Who doesn’t love the idea of a secret photography location? A spot that isn’t well known, hidden out of sight, or maybe undervalued by others. In this article, I thought it would be fun to explore a number of secret photography spots in Sydney!

I have found that the best secret photograph locations are the ones that you either stumble upon entirely by accident or someone you know shares them with you.

So, here you go! 😀

What constitutes a Secret Photography Location in Sydney

Firstly, I wanted to put some ‘rules’ around what would constitute a ‘secret photography spot in Sydney’.

Secret Photography Spot

When thinking about what would be defined as a secret photography location, I decided upon the following criteria:

The spot is hidden:

A location could be classified as hidden if the spot is away from areas that get a lot of foot traffic, is challenging to travel to or is not a place that people would think to go.

Not a lot of photos get taken there:

It should be a spot where you wouldn’t see too many photos taken from and shared on social media or blogs.

The spot is undervalued:

This might contradict the first point I came up with in this list. Still, sometimes the best secret photography location is hiding in plain sight and is overlooked in favour of other photography locations.

The spot is close to, or in Sydney

In the context of what gets classified as ‘Sydney’, I decided that a spot should meet the following criteria:

Places in Sydney:

Each secret photography location on this list has to be within walking distance of an area like Circular Quay. My hope is that if you park your car in the heart of Sydney, you will be able to reach each of these spots without too much effort.

But you should also ensure that you wear a good pair of walking shoes. 😉

You can see Sydney:

On the other hand, if you couldn’t walk to this location in Sydney, I decided that you should at least be able to see the Sydney skyline. This point opens up additional secret photograph spots that can be found in the outer reaches of Sydney.

I feel that with these checks in place, I can present you with a ‘true’ Sydney secret photography location list! 🙂

My list of Secret photography spots in Sydney

As a landscape photographer, you don’t often go to secret photography locations all that often. And for obvious reasons – their secret! 😆

So, narrowing this list down to those Sydney photography locations that I felt met my own criteria and that I had photographed was a little tricky. Tricky in terms of there was actually not a lot to include…

However, after delving deep into my photo archives, I finally came up with the following list of secret photography spots in Sydney:

As with most of my photography location lists, I did decide to order these spots in my preferred preference. So the last spot in this article is what I would consider my favourite Sydney secret photography location.

And it is most definitely a little controversial! 🤯

Queens Beach, Vaucluse

A photo of Queens Beach in Vaucluse

Queens Beach is a secret sunset photography location in Sydney that can be found in the beautiful suburb of Vaucluse. As you can see in this photo, there are a variety of great rock formations close to the water, which look great in the foreground of your photos. I then love that you can see Sydney up in the distance. This combination makes for amazing landscape photos. And the best thing is that Queens Beach is fairly secluded! (HDR Image, Nikon D300s, 10mm | December 2013 | Sunset)

  • Best time to photograph: Sunset
  • Google Map: Link

Queens Beach in Vaucluse is a small hidden beach with a fantastic view of Sydney! Adding to the incredible vista is Shark Island, which is positioned between Queens Beach and Sydney and adds another element of interest to your landscape photos.

I was first told about Queens Beach by a good friend and talented landscape photographer, Alex Taylor. Alex instantly recognised this spot as a great Sydney photography location that not many people knew about.

I have only visited this location once, shortly after being told about it, and it was a spot that I planned to return to. Unfortunately, and if I was to be honest, after visiting Queens Beach, I kind of forgot about it. 🤦🏻‍♂️

It wasn’t until I started planning this list and which secret photography locations I wanted to include that it popped back into my mind. I didn’t forget about Queens Beach because it is not a stunning place. It is more because it is hidden and out of sight that I didn’t think to return.

Side Note: I have a ‘Notes’ file on my Mac that I add locations to that I want to visit or revisit. I have re-added Queens Beach to that list, so it doesn’t escape my attention again.

