Kirribilli Sydney, Photography Location Review

Kirribilli in Sydney would be my ‘sentimental favourite’ place to capture photos of Sydney Harbour as it was the first place I photographed after purchasing my first camera.

At the time, I had done a lot of searching online for great Sydney photography locations (this was before the days of Photography Hot Spots – my first website) and after seeing so many great photos taken from Kirribilli, I couldn’t wait to get there!

Since then, I have been back many times since. I simply love taking landscape photos at Kirribilli.

Actually, I am sure you can probably pick the photo I took on that fateful morning on this page. The HDR is a little overdone…

Kirribilli Fun Facts

The name ‘Kirribilli’ is derived from the Aboriginal word ‘Kiarabilli’, which means ‘good fishing spot’. So it might be worth packing the fishing rod next to the tripod when you do decide to visit this location.

This landscape photo taken from Kirribilli, shows some of the interesting foreground elements that you can find along the foreshore (HDR Image | Sunrise | 2013)

How to photograph Kirribilli

As you can hopefully see from the photos and will read in this article, Kirribilli makes for a fantastic landscape photography location. It would certainly be in my top 3 and potentially even my number 1 best Sydney photography location.

Sydney Harbour Bridge & Sydney Opera House

One of the main reasons photographers travel to Kirribilli is because you can capture both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House in one shot, not to mention the rest of the city skyline.

Another great alternative to this composition is simply filling up your frame with a gorgeous up-close shot of the historic Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Jeffrey Street Wharf

There are many other significant objects to photograph at Kirribilli and things that you can use to fill up the foreground of your photo if needed.

For example, Jeffrey Street Wharf would be one of those objects. Especially in the moments leading up to sunrise or just after sunset. At this time, you will find Jeffrey Street Wharf lit up like a Christmas tree, producing different coloured lights that dance along the water.

Add this element, the glow of the city and the lights from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and you are left with a location tailor-made for landscape photography.

Captain Henry Waterhouse Reserve

If you continue left along the path and past Jeffrey Street Wharf, you will come to the foreshore of Kirribilli. Here you have a grassed area, a large sandstone platform and the remnants of old brick walls that once stood along the water line but are now scattered along the ground. This area also makes for some exciting photography opportunities.

Copes Lookout & Mary Booth Lookout Reserve

There are two lookouts at Kirribilli in Copes Lookout and Mary Booth Lookout which can be found in an elevated position back from the water’s edge. I don’t believe that I have photographed the Sydney skyline from these vantage points and only came across them when doing some research for this review.

I am now keen to head back to Kirribilli to check them out and will update this photography location review once done.

The best time to photograph Kirribilli

This is one of those rare locations that you could visit at any time of the day or night and capture various brilliant photographs.

However, if I had to be more specific, just before sunrise and just after sunset would be the best times to capture amazing photos at Kirribilli in Sydney. This follows the logic of any good landscape photographer, taking advantage of the golden and blue hours, so nothing new there.

At sunrise, the sun will rise from your left, if you are facing the Sydney skyline from Kirribilli, and in the afternoon to your right. Hopefully, this gives you some bearing on the position of the sun and how you want to best capture this location.

Getting to Kirribilli

The fact that Kirribilli is located not far from Sydney’s CBD means that it is easily accessible via public transport, with Milsons Point train station not too far away. If, on the other hand, you are not a fan of trains (and let’s face it, who is), you can always catch a ferry across the harbour and get off at Jeffrey Street Wharf.

Because it is on the other side of the harbour and not directly in the middle of Sydney, it is also a little bit easier to navigate if you drive there.

Once there, though, there isn’t an abundance of parking. So if you can get there early enough, you should be okay. But as the day wears on, you will find it more and more challenging to secure a spot as people visit Kirribilli and Milsons Point.

I am sure that you guessed it by now but this is the image that I referred to in the opening of this article. It was one of my very first HDR landscape photos that I ever took. Yes, it is a bit overdone but I still love this image. The experience of getting up early, capturing this photo, processing it and then seeing the results ignited my passion for landscape photography. (HDR Image | Sunrise | 2010)

The Final Verdict!

Out of 10, I would give Kirribilli a perfect 10!

As I have mentioned throughout this photography location review, Kirribilli offers so much variety to a landscape photographer that you should hopefully always come away with at least one ‘keeper’.

You can capture the whole Sydney Skyline or look to isolate and photograph one of the iconic Sydney structures is impressive enough. Add to this the ever-changing elements depending on the day, time, weather, what is happening in Sydney as well as the multiple features you can use to fill your foreground and you will love grabbing your camera and visiting Kirribilli.

If you like Kirribilli, check out Milsons Point

If you have been to Kirribilli or go and fall in love with this location, then the other place you should visit is Milsons Point. Milsons Point is just on the other side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and is only a short walk from Kirribilli.

From here, you can capture a different angle of the Sydney skyline, which is pretty cool, with the Sydney Opera House peaking out from below the Sydney Harbour Bridge. But more than that, you also have another iconic Sydney attraction in the smiling face which is the entry into Luna Park.

Keep heading past Luna Park, and eventually, you will come to the secluded Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay.

I hope this has been helpful.

Enjoy!