On one of our trips to Sydney last year, we had a free day to fill in and thought we would go for a drive to Palm Beach which is where Home & Away is filmed (fictitiously named Summer Bay) on the northern beaches of Sydney. If you don’t have enough time to do your own Home and Away Tour independently, there’s plenty of other things to do in Sydney if you only have a short period of time.
I could think of a million reasons to visit Australia but I’m not sure visiting Summer Bay would be one of them However the tours are very popular with visitors from the UK where Home and Away has been showing for just as many years as here. I suppose Summer Bay, where it’s summer all year round would be very appealing to people living in the UK!
The drive there in itself is an experience, as its fair to say, its a pretty nice part of town to reside in! You will pass some of the most expensive parts of the city. It’s a short drive depending on traffic (as with everywhere in Sydney) it takes approximately 1 hour give or take a few minutes. If you have the extra time, take the coastal drive, its very pretty. See below for directions:
What was really interesting though, is that the area that they film the show in is not very big, a lot of the scenes are filmed on set and there are only a few spots around Palm Beach that are used for filming. Funnily, now every episode I watch I can picture exactly were they are and where they are heading. There are only two areas that are distinctly marked with Summer Bay and that’s Alf’s Bait Shop and the Summer Bay Surf Club and Kiosk with Angelo’s on top of course.
There is a cafe where the diner is believed to be but it looks nothing like the diner on Home & Away and it is not filmed there, the diner is a set. Charlotte’s house above the diner is there & appears to be filmed there, although the inside of Charlotte’s unit is also a set.
The pier is located straight outside Alf’s Bait Shop, the Diner and Charlotte’s unit. In the show this pier looks like it goes on forever but I hate to disappoint, this is the shortest pier I think I have ever seen. Its amazing that the camera makes it look so much longer than it is. Anyway here’s the photos of our few hours in Summer Bay.
Now the kiosk, Summer Bay Surf Club and Salt Restaurant are a short walk from the above location. You can drive round and park again and have another look around. I had to comment that the local council down there isn’t too silly, as they must have had an increase in visitors so have decided to put in parking meters!
Some of our most loved shots from the program, anytime someones gets hurt, attacked or needs to have a private conversation, you might recognise this place! Most recently Kat the young beautiful copper in Summer Bay was drugged by Charlotte and had her firearm and handcuffs stolen by Charlotte right in this location!
Last but not least, I have to include some of the ridiculously beautiful coastline that it is filmed on and you will recognise them from when any of the characters are walking on the beach. Or sitting on the fence peering out to the ocean, there are plenty of those scenes, Ricky’s a good one for peering at the ocean, as was Brax and Madi, pondering her fate after her cancer scare.
The worst thing about my visit to Summer Bay was the fact that it was a Sunday, no chance what so ever to have a perve on the hottie Nate as he paddles up to the sand on his kayak, now that would have really made my day!
Its worth a visit if you’re out that way or you’re a Home & Away tragic just like me! But a champagne lunch cruise on the Harbour is a much better choice if you haven’t done that yet either! LOL! Here are plenty of free things to do in Sydney, this is just one of them unless of course you want to purchase a coffee at the diner!
When in Sydney we stay at Drummoyne Serviced Apartments, a reasonable priced inner west apartment that will fit the whole family. We spent Australia Day in Sydney a few years ago and they really know how to put on a party! A few of my other favourite things to do in Sydney include climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and visiting Taroonga Park Zoo, they are definite must do activities to add to your bucket list!
Happy travels,
Sal & Co.
Did you get the inside word on who killed Charlotte? Shame you missed Nate!!
Hi Anne,
No I didn’t but I reckon it was her son, I haven’t heard of any of the main characters leaving the show!
As long as it wasn’t Nate, the hottie!!