When the sizeable estate that Elizabeth Bay House formerly sat on was subdivided in the 1920s — with the mansion remaining, but its grounds broken up — the move eventually gave rise to Arthur McElhone Reserve. Named for a Sydney alderman and designed by council employee Ilmar Berzins, it sits on three old lots that remained unsold in the 1940s.

Whether you decide to peer back at the house or down at Sydney Harbour, you'll find a peaceful patch of nature. Bringing a picnic and relaxing among the flowers is recommended. So is checking out the ornamental lake and its stone bridge.