Sydney Travel Guide Autumn 2024

The menus are a collection of unique modern Australian favours, woven together by inspiration from the legend himself, James Squire.

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WELCOME

On behalf of the City of Sydney, I am pleased to welcome you to our beautiful harbourside home, and to our vibrant neighbourhoods and villages that are just a quick trip from our city centre.

Having a glittering harbour and pristine beaches so close to our city centre makes Sydney a unique place to live, work or visit. Our dynamic cultural scene, plentiful shopping, and extraordinary food culture will ensure your time here is memorable.

Our city is home to a diverse population, including people from more than 200 di erent nationalities. We also have a thriving LGBTIQA+ community, with a long and celebrated history.

Local Aboriginal communities also have a strong connection to our local area. Redfern, on our city’s fringe, celebrates Indigenous culture, music, and community at the annual Yabun Festival.

Whether you are on a budget or want to enjoy the many luxuries we have on o er, Sydney will not disappoint. We boast globally renowned hatted restaurants, with innovative and exciting cuisine, showing o Australia’s abundance of fresh ingredients. But some of our most sought-after delicacies can be found in unexpected places, tiny cafes, decades old family run businesses or food trucks. If you’re enjoying one of our harbour beaches, you can even buy a co ee or an ice cream from a dingy.

Sydney’s star attractions are destinations in their own right. Be sure to visit Circular Quay, the home of the Opera House, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the entry to the Royal Botanic Gardens. From there you can take a short stroll to The Rocks, where you can see some of Sydney’s oldest buildings.

Our world class theatre, ballet and opera companies dazzle with their inspiring work, but art is not relegated to our impressive landmark theatres, museums and buildings. Music, perfor-

mance, murals and sculptures are everywhere, making the city a fun, buzzy place to be.

I also encourage you to experience Sydney like a local – to explore our inner city villages and neighbourhoods, and discover the cultural and culinary gems hidden in our laneways and local streets. We o er designer boutiques and craft markets, a vibrant local theatre community, and world-class cafes, pubs and restaurants, just a short trip from our city centre by bus, train or light rail. We also have free street parties throughout the year, featuring local businesses and performers.

Every year, there are spectacular major events to enjoy, from Sydney New Year’s Eve, Sydney Lunar Festival and Sydney Christmas, to Vivid Sydney and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Be sure to look out for our Sydney Ambassadors wearing red shirts, and visit Customs House Visitor Information Centre at 31 Alfred Street, just opposite Circular Quay. You can find out what’s on in our magical waterfront city at whatson.sydney

Clover Moore

The Lord Mayor of Sydney

CLOVER MOORE

Orchestrated by Alvaro DOMINGUEZ

Music Rodion SHCHEDRIN, Marc ÁLVAREZ, Georges BIZET

WELCOME

G’day and on behalf of Port of Authority of New South Wales, I warmly welcome you to Sydney, Australia.

You have arrived at one of the most iconic harbour cities in the world surrounded by famous landmarks such as The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, as well as our vibrant city centre that are all just a short distance away.

We hope you enjoyed your cruise and now look forward to experiencing the very best Sydney and its surrounds has to o er. Local attractions are plentiful with Sydney’s famous Taronga Zoo a short ferry ride away, as well as restaurants, bars, an aquarium, theatres, and shopping precincts.

There is so much to do, taste and see. You can also enjoy the uniqueness of our diverse city at your own pace by taking in the natural beauty of our glistening harbour, or strolling in the beautiful Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, or visiting World Heritage sites in our NSW National Parks, all while immersing yourself in our rich cultural heritage and history.

Port Authority of NSW proudly operates two dedicated cruise terminals in Sydney the Overseas Passenger Terminal and White Bay Cruise Terminal. It is our pleasure to be of service and we take great pride in making your journey to and from your ship an enjoyable one.

I hope you enjoy your visit to Sydney and I wish you all the best for your stay and we hope to see you visit our port again.