You do have a variety of rocks on the edges of Queens Beach, given the way the beach falls into the landscape. Each of these rocks is of various shapes, sizes and textures, which can be used to provide additional interest in your photos. I think it is pretty cool to take a picture of what is essentially a beach scene but have the Sydney Skyline visible in the distance.

For the best chances of capturing a stunning photo, visit Queens Beach in the evening, in time for sunset.

Whilst there, you might also enjoy the Hermitage Foreshore Walk or pack a picnic and appreciate an afternoon with friends and family.

Argyle Stairs, The Rocks

A photo of Argyle Stairs in The Rocks

I love the mood of the Argyle Stairs. I do actually have a version of this photo in black and white, which I also think looks great and is well-suited to this location. There are a few options on where you set up your tripod and camera. You can position yourself in front of the entrance to the Argyle Stairs, the twist in the walkway at the top of the stairs, where I have captured this photo, and from along the top of the Argyle Bridge. (HDR Image, Nikon D300s, 10mm | June 2013 | Taken one rainy morning before sunrise)

  • Best time to photograph: Sunrise, Sunset or at Night
  • Google Map: Link

The Argyle Stairs are tucked away under the Argyle Bridge in The Rocks. These stairs connect Argyle Street with Cumberland Street above. It is also only a short distance from the Bridge Stairs, which will be discussed next in this article. Sorry, spoilers! 😜

The Argyle Stairs were constructed in the early 1900s and have a great vintage look, which comes through in photos taken from here.

The beautiful cement archway that signals the entrance to Argyle Stairs is quite photogenic. The stairs then lead up and away from this entrance, adding an excellent perspective to the scene. Especially as contrasting nicely against the sandstone wall, on either side of the stairs, is an array of moss and small plants that add additional colour and interest.

I also like that lining the stairs and Gloucester Walk beyond are beautiful old curved street lights. Each of these looks great in photos and does help to give the scene an aged feel.

I first came across these stairs when moving between places like Observatory Hill and the Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal. The spot in which I took the photo you see above was at the top of the Argyle Stairs. Here a section of the path turns back quickly and takes you up towards the Argyle Bridge.

If it is drizzling in Sydney, consider making your way to the Argyle Stairs. I think the rain provides a nice sheen to the paved and concreted area, which helps enhance the photos you might capture here.

I would also recommend ‘stepping up’ and combining the Argyle Stairs and the Bridge Stairs in a sunrise photography shoot.

No, seriously, that is a good idea. 😄

Bridge Stairs, The Rocks

A photo of the Bridge Stairs in The Rocks

The Bridge Stairs is one of those secret photography locations people don’t think to visit to photograph Sydney. From this vantage point, you get quite a unique perspective of the Sydney Opera House. And as landscape photographers, that is what we are looking for… Something that makes our photos different from the many others being captured each day. Plus, as the name suggests, this stairwell leads you onto the Sydney Habour Bridge. Yet, another place that might be undervalued to take photos from instead of it being the main subject. (HDR Image, Nikon D300s, 24mm | August 2013 | Sunrise)

  • Best time to photograph: Sunrise
  • Google Map: Link

I still remember seeing a photo on the ‘Visit NSW Facebook page‘ way back in 2013, with a stunning photo taken from the Sydney Bridge Stairs. It was certainly a scroll stopper, and at the time, I didn’t know exactly where it was taken.

Thankfully, I found it in the coming weeks, and while I couldn’t get a photo to the level of the one I had seen, it was still a location I enjoyed photographing.

The Bridge Stairs contains some interesting elements that can be incorporated into your photos. This includes the cement stairs, walls, and the street light that is situated there. Each piece adds some uniqueness to potential compositions.

You can see across the rooftops and pubs in The Rocks from the top level of the Bridge Stairs and across to the Sydney Opera House. In a way, the Bridge Stairs is probably best for layering.

What I mean by this is that you have the details I mentioned above in the stairs, which would be in the front of your composition, then the buildings in the middle and the Sydney Opera House in the distance.

