GENTLE SYDNEY: REMEMBERING NICOLE KIDMAN URBAN KEITH

GENTLE SYDNEY: REMEMBERING NICOLE KIDMAN URBAN KEITH

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GENTLE SYDNEY: REMEMBERING NICOLE KIDMAN URBAN KEITH

GENTLE SYDNEY: REMEMBERING NICOLE KIDMAN URBAN KEITH, I discovered a travel essay I had written a few years prior about how Nic and Keith’s wedding had captured the attention of Manly Sydney, a coastal district of Sydney, while going over tales I had written in the previous few years.

 

WHY GO?

If you’re visiting Sydney, Manly is a 30-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay. It’s a lovely seaside suburb with great beaches, walking paths and a swag of good restaurants along the palm tree-lined Corso.

WHERE TO STAY

The Sebel Sydney Manly Beach is a boutique hotel located on a tree-lined esplanade on the quiet southern end.

When it opened in 2006, some of the Sebel’s very first guests were friends and relatives of Nic and Keith who attended the wedding.

WHAT TO DO

If you have a car, take a drive up the hill to North Head, where there are spectacular views of the ocean beating against rugged cliffs.

The Fairfax walk starts at the end of North Head Scenic Drive connects three lookouts and provides scenic views of Sydney’s skyline across the harbour.

On the way back down, stop in at the National Artillery Museum and Q Station where, from 1828 to 1984, immigrants entering Australia were quarantined in order to protect the colony from epidemic diseases.

The North Head Quarantine Station has been transformed into Q Station, which has a hotel, conference centre and restaurant complex.

Drop into St Patrick’s Seminary, a heritage-listed sandstone building that is a scene from a Harry Potter movie.

It’s now the International College of Management. Students in neat uniforms stroll around the grounds and along the wood-panelled corridors. Magic classes with Professor Snape anyone?

Sydney is filled with historic buildings and grand architecture so continue your tour of Sydney’s historic sights back in the city.

WHERE TO HAVE A WEDDING?

Nic and Keith exchanged vows in a traditional Catholic ceremony in the Gothic Cardinal Cerretti Chapel, chosen for its stunning outlook, beautiful grounds and layout.

I was told that Le Kiosk was approached but their location wasn’t suitable from a security point of view.

Had it been up to me, Le Kiosk would have won my vote for its fabulous position on Shelly Beach and dazzling views across the bay. Le Kiosk closed in 2014. The building is now a cafe called The Boathouse.

These days, Q Station is one of the best places for a wedding.

You can arrive by boat and be married on the heritage wharf overlooking Quarantine Beach, or on the picturesque grassy slopes of North Head, with Sydney Harbour as your backdrop.

THE BEST THING ABOUT MANLY IS…

The beach.

Go surfing, swimming or sun baking. Walk along Marine Parade, the promenade that hugs the shore. Another fun way to enjoy the beach is to join a volleyball class.

WHERE SHOULD I EAT?

Four Olives Deli for chorizo, bratwurst, Italian-style salamis and a mind-boggling variety of imported cheeses.

The Pantry Manly for a great location with beach views and a satisfying menu.

Garfish Manly for a seafood feast.

Christina Pfeiffer was a guest of Tourism New South Wales.