The Rocks Walking Tour

6:00pm Thursday & Saturday from Cadmans Cottage.

Uncover The Rocks District

Join us and we’ll delve deeper into the history of The Rocks, the site of Australia’s first European settlement. We’ll explore its lane ways, pubs, and historical buildings and share with you its stories of murders, muggings and mysteries.

What we'll cover

– The Rocks’ Laneways
– Historic Pubs and Breweries
– Australia’s Largest Bank Robbery
– The First Hanging in Sydney
– Convicts, Sailors and Rocks’ Characters
– Murders and Mysteries
– Sydney City’s Oldest House
– Observatory Hill
– Foundation Park
– The Rocks Today
– Susannah Place
– The Plague in Sydney
– The Big Dig archaeological site

Happy snaps

How are we free?

Our tours are offered on a “pay what you think it’s worth” model so people of any budget are able to turn up and enjoy the tour and discover and learn the stories and history of The Rocks.

6:00pm Tues, Thurs & Sat

we’ll see you soon!

At I'm Free we're all about

100% Local Sydney guides

All I’m Free guides are experienced and knowledgeable locals who are excited to show you around their hometown.

100% Independent advice

We’re all about being real! Each of us will share with you our honest, local advice about where to explore, eat or drink. We are never paid to promote or advertise to you.

5% of profits to charity

To give back to the community around us, 5% of all tour profits are donated to a local charity chosen by all the guides.

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Reviews

We think we rock The Rocks, but don’t take our word for it, checkout what others think.

Great tour which shows far more than just the Opera house and Harbour Bridge. We learnt a lot about the history of the City and picked up loads of tips and useful information.

Too bad I did not take the tour on my first day. It would have been very helpful on organizing my visit to key places.

Great tour to start your stay in Sydney. Best value for your dollar to get the lay of the land.

In short: The one and only walking tour you wanna do in Sydney. Great overview over the city, great tourguides and great tips and hints from locals what there is in Sydney apart from what the guidebooks tell.

Just finished the free Walking Tour and it was brilliant. Really informative and fun, detailed enough that it’s worth doing whether you’re on holiday or live in the area!

FAQs

Do I need to book ahead?

We currently require bookings so that we can manage numbers and safety during the pandemic.

Once we can, we will return to allowing people to show up to a tour time that suits them. Until then you can book online and we’ll see you soon.

We are a group of 10 or more, can book on a tour?

Unfortunately, no. Due to a limitation on the numbers on one tour at the moment it would mean other participants wouldn’t be able to join. Instead we can organise a private tour for you, so flick us an email and we can talk.

Is the tour ever cancelled?

Nope. Not due to weather, we walk rain, hail or shine!

We do however, take the current health situation very seriously. In the unlikely event that your guide is at all unwell before the tour and we can’t replace the guide at short notice we may have reschedule. Equally if you’re not feeling well please let us know and we’ll be happy to reschedule your booking to another time when you’re feeling 100%.

I'm lost. How do I get to the start of the tour?

The Rocks at 6pm tour starts from the waterside of Cadmans Cottage in the Rocks, between the Overseas Passenger Terminal and the Museum of Contemporary Art. It is also a 5 minute walk from Circular quay train station west along the water front. Click here for Google Maps directions.

Where does the tour end?

‘The Rocks at 6pm’ tour ends in the Rocks no more than a 5 minute walk from where we started and your guide will be happy to point you in the right direction to where you need to go.

Is this tour wheelchair and/or pram friendly?

Unfortunately due to the historical nature of the Rocks district ‘The Rocks’ tour is not accessible for wheelchairs. We have had plenty of prams join us on the Rocks tour. If you’re happy to carry the pram up a few flights of stairs it is very manageable.

Can I do this tour and the 'Sydney Sights' tour on the same day?

Yes! The Sydney sights tour finishes next to the Rocks district and a short walk from the start of The Rocks tour, giving you plenty of time to explore The Rocks markets or find a nice cafe or pub for a post tour lunch.

Is this a walking tour? How fast is the pace?

It is a walking tour. This tour is only 2-2.5km (1.2-1.5 miles) in total. Due to the historic nature of The Rocks precinct it does have some stairs and up hills at points. However we walk at a leisurely pace, stopping to speak at regular intervals along the way.

Will my kids enjoy this tour?

Our tours are designed to be suitable for people of all ages. Over the years we have toured a wide variety of audiences of all ages and backgrounds including many families and children.

Do you offer this tour in languages other than English?

At the moment we only offer tours in English.