6 Head’s enviable position in Circular Quay on the edge of Sydney Harbour makes it one of the most highly regarded waterfront restaurants in Sydney, not to mention the world.
Planning a visit to 6 Head? Here are four famous and historic sights you can soak in right from your table.
Sydney Opera House
Easily Australia’s most famous and instantly recognisable piece of architecture, the Sydney Opera House is at the top of the must-see list for visitors and locals alike. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon in 1957, this UNESCO World Heritage site is considered a paragon of modern expressionist design, featuring a towering series of precast concrete “shells” set on a monumental podium. Each shell is comprised of a chevron pattern of 1,056,006 tiles in two colours: glossy white and matte cream.
Traditionally used for classical performances and piano recitals, today the Opera House is home to a vast array of concerts, talks and events, including the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, and Vivid Sydney, when the Lighting of the Sails turns the surfaces of the landmark into a canvas for brilliant colour projections.
Those enjoying the awe-inspiring sight of the Opera House up close on a sunny day might even be lucky enough to spot Benny the resident Opera House seal sunning himself on the harbourside steps.
Campbell’s Cove
Campbell’s Cove on the east side of The Rocks is named after Robert Campbell, a pioneering merchant in Sydney, a landowner, pastoralist, philanthropist and politician.
The area is home to Campbell’s Stores, which are the surviving element of a complex of wharves and stores that began in 1801 with the construction by Robert Campbell of the first privately owned wharf in Australia.
Today, Campbell’s Cove represents a superb example of mid-nineteenth century warehouse buildings, now a rarity in Sydney. 6 Head sits among this historic landmark in a pristinely preserved 1839 heritage building crafted from chiselled sandstone and hand-sawed timbers. 6 Head’s prime location in Campbell’s Cove sets us apart as one of the best waterfront venues in Sydney.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge, affectionately known as the ‘Coathanger’, is a heritage-listed steel through arch bridge stretching across Sydney Harbour between the CBD and the North Shore. The bridge is a major thoroughfare and supports 204 trains, 160,435 vehicles and 1650 bicycles on a daily basis.
The steel component of the bridge contains 6 million hand-driven rivets, with four decorative 89-metre-high pylons at the corners, each made of concrete and faced with granite. The surface area of the bridge that requires painting on a regular basis is equal to about the surface area of 60 sports fields. The bridge also has huge hinges to absorb the expansion caused by the sun. You can spot the hinges and climb the stairs to cross the bridge on foot at the base of the pylons.
For those not satisfied with admiring from afar, BridgeClimb Sydney offers the chance to climb to the summit and take in the sights of Sydney Harbour and surrounds from the bridge’s apex.
Sydney Cove Passenger Terminal
Sydney Cove Passenger Terminal played an important early role as a public gateway to Sydney, with commercial shipping operations on and around the site dating back to 1792. As the first point of entry for many immigrants during the post-World War II period, the terminal has significant cultural value – especially for families with migrant descendants.
The current structure and waterfront promenade you see today was originally built in 1958, with ongoing alterations and land reclamation taking place throughout the late 20th century. The current design retains the black steel portal frame trusses of the original 1958 structure, with major additions completed in the Post-War International Style by Sydney architects Lawrence Nield and Peter Tonkin.
Look towards the Passenger Terminal from your dining space at 6 Head and you’re likely to spot an impressive cruise ship like the Queen Mary II, Voyager of the Seas or Ovation of the Seas moored alongside the dock.
Experience the breathtaking sights of Sydney Harbour for yourself at 6 Head: Sydney’s premier waterfront dining venue. Make a reservation online.