Captain Philip Holliday

Port Authority of NSW CEO

Welcome to Sydney on behalf of Business Sydney and our many member organisations. You’ve arrived in Australia’s only truly global city and the arts and culture capital of our nation. Whether you’ve arrived in our beautiful city by air, sea or land we want your visit to be enduringly special.

There is so much to see and do. You already have a head start in picking up the Sydney Travel Guide. As it shows, there is much more to Sydney than our iconic beaches, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. Through its pages you will find a rich and varied city that is unique in so many ways. The guide will help you dig deeper to find what makes Sydney tick.

We are very much an entertainment, retail and venues city with an increasingly vibrant night-time economy. Our theatres are staging the world’s best productions. Our museums and galleries are up there with the best in the world.

I’m delighted to say that some of our member organisations are among those that provide the services that can help make your stay so memorable. For nearly 200 years, Business Sydney has worked to advance Sydney as a global, competitive and liveable city — and a city that welcomes visitors.

Our network includes leading businesses across financial and professional services, construction and development, health, education, arts and culture, tourism and hospitality, as well as technology, transport, and logistics. We couldn’t be happier to have you in our wonderful city. Thank you for coming and spending some time with us.

Paul Nicolaou Executive Director, Business Sydney

We acknowledge and pay our respect to the traditional custodians of the lands and waters of NSW and all Aboriginal Elders, past, present and emerging.

CONTENTS

Sydney Travel Guide is published by Cruise Media Australasia, a Big Splash Media company. Port Authority of New South Wales is a proud supporter of this publication.

Editor-in-Chief and Publisher

Peter Lynch Associate Editor

Grant Jones

Main contributors

Lucy Jones, Melinda Ayre Commercial Director

Phil Mahony

Advertising sales

Vida Folden, Kylie Gibson

Printed by IVE

Big Splash Media, Suite G01, 46a Macleay St, Potts Point, Sydney 2011. (02) 9356 8888.

sydneytravelguide.com.au

Cover: & JULIET at Sydney Lyric Theatre

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Copyright Big Splash Media Pty Ltd. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and are not necessarily those of the publisher. All reasonable e orts have been made to contact copyright holders. Information provided believed to be correct at time of publication. Details can change and all information, including prices, should be checked with websites provided.

CITY MAPS ARE INSIDE THE BACK PAGE

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THE TOP 10 HITLIST

Must-see attractions.

15-19

AUTUMN HIT LIST

Our spectacular city has a host of attractions from now until June.

18-19

TRANSPORT

Quick guide to buses, taxis, light rail, trains, ferries and bike hire.

21-25

AUTUMN HIT LIST

Our spectacular city has a host of attractions from now until June.

27-41

PLACES OF INTEREST

Your bucket list of city spots, precincts, places and suburbs.

43-48

SIGHTSEEING

Harbour, villages, walks, beaches.

52-53

FREE STUFF

All you need is time.

55-62

MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES

We’ve got a lot of history and culture – and an abundance of Indigenous art as well as spectacular world-class exhibitons.

64-71 SHOPPING

From big brands to Aussie labels, shops to malls, our fabulous retail hotspots have it all.

73-80

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

From classic pub grub to high-end dining, from multicultural flavours to al fresco dining terraces, forget the diet and dine.

81-87 EXPERIENCES

Take a heli tour, brave Bridge Climb, take a coastal walk, try white-water rafting or cuddle a koala.

88-95

ENTERTAINMENT

Musicals, comedy shows, theatre, live music and Indigenous dance.

96-97 CALENDAR

Exhibitions, cabaret, concerts, dance, festivals, music, markets, opera, outdoor cinema, shows and sports events.