I have also been and taken photos from the Bridge Stairs during Vivid – see the final image at the end of this article. While not the first place I recommend photographing during Vivid, it offers something different if you have exhausted other spots in Sydney.

The Strand Arcade, Sydney

The Strand Arcade in Sydney

The Strand Arcade is located in the heart of Sydney and on your typical, busy, everyday city street. However, as you enter this arcade, you are instantly transported into another world. The change is incredible! You could walk along George Street and not enter the Strand Aracade, yet be none the wiser that you have just missed a fantastic photography spot. That is why I have included the Strand Arcade in this list of secret photography locations in Sydney. That and the fact that I would love to revisit it with my camera and snap more photos of its gorgeous interior. (HDR Image, Nikon D300s, 10mm | During the day | December 2012)

  • Best time to photograph: During the day
  • Google Map: Link

While many people might know about the Strand Arcade, its beauty surprises you as you step off George Street and into the arcade for the first time. That transition from a busy city street to instantly stunning ‘Harry Potter’ like shop fronts causes some amazement.

That wonder and unexpectancy (yes, apparently that is a word) are why I have included the Strand Arcade as a secret photography spot in this list.

In that sense, the Strand Aracade is also tucked away, another criterion for defining a secret photography spot.

As a photography location, the Strand Arcade is one of the most photogenic places in Sydney. The shopping centre’s details, colours and symmetry make for incredible interior photos.

I also included the Strand Arcade in my list of Sydney buildings to photograph. Here I spoke about its charm and charisma and how you might best go about capturing it. As mentioned in that article, heading up to the second level could be your best option when taking photos here.

And please, be careful not to impede shoppers making their way from one store to the next.

Harbour Masters Steps, The Rocks

A photo of the Harbour Masters Steps in Sydney

The Harbour Masters Steps is a great photography spot, hidden in plain view. If you have been to Sydney, you have probably walked past this location at some stage. I love it for two reasons… For the textures and grit, it provides when shooting wide – like what you see in this photo. But you can get down close to position yourself just above the water and shoot across to the Sydney Opera House. I have another photo of this exact composition taken on the same morning as the image above. It provides you with yet another different angle to photograph this iconic building. (HDR Image, Nikon D300s, 10mm | October 2013 | Sunrise)

  • Best time to photograph: Sunrise
  • Google Map: Link

I first came across the Harbour Masters Steps early one morning, entirely by accident. I was walking around from the start of Circular Quay, where the Ferry Terminal is, in a rush to get a good spot at Hickson Road Reserve to photograph the sunrise.

I was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw these wide, stained stairs leading down into the waters of Sydney Habour!

Apparently, a drop-off and pick-up point for Sydney’s water taxis, the Habour Masters Steps, is located just down from the Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal.

I really like the photo I captured of the Harbour Masters Steps as it provides something different in the foreground from what you would typically see, with the Sydney Opera House in the distance.

The Harbour Masters Steps offer great textures in the cement stairs leading down into the water. Due to exposure to water, various metal poles and railings have rusted and discoloured the walls. Several lights also help accentuate areas and add further interest to the scene.

Another thing I like about photographing from the Harbour Masters Steps is that you can get down low and just above the waters of Sydney Harbour. This means that you are kind of shooting up at the Sydney Opera House from across the water. This, again, offers something a little different from other Sydney landscape photography locations.

The Harbour Masters Steps is one of those secret photography locations hiding right before you! 🔍

Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden

A photo taken near Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay

I really love this image as it was one that I took heading back to the car, and at the time, I wasn’t sure if it would work out. Thankfully, it did, and at the time, in 2014, it was my second or third image that was shared on some of the larger Facebook Pages, which made me feel even more chuffed with the image. You can kind of see Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden to the left in this image… (Single Exposure, Nikon D300s, 10mm | May 2014 | Night-time)

  • Best time to photograph: Sunrise, Sunset or at Night
  • Google Map: Link

At this point, I haven’t actually photographed Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden during the day. Either at sunrise or sunset. This is a real shame as I think very highly of this little garden tucked away in Lavender Bay.

