I live a scooter ride away from Sydney CBD and yet I don’t nearly go there as much as I could. Friends, even strangers will say how lucky I am to live so close to everything. So much is at my doorstep. Yep that’s true. I’m onto it!
The Strand Arcade
Today it’s a visit to the Strand Arcade. I haven’t been here in over 12 years. Back then I wasn’t getting around with any mobility aides. So with fresh eyes I make my way on my mobility scooter. I’ve come in from the George Street entrance where the red trams run.
It is such a rare jewel. It’s Heritage listed and only 3 storeys high. I liken it a bit in the style of the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) that’s only two blocks away. OK, the Strand Arcade is way tinier though.
At one point they were going to pull down the Strand Arcade. Apparently cause it was going to cost too much to fix it up. Their website says I was partially destroyed by fire in the 1970’s. So glad it stayed.
Coffee
Of course there’s a coffee shop or two. It’s halfway down. The coffee is perfect, not bitter, not scalding hot. I ended up moving my mobility scooter behind me cause of passing traffic.
Toilets and the Toilet Map app
The loos are upstairs. Thank goodness I have the scooter as the lift is all the way down the end at the Pitt Street entrance. The lift fits my small scooter with around 15cm to spare so I wouldn’t bring anything not portable. You’d be sorely disappointed.
The loos I found on Level 3 were only OK if you could walk up a step. I’m glad I didn’t come up alone. I needed help. There’s a step to get up to the toilet but there’s handrails on each side. Obviously my scooter was left outside.
I never found the disabled one but on the government toilet map says it exists on Level 4. It is such a good app. I downloaded months ago and I didn’t even bother looking…doh.
If your ever visiting Australia the toiletmap.gov.au app it is very worthwhile. It’s pretty accurate and full of info. Just check out the accuracy for the Strand Arcade. It shows that it closes at 4 before the shops do. Great to know.
Dezzie 2024
Strand Arcade History https://www.strandarcade.com.au/centre-info/our-story
Australian National Toilet Map App https://toiletmap.gov.au/
Travels with my Scooter 