*Maps copyright Locl Tours – free walking tours at locltour.com +61 (0) 425 291425

AUTUMN CALENDAR

The spectacular city of Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, is the gateway for most visitors and a change of season to the cooler months also means a change of lifestyle and entertainment. But there is plenty of that on o er too in the city well known for its mild autumns and winters. As the temperature drops, visitors head to see amazing stage shows, of which there are plenty, including the new &Juliet at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. Or rug up for outdoors and the fantastic light festival that is Vivid which takes place throughout the harbour city. Plus there are plenty of cosy pubs, inviting restaurants and friendly bars to visit.

VIVID

AUTUMN CALENDAR

MARCH

ACO FAMILY DAY

Bring the family along to Pier 2/3 for a day by the harbour. Enjoy an Australian Chamber Orchestra concert experience, followed by creative play activities including the chance to try a string instrument.

ACO Pier 2/3, 13a Hickson Rd, Dawes Point, March 17, aco.com.au

LUMINESCENCE CHAMBER SINGERS: GLASS HEART

Luminescence Chamber Singers present a concert delving into 500 years of love songs and break-up Anthems – from Monteverdi’s monumental Sestina to music by Sting and the Wailin’ Jennys.

ACO Pier 2/3, 13a Hickson Rd, Dawes Point, March 20, aco.com.au

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Shakespeare’s classic comedy is reawakened in this breathless production brimming with magic, mirth and mayhem. Fast, funny and family-friendly, this is the Bard reimagined.

Sydney Opera House, until March 30, bellshakespeare.com.au

RAMADAN NIGHTS LAKEMBA

Ramadan Nights Lakemba is an enchanting culinary journey, where the senses come alive with a myriad of flavours and cultural delights. Haldon St, Lakemba, until April 8, cbcity.nsw.gov.au

THE SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW

Enjoy 12 days of non-stop entertainment, animal experiences and competitions, carnival rides and games, showbags, activities and more. Top it o for the kids with the Carnival rides and watch the fireworks display.

Sydney Olympic Park, March 22 – April 2, eastershow.com.au

WEST SIDE STORY ON SYDNEY HARBOUR

Arrive early to enjoy the sun setting over Sydney Harbour as you raise a glass and drink in the view at one of the five pop-up bars and restaurants on site. Then take your place in the grandstand by the water to enjoy the enthralling show, with brilliant score and dynamic dance numbers in this love story for the ages.

West Side Story, until April 21, Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point, (02) 9318 8200, opera.org.au

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW

Iconic rock’n’roll musical The Rocky Horror Show, starring Jason Donovan as Frank N Furter, will be doing the Time Warp all over again. See one of the world’s favourite musicals as squeakyclean sweethearts Brad and Janet take o on an adventure they’ll never forget.

Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney, March 31 – April 28, 1300 163 808, theatreroyalsydney.com

APRIL

COCKATOO ISLAND SUNSET SESSIONS

Running Saturday evenings, Sunset Sessions is an opportunity for friends and families to picnic on the lawns of historic Biloela House, enjoy jaw-dropping

WESTSIDE STORY

RAMADAN NIGHTS LAKEMBA

views of Sydney Harbour, and see a diverse line-up of performers.

Cockatoo Island, until April 6, cockatooisland.gov.au

GREASE

Grease is returning to the Australian stage in a new, multi-million-dollar live musical production. Sing along to the unforgettable Summer Nights, You’re The One That I Want and Greased Lightnin. Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket, until April 14, (02) 9320 5000, capitoltheatre.com.au

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL

This film festival returns for the 35th instalment o ering 41 feature films. It’s a diverse and unique program of moving French cinema, from a range of film-makers, genres and styles. Various locations, until April 21, a renchfilmfestival.org

MAY

PARADE

This Tony Award-winning musical by Jason Robert Brown, from a book by Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) is based on the true story of an unsolved murder that divided a nation. It features a rousing, colourful and haunting score by Jason Robert Brown (Bridges of Madison County). Seymour Centre, Cnr City Road &, Cleveland St, Chippendale, May 9-25, (02) 7255 1561, seymourcentre.com

VIVID SYDNEY 2024 FAMILY FRIENDLY

Vivid Sydney is an annual celebration of creativity, innovation and technology, which transforms Sydney for 23 days and nights. In 2024, for its 14th year, Vivid Sydney will fuse art, innovation and technology in collaboration with some of the most boundary-pushing artists, musicians, thinkers and culinary experts of our time.

