Trike Harley family ride – McKenzie Family 05.11.24

The trike Harley family ride was organised by Mum. The family from Broome WA came to Sydney for a concert (not sure which one). They stayed a few days to experience our wonderful city of Sydney. Mum wanted her kids to have an experience to remember! Our Harley Davidson rider and Chopper 3 trike rider picked them up from their hotel.

Hyde Park

Firstly, they rode past Australia’s oldest park which is also one of the most well-known. Hyde Park offers 16 hectares of wide open space in the heart of central Sydney.

The Anzac Memorial

Also, this took them past the Anzac Memorial at the southern end of Hyde Park. It honours all who served in the AIF (Australian Imperial Force) during the WW1, including those who had returned.

Mrs Macquarie’s Point

Secondly, we went to Mrs Macquarie’s Point. It has beautiful views looking west towards the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. They ride past Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is an exposed sandstone rock cut into the shape of a bench, on a peninsula in Sydney Harbour. It was hand carved by convicts in 1810, for Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of NSW.

However, for some reason our riders and passengers were not allowed to stop. Even an internet search hasn’t come up with any reason. Maybe it was the Melbourne Cup, maybe it wasn’t 🤷‍♀️.

Art Gallery of NSW

Along this road is the Art Gallery of NSW. It’s beautiful historic sandstone buildings were built between 1896 and 1909. The Art Gallery of New South Wales began without a collection and without a building on 24 April 1871 when a group of 30 art-loving citizens established a society to support artists and promote knowledge and enjoyment of art in the wider community. In 1874 they secured government support for their project and by 1880 they had their own dedicated building, the first of its kind in Australia.

Macquarie Street

They did a few turns and headed north so they rode along Macquarie Street. It is the location of the main governmental institutions of NSW: Parliament House, Government House, and the Law Courts Building (which houses the Supreme Court of New South Wales). There is so much history behind Macquarie St. and the buildings that front it.

In the years since its founding in 1788, Sydney had developed organically, and by the early 1800s was lacking in major public buildings, and had a complex network of narrow streets. The supply of drinking water and waste management was also becoming an issue. Governor Macquarie initiated the construction of Sydney’s first public buildings of any real permanence and set the boundaries of Sydney’s grid of streets, laying out the street in 1810.

Opera House

Then, they rode further north west and this brought them to the iconic Sydney Opera House. We can’t ride close but you can see it from a different angle to the usual. The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, but completed by an Australian architectural team headed by Peter Hall, the building was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Riding further, they rode over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We always tell our passengers to look up and enjoy the unique view. he more than 6,000,000 rivets are so interesting and the arch is so iconic. It’s nicknamed ‘The Coathanger’ because of its arch-based design. It is the largest steel arch bridge in the world. This bridge is the eighth longest spanning-arch bridge in the world and the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 m (440 ft) from top to water level. It was also the world’s widest long-span bridge, at 48.8 m (160 ft) wide, until a bridge in Canada was completed in 2012.

Kirribilli’s famous jacaranda street

Every year, between mid October and late November, thousands of people descend on Kirribilli’s streets to marvel at the purple canopy created by the 30 jacaranda trees that line McDougall Street. We show our passengers them during some of our tours, including this one. Already, the Trike Harley family ride was fun and informative.

Kirribilli

Next, they rode past Kirribilli House. Kirribilli House is the secondary official residence of the Prime Minister of Australia. Further on is Admiralty House. It is the Sydney residence of the Governor-General and one of the most historic and important residences on Sydney Harbour. The house – originally called ‘Wotonga’ – was built in the mid 1800’s.

After that, they rode around the corner to Jeffrey Street Wharf. From here, the views across Sydney Harbour towards the Sydney Opera House and the CBD are magnificent. In addition, it also has an up-close view of the side and underneath of the bridge. A perfect place to stop for photos, it’s where this photo was taken. What a great view of the Sydney Opera House!

The Kirribilli Loop

They rode under the north side of the bridge and continued on their tour. The underside of the northern end of the SHB – Sydney Harbour Bridge – is very interesting. The Kirribilli Loop was finished by riding past Luna Park and the North Sydney Olympic Pool.

Then, it was back over the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the drop off.

Circular Quay

Lastly, they rode through Circular Quay. Often referred to as the “gateway to Sydney”, the precinct has views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House and is a common location for viewing Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks. It hosts a number of ferry wharves, bus stops, and a railway station.

The 4 passengers were dropped off at Circular Quay. From here, they could continue their exploration of Sydney. In conclusion, the Trike Harley family ride was a success! The kids sure had a fun and memorable experience – as did mum!

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