In fact, I think that highly of this spot, that above any other place in Sydney, this was the one that I chose to propose to my ex-wife.

So, if you were to visit Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden during the day, while small, it contains beautiful large trees and well-tended gardens. All this with an incredible view of Sydney, including such iconic places as Luna Park, the Sydney Habour Bridge and Sydney Tower.

I first stumbled across Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden one evening when visiting Milsons Point to photograph Vivid from across the Harbour. On that particular outing, I took the photo that you see above.

After that, I had luck finding parking spots in Lavender Bay when I wanted to visit this area. Plus, I enjoyed the walk down the long staircase, popular with fitness fanatics, past Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden and over to Luna Park.

Another secret Sydney photography location might very well be Lavender Street. From here, you get a different but still fantastic composition of Sydney from above the rooftops, with various trees adding extra splashes of colour. Especially when the jacaranda trees are in bloom.

Sydney Opera House – Close Up

My secret Sydney Opera House photo spot

I love photographing the Sydney Opera House, and there is something special in capturing it close up! Getting a uniquely different photo of the Sydney Opera House these days is tough. But isolating the smaller sail and capturing that is a greatly undervalued photography spot. So much so that I think this is the biggest secret photography spot in Sydney, and it’s in front of one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks! Of course, I could also be way off in my assumption, and not everyone will agree. But it is a fun thought. (HDR Image, Nikon D300s, 11mm | October 2013 | Before sunrise)

  • Best time to photograph: Sunrise
  • Google Map: Link

I thought that I would save the Sydney Opera House as a secret Sydney photography spot until the very end. One, because this is, in my opinion, the best-kept secret in Sydney, and I can’t believe more people don’t capture it. And two, I was worried that if I had listed it at the start, you might have thought that I didn’t know what I was speaking about and left! 😱

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most photographed buildings in Sydney, so how could it possibly be a secret photography location?!

Hear me out…

Sometimes the most secret photography locations are hiding in plain sight. A theme that I have stuck to throughout this article.

Therefore, I have listed photographing the Sydney Opera House right up close as a secret Sydney photography location.

The Sydney Opera House is stunning, and I absolutely love photographing it. I enjoy photographing it so much that I wrote an article dedicated to the best photography locations to capture the Sydney Opera House.

However, I don’t see many photos of this iconic structure close up, isolating one of the small sails from the rest of the building. I have a few images taken from this spot, which completely changes how you look and feel about the Sydney Opera House. They nearly look otherworldly…

I would say that 99% of the images that you see of the Sydney Opera House are taken from afar. So the next time you consider visiting Sydney to photograph the Sydney Opera House, I encourage you to set your camera and tripod up right next to it. 🙂

Download free ebook, My favourite Australian photography locations

A photo of Vivid taken from the Bridge Stairs in Sydney

I mentioned this photo earlier in the article. It is taken from the Bridge Stairs in The Rocks during the Vivid Sydney Light Festival. Again, it is something different and potentially not a spot everyone would consider photographing from during Vivid. (Single Exposure, Nikon D300s, 26mm | May 2013 | Night-time)

What is your secret photography spot in Sydney?!

As I mentioned at the start of this article, we don’t often take pictures of ‘secret locations’ as landscape photographers. We usually travel to spots that are local to us or, more so, these days, we have seen a place on social media that we would also love to capture.

And I guess that last reason is why some people can be quite discreet about secret photography locations they don’t want others to find.

However, as you have probably guessed, I don’t have those worries and genuinely hope this resource has helped you. It helped you not only discover a few new secret photography spots in Sydney that you might not have known about but also to keep a look out for what might be a new and undiscovered photography location.

And if you do find a new spot and would like to share it with myself and others, please jump over to the ‘Grab Your Camera Facebook page‘ and post your photos and information there.

Until next time, stay awesome!

Thanks,
Rob Potter