Various locations, May 24-June 15, vividsydney.com

THE LARK ASCENDING

Principal Violin Helena Rathbone directs the Australian Chamber Orchestra Collective, an ensemble of Australia’s best and brightest young musicians, in an evocative program featuring Vaughan Williams’s spectacular The Lark Ascending

ACO Pier 2/3, 13a Hickson Rd, Dawes Point, 17 May, aco.com.au

JUNE

ROMEO & JULIET SUITE (with Pic)

L.A. Dance Project bring their genre-defying Romeo & Juliet Suite for an exclusive premiere season at the Sydney Opera House including three couples performing the pas-de-deux roles of Romeo and Juliet, including male-male, female-female and male-female pairing.

Joan Sutherland Theatre, June 5 – June 9, sydneyoperahouse.com

GREASE

VIVID

ARCHIBALD, WYNNE AND SULMAN PRIZES

The Archibald Prize for portrait painting is Australia’s most celebrated and democratic –sometimes controversial – art award. The Wynne Prize is for landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture, while the Sulman Prize is for subject painting, genre painting or a mural. Art Gallery of NSW, June 8 – September 8, artgallery. nsw.gov.au

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL

Murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery, treachery and all that jazz. So begins this multiaward-winning musical. Starring Anthony Warlow as Billy Flynn, expect a glittering score that includes All That Jazz and Razzle Dazzle.

Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket, June 9, 2024 – July 28, chicagomusical.com.au

GABS

One of the biggest and most influential craft beer festivals in Australia and New Zealand. GABS Hottest 100 has already been announced and the time to put them to the taste test is at this epic festival. The Gala Dinner, on May 30, launches the GABS International Brewers Collective for 2024.

GABS, May 31 - June1, ICC, Darling Harbour, gabsfestival.com.au

You’ll love the songs – and the hilarious story!

The best way to describe & JULIET is a rollicking rock concert. A party from start to finish. A love story. A tale of female empowerment. It’s about second chances and love for everybody.

But the biggest revelation of this twohour, joyous expression of self-acceptance, pride and celebration, is the extraordinary breadth of song writing by Swedish producer Max Martin.

The quiet composer has written the most number one hits after Paul McCartney and John Lennon. All of the songs, including Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Since U Been Gone’, Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’, Britney Spears’ ‘…Baby One More Time’, Backstreet Boys’ ‘Larger Than Life’ and many more, are cleverly integrated into the story.

This musical’s pedigree doesn’t end there. The Emmy-winning writer from Schitt’s Creek, David West Read, put the story together. He flips the script on Shakespeare in a poignant story of selfdiscovery and second chances. He brings Juliet back to life – but that’s only the start of the surprises in this extension of the famous story of the star crossed lovers.

After premiering on the West End the local cast features some Australian favourites in Rob Mills (Wicked), Casey Donovan (Chicago) and rising star Lorinda May Merrypor as Juliet.

“& JULIET is the most joyous show I’ve ever done! I wish I could be in the audience watching it every night!” says Mills.

And we’d have to agree. Standing ovations seem obligatory after such a performance that has everyone dancing in their seats.

