Sydney is a seriously cool city, but it’s not always easy to get around. Areas like the CBD and the Inner West are well-serviced by trains, but some of the best things to see and do in Sydney are more remote.
There are over 100 beaches in Sydney, probably just as many hiking trails, and 50 national parks and conservation areas within the Sydney region, some harder to access than others. To visit some of these secret spots in Sydney, it helps to have a vehicle, as the bus and train networks will only get you so far.
However, what if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of owning a car? They’re expensive and parking is always at a premium, with many apartments not including car spaces.
If you’re looking for an amazing way to have your own car in Sydney, without the expense, I can recommend a great car share company called Popcar. I recently paired with them to experience their cars and can say it’s a super convenient and easy way to have your own car, either by the hour or the day.
I’ve written this post to let you know how Popcar works, if you’re thinking of trying it out, along with some awesome ideas of places you can visit in Northern Sydney—that aren’t accessible without a car. Here’s my Poplar review!
Popcar–How It Works
I must confess, I didn’t know much about car renting in Sydney until recently, other than through ‘traditional’ suppliers like Avis. While car rental companies serve a purpose, you need to go to one of their depots to pick up a car, complete paperwork, inspect the car for damages, and then return it, filled with petrol. It’s time-consuming and most of the depots are in hard-to-reach spots, like industrial areas.
However, once I learned more about Popcar, it’s a much more straightforward system, which I prefer. Here’s how it works.
Popcar is a membership platform, so the first step is to become a Popcar member—it’s a simple process that involves verifying your driving license and address details. Once you’re approved, you’ll be sent a membership card (the size of a debit card), along with an ID and login details for the Popcar app, which you use to manage your bookings.
Once you’re up and running, make your bookings through the app—select your days, times, vehicle pick-up location, and type of vehicle. If you’re on the Lower North Shore, like me, Popcar has just added a couple locations in Mosman-I picked up from Vista Street, near Spit Junction, which worked really well.
The cars are designed for local day trips or errands, with an allowance of 100km per day.
Arriving at Your Popcar
Once you arrive at the car, tap your blue membership card on the windshield to unlock the car, and away you go! The keys are inside, and always stay there, via a cord—you lock up with your membership card as well.
One of my favourite features about Popcar is that petrol is included–there’s a fuel card inside the car that you use to fill up at any gas station, so you don’t need to pay for car hire plus fuel. Fuel in Sydney is incredibly expensive most of the time, so this is one of Popcar’s best selling points.
Is it affordable? Yes, definitely. Depending on your subscription level, prices start at $5.50 per hour. If you won’t be needing a car often, go for the Standby membership, which has no membership fee and hourly rates start at $9.90—still pretty decent. (Note, rates are current as of September 2020.)
Stepping into my car for the next few days, a Toyota C-HR, I was surprised at how new and clean it was—really awesome to see that fellow drivers looked after the car well.
Car Ownership in Sydney
If you’re comparing car ownership in Sydney to renting a car, consider all of your expenses before purchasing. I find car ownership in Australia more expensive than in the US, where I’m from, as owners need to account for not only the car purchase price, but also high fuel costs, comprehensive insurance, NSW state registration, inspections, and high servicing fees.
If you need a car for daily or regular commuting to work or travel, you may want to own. But if you only need a car on occasion, for things like running errands, day trips, or shopping, Popcar may be a better option, since you get the convenience of car ownership without the ongoing expenses.
Day Out Ideas
If you’re thinking of hiring a Popcar to do some exploring around Sydney, there are plenty of great places to check out. Here are some of my favourite day trip ideas around Northern Sydney, but having a car would also be a good way to explore areas like the Royal National Park in the south, or to get to Sydney suburbs without train access.
With Popcar, you can also take your lovely four-legged friend along—just bring a blanket or carrying case to protect the seats of the car from pet hair.
Here’s a few great Sydney adventures to inspire your next day trip:
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
One of my favourite areas in Sydney for bushwalking, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park occupies 149.8 km² just north of Sydney. It offers coastline, rivers, bushland, hiking trails, and boating, so there’s plenty to do over the course of a day. It’s peaceful and I find it the perfect destination if you want to unwind, relax, and just enjoy nature without large crowds.
