The Rocks district of Sydney is what would happen if colonial architecture and modern yuppie culture had an awkward social encounter and a baby nine months later. That might sound bizarre, but walk the cobblestone streets of the Rocks and visit its markets, bars, and theatres and you’ll see what we mean.

The Rocks was one of the first parts of Sydney built upon by European settlers in the late 1700s. In the past few decades especially, old convict homes, storage sheds, and other assorted buildings have been retrofitted and renovated into a popular hub for tourists and locals.

But parking in The Rocks can be hard at best, a nightmare at worst! To make things easier, here’s our advice on where to park in The Rocks.

How to not park in The Rocks: Take Public Transport

Before we get on to where to park in The Rocks, public transport is worth a thought. The Rocks is one of the busiest parts of the Sydney CBD, and one of the hardest to park in. That’s thanks in part to the thin streets designed for horses, rather than Hondas.

Nearby train stations Circular Quay and Wynyard are well connected and easy to get to from most of Sydney’s suburbs. The Rocks is a short walk from either. There are also lots of buses that will get you to The Rocks. Use a transport app like TripGo to find the best route.

Parking further out, then training in

If you’re not near a train or bus line, you could drive part of the way and get the train the rest. For example, you could park near one of the train stations near North Sydney and get the train the rest of the way. This tip can help in other areas as well.

Of course, sometimes public transport isn’t a viable option. When that’s the case, here are your best options for finding parking in The Rocks.

Street parking in The Rocks

Street Parking in The Rocks is difficult, and not cheap. The City of Sydney have a network of parking metres that are checked regularly, and operate both on peak and off peak. Because the Rocks is a busy area with narrow streets, available street parking is taken up quickly.

One area in The Rocks that defies the lack of street parking is Hickson Road in the Wharf District – technically in Millers Point. The Sydney Theatre Company is based here, so four lanes of parking are found along the road, to accommodate theatre-goers. It’s 2 hours maximum between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday, and generally 4 hours maximum outside that time.

If you want to try street parking in The Rocks, leave yourself plenty of time to do so, and have a backup plan.

Most Affordable All Day Parking

With extremely limited street parking at The Rocks, you might be better off trying off-street parking, especially if you need to park for longer than 2 hours. Share with Oscar allows you to easily book cheap parking at The Rocks from just $6/hour or $32/day. Share with Oscar works with businesses, car parks and homeowners with spare parking to offer rates that are over 50% cheaper than if you were to park directly with a car park.

The platform has hundreds of options available in most parts of Sydney, including parking in various parts of Sydney CBD such as Wynyard, Townhall, Central etc. The best part is, once you’ve booked, you may rest assured knowing that you have guaranteed parking for the day.

Book cheap parking at The Rocks via Oscar or check out their mobile app.

Private carparking in the Rocks

Here are some of the nearby secure car parks you can use. These can be a very expensive option, particularly during the workday and if you park overnight. To make the best use of these car parks find one with discounted weekend, evening, or early bird parking rates.

Clocktower: Best located parking in The Rocks

This car park is in a great location for seeing The Rocks, right in the middle of the district. It’s open late, with early bird, weekend, and evening rates available. It’s open 6.00am-1.00am Sunday to Thursday, and 6.00am-2.00am Friday and Saturday.

Monday to Friday Casual Rates:

0 – 0.5 hours: $7
0.5 – 1 hours: $24
1 – 2 hours: $46
2 – 3 hours: $57
3 + hours: $62

Motorbike flat rate $15

Evening flat rate: $15 (enter after 5pm, exit before close)

Weekend and Public Holiday flat rate: $25

Early Bird flat fee: $24 (Arrive between 6am-9:30am, leave between 3:30pm-7pm)

Grosvenor Place: Most expensive parking in The Rocks

Grosvenor Place offers a gated, manned parking facility with elevator. Bike racks are available, and Early Bird parking is available on level B1. It’s only open Monday to Friday between 6.00am and 8.00am, so has no discounted evening or weekend rates. It’s also closed on public holidays.

Casual rates are as follows:

1 hour: $24
2 hours: $44
3 hours: $54
3+ hours: $64

Early Bird flat fee: $35 (Arrive between 6am-9:30am, leave between 3:30pm-8pm)

Overseas Passenger Terminal: Cheapest parking in The Rocks (when it’s open)

Wilson Parking operates parking here when there are no ships in port. You can check the shipping schedule here. When there aren’t ships in port, it’s a 24 hour garage and charges a flat daily fee of $25, which is very cheap parking for The Rocks!

So as long as it’s open, this is one of the best options for parking in The Rocks.

Parking fees: $25 daily flat rate

Quay West: Best value parking in The Rocks

This car park is one of the most flexible in the area, with discounted weekend, evening, and Early Bird rates available. It’s open until until 1.00am Monday to Thursday, until 2.00am Friday and Saturday, and until midnight on Sundays and public holidays.

This car park offers some slight discounts if you pre-book your parking online. It also has dedicated cruise parking, if you’re getting on a ship at the Overseas Passenger Terminal. It’s a minimum 4 day, maximum 40 day booking, with rates starting from $30.50 a day.

Monday to Friday casual rates are:

0-0.5 hours: $7
0.5-1 hours: $24
1-2. hours: $46
2-3 hours: $56
3+ hours: $59

Motorbike flat rate $10

Evening flat rate: $15 (enter after 5pm, exit before close)

Weekend and Public Holiday flat rate: $20

Early Bird flat fee: $22 (Arrive between 6am-9:30am, leave between 3:30pm-8pm)

The Rocks: Enjoy the walk!

Remember, once you get to The Rocks, it’s a very walkable area. In fact, the sights and sounds of the district are best enjoyed on foot, from street level. Whether you’re there to soak up some culture, soak up some sun, or soak up some beverages at a local pub or hotel, you’re sure to have a good time.

If you’re spending a lot of time in Sydney and are having more and more trouble parking, remember that owning a car in the first place isn’t mandatory! GoGet has thousands of cars located all across Sydney, which our members can access whenever they need them, by the hour or by the day.

If you think it’d be nice to have 24/7 access to hatchbacks, SUVs, vans, and convertibles near you, you should really consider giving GoGet a shot.

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Where to park in The Rocks: A guide to parking in The Rocks, Sydney