Sydney Lyric Theatre, 55 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont, until May 12, 1300 795 267, sydneylyric.com.au

ARCHIBALD, WYNNE AND SULMAN PRIZES

PHOTO: ARCHIBALD PRIZE 2023 WINNER JULIA GUTMAN AT THE ANNOUNCEMENT, PHOTO © ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, BEN ONG

SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL

Laugh it up

» The Sydney Comedy Festival is this city’s biggest annual comedy event hosting shows in venues all across town. With comics from Australia and across the globe gearing up to spread laughter across the city from April 22 to May 19, it is shaping up to be the biggest year to date. Highlights include the opening and closing Galas at various venues featuring a dazzling line-up of the Festival’s funniest stars. sydneycomedyfest.com.au

HIGHLIGHTS

SH!TFACED SHAKESPEARE

A hilarious blend of an entirely serious Shakespeare play with an entirely sh!t-faced cast. What could possibly go right? With a genuinely inebriated cast member each night, no two shows are ever the same in this raucous, riotous, rampage through Shakespeare’s most iconic play. Adult content.

TOM GLEESON

Tom has performed at every major comedy festival in the world, been nominated for a Helpmann Award three times, won a Gold Logie for the Most Popular Personality on Australian TV and is the host of two smash TV shows, Hard Quiz on ABC TV and Taskmaster on Network Ten.

MELANIE BRACEWELL

You may have seen her on her hit show, the Cheap Seats, or embarrass herself on Taskmaster NZ. Now is your chance to see her live as she brings her brand-new stand up show to venues across Australia and New Zealand in 2024.

REUBEN KAYE

Loud, politically active, queer, brash. Multi-award winning, Australian comedian, singer, and writer Reuben Kaye returns to the Enmore Theatre in Sydney with his brand new show, APOCALIPSTIK. Part eulogy, part elegy, part Eastern Bloc Dog Day

Afternoon. This scandalous story of Reuben’s scoundrel Uncle springboards into a cabaret that crosses continents, generations, and the political spectrum of the 20th century.

EFFIE

E e’s alter ego, Mary Coutsas, is the award-winning star of ground-breaking Australian comedies and one of Australia’s best-loved character actors and comics. E e? She is cheap yet expensive. Deep yet shallow. Thick yet thin. E e is a mass of teased hair and ethnic contradictions.

ED BYRNE

Edinburgh Fringe 2023 was a bumper 5 star review year for Irishman Ed Byrne. They came in thick and fast alongside outstanding critical acclaim for this exceptionally funny, Best Reviewed Stand Up Show at Edinburgh 2023.

STEPHEN AMOS

Stephen K Amos is back with a brand new show, after treading the boards of London’s West End in the smash hit musical My Fair Lady. Join him for an hour of solid jokes and guaranteed belly laughs.

REUBEN KAYE

Travel in Sydney is easy

» If your cruise ship docked at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay, you’re right next door to one of the city’s main transport hubs. For those docking at White Bay, your cruise line will organise transfers into the centre of the city. A taxi takes 12 minutes to Circular Quay and costs from $35. If you flew in, a train from the airport to the city takes just a few minutes.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Sydney has four main public transport options: train, bus, light rail and ferry. For detailed route maps and timetables, visit transportnsw.info

Train

Circular Quay is one of Sydney’s main train stations. It’s part of the City Circle loop, which will take you to Town Hall and Central. You can also catch the train over the bridge to North Sydney or east to Bondi Junction. If Sydney is the last stop on your cruise, you can catch the train straight to Sydney Airport.

Bus

Running since the mid1800s, Sydney’s ferries carry over 15 million passengers a year.

Sydney’s signature blue and white buses cover the whole city. Popular routes for visitors include 333 from Circular Quay to Bondi Beach, 373 from Museum Station to Coogee, 440 from Museum Station to Paddington and the B1 from Wynyard to the Northern Beaches.

Light Rail

The new light rail network runs straight along Sydney’s main street, George Street, between Circular Quay and Central Station, then onwards to Randwick in the east. There is a separate line that runs from Central Station through Haymarket and Darling Harbour.

Ferry

Every visitor to Sydney should ride a ferry at least once – it’s both public transport and a picturesque harbour cruise. Catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Luna Park, Manly or Taronga Zoo. You can also catch the RiverCat ferry from Circular Quay to Parramatta.