First, stop off at the marina for coffee or brunch. The Waterside Bistro at Bobbin Head Marina is set in a picturesque waterfront spot, offering views of the water, dozens and dozens of gorgeous boats and yachts, and bushland. You can also rent boats here, but I find it’s a good first stop for both a bite to eat and bathrooms (there aren’t many facilities throughout the park).
Once you’ve had your fill of coffee (can there ever be too much?), then head off on a walk. There’s plenty of walks in the park for all levels, so pick up a guide at the entrance to learn more.
Sphinx Track
I decided to tackle the Sphinx Track—a 10km walk officially known as the Sphinx Memorial to Bobbin Head Loop Track. Yes, there actually is a Sphinx within the park, carved from sandstone in the 1920s by a returned soldier, in honour of those who lost their lives in World War One. You’ll see it at the start of the trail.
The trail offers plenty of water views, mangroves, lots of bird species, and amazing plant life. I’ve seen wallabies in the park before as well, although not on this visit.
Enjoy the beauty and serenity of the park, especially on a weekday, when there’s hardly anyone there.
Plant Shopping
After enjoying the National Park, stop off at one of the many garden centres in the area. If there’s anything we learned from recent months, it’s that most of us have turned to adopting pets or plants to get through isolation.
However, plants are tricky to get home without a car, so visiting a garden store to pick up some beauties for the apartment is a great idea while you’e out and about.
I popped by Eden Gardens, a sprawling garden store in Macquarie Park that was seemingly made for Instagram and just a short drive from Ku-ring-gai. You’ll find every possible garden plant, indoors and out, that you could want, including a greenhouse for tropical plants and a rare plant section. I’m pretty sure it’s scientifically impossible to go to a garden store (or bookstore) without bringing something home with you, so check it out and see what you can find.
Palm Beach
On my second day of exploring with Popcar, I brought along Apple, my tiny, fluffy friend. It’s awesome that the cars are pet-friendly, as Sydney transport isn’t too pet friendly at all. Dogs aren’t allowed on trains and can only go on buses if in a crate. Uber Pets is an option, but they aren’t cheap. (Of course, service dogs are an exception to the above).
If you’re looking for a fun day out by the coast, I can definitely recommend heading north, up to Palm Beach and Whale Beach. This secluded part of Sydney really feels like another world, even though you’re less than an hour from the city.
Palm Beach offers spectacular views of the coast, Barrenjoey Lighthouse (seen in the header photo above), and dramatic lookouts. You can also see migrating humpback whales here, throughout the winter and spring.
There’s plenty of cafes and restaurants as well, or simply relax with a picnic and watch the surfers. When it comes to bringing your dog on the beach, the Northern Beaches Council states: “Dogs are welcome at the southern end of Station Beach, Palm Beach in a specific area at specific times and days, provided they are on-leash.”
Looking for more unique adventures in Sydney? Check out Cockatoo Island, Vaucluse House, or search for street art in the Inner West.
The Newport
The next stop on your exploration of Northern Sydney should be Pittwater, home to The Newport. This bar and restaurant has some of the best views in Sydney and has been a favourite of mine for a while. Unless you’re a local, it’s a bit tricky to get to, so it’s worth including on your itinerary when you’re out with the car.
Originally known as The Newport Arms, it was bought by the Merivale Group in 2015. It’s a sprawling, waterfront dining spot, with plenty of water views and various kiosks, each with different food and drinks.
I went for the prawn roll, similar to a New England-style lobster roll. Completely delicious, yet light enough to be perfect on a hot day. Just writing this makes me want to go back, sigh.
Popcar Review- the Verdict
Would I recommend Popcar? Definitely, plus I plan on using them again in the future. Think of it as a ‘pay-as-you-go’ car service, without the hassle of dealing with rental car companies. You literally just tap your card on the windshield and can then drive off—it couldn’t be easier.
When you return the car, you park it back in its dedicated car share spot, as indicated by the Council, which means you don’t need to search for a parking spot.
Try it out and let me know what you think!
Note: I experienced Popcar as a guest of the company, but all opinions are my own.