'll update this as the day goes on and I figure out more. But that's the meat...

Carved directly into sandstone in 1810, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is more than just a seat overlooking the harbor—it is a piece of rock that has quietly witnessed over two centuries of Sydney’s history. Commissioned by Governor Lachlan Macquarie for his wife, Elizabeth, it was hand-hewn by convicts as a simple stone bench. Yet what remains today is something far greater: a landmark where natural beauty, human craftsmanship, and historical memory come together.

The rock itself is striking in its simplicity. Unadorned and weathered by time, it carries the texture and color of Sydney’s sandstone cliffs, reminding visitors of the land on which the city was built. But its beauty lies not only in its physical form—it’s in the way it frames the view. Sitting on the chair, you look out across Sydney Harbour, with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge perfectly in sight, as if history and modernity are meeting in a single panorama.

What makes Mrs Macquarie’s Chair so special is its enduring presence. Generations of Sydneysiders and visitors have stood here, marveled at the same waters, and reflected on the same skyline—though what they saw has changed dramatically with time. The rock has become a silent witness to the transformation of Sydney, from a struggling colony on the edge of the world to one of the most iconic harbors on the planet.

It is a beautiful reminder that sometimes the simplest things—a carved stone, a place to sit, a view—can carry the deepest meaning. Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is not just a tourist stop; it’s a piece of living history, etched into the very...

Went to the gold area of Mrs Macquaries chair for NYE fireworks. Thanks to Facebook Sydney Expert page for tremendous help in planning the trip. I got tickets in August. One person in my family became ill and they gave a refund even though the conditions said no refund. Getting in was easy. They encourage you to get there early but the site could open a couple of hours later with no problem. Queue management was great. Lots of space in the gold area although not as many great views as I thought there would be. Could do with a more detailed map to plan where to sit in advance Stewards mostly helpful and friendly. Good clean toilet facilities with minimal queues and separate male/female sections. Expensive bar which ran out of many drinks. Changed the rules half way through the evening from 4 drinks per person to two drinks per person, which meant for our three person party I had to q twice. Beach chairs were allowed in despite tickets saying they were not allowed so some obstructed views No party atmosphere at all but the fireworks were amazing. Overall worth it for the experience as a visitor to Sydney but would avoid if I was local. Got an Uber really easily from cowpers wharf with minimal surcharge. An...