SYDNEY HARBOUR FERRIES

HOW TO PAY

The whole public transport network uses the same payment system and there are two options for paying for your travel.

Opal card

Buy an Opal card from one of the many local retailers, including newsagents, convenience stores and supermarkets. Put money on the card at purchase (a minimum of $20 for adults and $10 for children applies), then use the card to tap on and o trains and buses.

Contactless payment

Use your existing credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or VISA) directly to tap on or o the system. All cards with the can be used to pay for travel, but it’s a good idea to check with your provider if you’re visiting from overseas. You can also use cards in your digital wallet, through Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, or on your Apple Watch.

HOP ON HOP OFF

For visitors to Sydney who like the freedom to explore but prefer a little guidance and commentary,

the hop-on hop-o tourist services are ideal. Big Bus operates open top buses and Captain Cook Cruises operates ferries throughout Sydney Harbour.

TAXIS AND RIDESHARE

Taxis are plentiful and you’ll find them waiting at taxi ranks (like the ones at Circular Quay or airport) or you can hail one from the street – just make sure its light is on. Taxis should always operate a meter to calculate the fare and you can pay with a credit/debit card or cash. Rideshare apps like Uber, Ola and DiDi are also popular. Download the app to book a ride.

WALKING AND CYCLING

Central Sydney is easy to explore under your own steam. Darling Harbour, Barangaroo, Pitt Street Mall and Haymarket are all within a 30-minute walk of Circular Quay. If you like to cycle, you’ll find dockless share bikes around the city that you can unlock with an app. Be sure to stick to the designated bike lanes and remember that Australian law requires everyone to wear a helmet.

LIGHT RAIL

CLIMB THE ICONIC SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

SYDNEY TOP 20

This spectacular city is the capital of the state of New South Wales and the gateway for most visitors. Set around a huge natural harbour and fringed by more than 100 sandy beaches, lush national parks and rolling mountains, it’s easily one of the world’s most beautiful cities. It has an incredibly diverse food scene, lots of things to do and a glorious, sunny climate. In summer, the city comes alive as people flock to the water, leafy parks, and buzzing outdoor cafes and bars. There’s a packed calendar of events, fun for the family and plenty of free entertainment on o er.

SYDNEY HARBOUR

Sydney Top 20

» Whether it’s your first time in Sydney or you’re a regular visitor who’s come back for more, here are 20 things everyone should know about the Harbour City.

1. IT’S REALLY BIG

Geographically speaking, Sydney is huge. The city covers around 4000 square kilometres, making it equal in size to London and almost double the size of New York City. But at the same time, the population is around half that of the other cities. So, while some inner city and coastal areas are densely populated, there are still lots of quiet pockets to be found.

2. IT’S REALLY DIVERSE

Around 40 per cent of Sydney’s population was born overseas and almost two-thirds have at least one parent born outside of Australia. That makes the city a cultural melting pot with strong influences from China, Southeast Asia, India, the UK and more.

3. THE HARBOUR IS SPECTACULAR

Sydney’s most famous landmark is one of a kind. The largest and deepest natural harbour in the world, it’s Australia’s busiest waterway with thousands of vessels of every size on the water every day. Flanked by the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, it will take your breath away every time.

4. THERE ARE LOTS OF PLACES TO SWIM

On a hot summer’s day, there’s nothing better than a swim in the ocean. Sydney has more than 100 beaches lining the coast and harbour, ranging from the famous waves at Bondi to hidden coves that only the locals know. If you’re not a confident swimmer, many of the best beaches also have calm ocean pools carved directly into the rock.

5. AND LOTS OF GREEN SPACE

Sydney ranks as the fourth greenest city in the world thanks to its abundance of public parks and gardens. From the lush harbourside lawns of the

Royal Botanic Garden to the 150-year-old fig trees in Centennial Park, there are endless options for walks, picnics and some leafy respite from the buzz of the city.

