When I have enough time on a Sydney layover, I usually head to Watsons Bay.
I walk down Pitt Street toward Circular Quay, with a stop at Gelatissimo in The Rocks at 73 George Street. From there I head to Wharf 2, checking the departure board in case the ferry has moved, and take the F9 toward Watsons Bay.
Transport for NSW lists the F9 route between Circular Quay, Rose Bay and Watsons Bay.
Tap on with the watch
For a layover, I don't bother buying an Opal card and putting money on it that I may never use again. Sydney Ferries accepts contactless payment, so I use the card in my watch instead. There's no advance top-up, and Transport for NSW charges the same adult fare as an Opal card.
Tap on at the reader before boarding and tap off with the same watch at Watsons Bay. That's about all there is to it.
Transport for NSW has the contactless details here.
Across the harbour
The ferry ride is part of the trip. Leaving Circular Quay gives you a good look at the Harbour Bridge from the water, and across the harbour you pass Kirribilli House.
Kirribilli House is one of the official residences available to Australia's prime minister. Unless you know it's there, it can look like another large house on the waterfront.
The ferry stops at Rose Bay before continuing to Watsons Bay. One of the details I like there is the seaplane dock next to the ferry wharf. Sometimes there's an old de Havilland Beaver sitting at the dock. You won't necessarily see one every time, but when it's there it's hard to miss.
Then the ferry heads back out into the harbour for the last section to Watsons Bay.
Watsons Bay
Doyles on the Beach is close to the ferry terminal. The Doyle family traces the restaurant back to 1885, when the family was selling its catch from the site. More than five generations later, it's still a family-run seafood restaurant.
It's a good place for fish, and from the waterfront you can look west across the harbour toward the city and the Harbour Bridge.
I normally leave Doyles until later.
From the ferry terminal I follow the waterfront, walk to the end of the seawall and continue around toward Cliff Street and Camp Cove.
Camp Cove and Hornby Lighthouse
Camp Cove is a small beach inside the harbour, with the Camp Cove Kiosk near the eastern end. I usually walk past the kiosk first rather than stopping there.
Beyond it is the South Head walk toward Hornby Lighthouse. The trail follows the headland around the entrance to Sydney Harbour, passing old military positions and opening up toward the Pacific.
Hornby Lighthouse is the red-and-white striped lighthouse at South Head. It was built in 1858 after the wreck of the Dunbar, a disaster that showed how difficult the harbour entrance could be to identify at night. The lighthouse became an additional navigation mark at the entrance to Port Jackson.
NSW National Parks has the history of Hornby Lighthouse and details of the South Head Heritage Trail.
I normally make the lighthouse loop first. If I stop at Camp Cove before the walk, there's a good chance I won't be very interested in leaving the beach again.
On the way back I stop at the kiosk for something small, then spend some time at Camp Cove. If the weather and water are good, I'll swim.
After that I walk back toward Watsons Bay. If there's enough time left in the layover, I'll have lunch at Doyles before catching the ferry back to Circular Quay.
That's basically the trip: Pitt Street, gelato in The Rocks, the ferry across the harbour, Hornby Lighthouse, a snack and a swim at Camp Cove, then maybe fish at Doyles before heading back.