6. PEOPLE LIVE LIFE OUTSIDE

All that gorgeous outdoor space and a fantastic climate mean Sydneysiders tend to spend a lot of time outside. Winters are short (and relatively mild) and the sun shines for almost nine months a year. You’ll regularly see people walking, running, relaxing in parks, sipping drinks in outdoor bars, shopping at markets and getting active on the water.

4 8

7. IT’S EASY TO FIND YOUR TRIBE

Sydney calls itself a city of villages. Start to explore this sprawling metropolis and you’ll quickly discover that it’s actually a series of distinct neighbourhoods, each with their own unique style. Go vintage shopping in Newtown, find the best dumplings in Haymarket, get arty in Walsh Bay and stay out late in Kings Cross. 3

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8. COFFEE IS SERIOUS BUSINESS

Co ee is practically a religion in Sydney and you’re never far away from a great cup. The city’s signature style is the flat white, which was invented here in the 1980s, and consists of a shot of espresso topped with steamed milk and no foam. There are excellent cafes to be found in every suburb and many even roast their own beans on-site to ensure the perfect blend.

9. ITS HISTORY DATES BACK 60,000 YEARS

The Indigenous Gadigal people of the Eora Nation have called the Sydney area home for more than 60,000 years, making them part of the oldest living culture on earth. Woven throughout the modern

WELCOME TO SYDNEY

city you can find links to this ancient past, from the native bush tucker plants growing in the Royal Botanic Garden to the mythical figures carved into the rock in the Ku-Ring Gai National Park. Join a guided tour to hear Dreamtime stories and learn about the ongoing connection to country.

10. IT WAS AUSTRALIA’S FIRST EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT

Founded as a British colony in 1788, Sydney is the oldest European city in Australia. In fact, if you dock at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay, you’ll walk right out into the oldest part of the city, The Rocks, which was the very first colonial settlement. Admire the grand 19th century government buildings along Macquarie Street, visit 230-year-old homesteads in Parramatta and learn about the city’s dark convict past on Cockatoo Island.

11. THE DINING IS WORLD-CLASS

Australia is renowned for its exceptional fresh produce and innovative dining culture, and Sydney is the foodie capital of the country. There’s everything from gourmet fine-dining (look out for restaurants with a three-hat rating), seafood by the water and laid-back pub grub. You’ll also see

Sydney’s multicultural influences on the menu everywhere you go, with excellent Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian and Italian food to be found.

12. SO IS THE DRINKING

There are around 30 craft beer breweries in the Greater Sydney area, brewing up deliciously drinkable lagers, ales and stouts. There are more than a dozen in just a few blocks in the Inner West so you can easily visit a few on a walking tour. If you prefer spirits, at least 10 boutique distilleries are producing small batch gin, rum, vodka and whisky, often using native botanicals.

13. SPORT IS A BIG DEAL

Australians love their sport and Sydney is home to professional teams from every code. There are

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four kinds of football (rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules and soccer), plus cricket, netball, basketball, hockey, horse racing and more. You can join the locals to cheer on their team at a match or in a pub and get caught up in the infectious atmosphere.

14. IT’S NOT JUST THE COAST

The harbour and the beaches might be Sydney’s most famous sights, but there’s a lot more to be found further inland. Western Sydney is the fastest growing area in Australia, stretching from the new o ce towers of Parramatta all the way to the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Even though it’s o the radar for most tourists, there’s lots to do out west from zoos and parkland to adventure sports, river activities and theme parks.

15. YOU CAN EXPLORE ON FOOT OR ON TWO WHEELS

Sydney is a great city for walking and cycling. Around the harbour and through the CBD is compact and flat, or you can follow some of the famous coastal paths. Join one of the many free walking tours that depart regularly from The Rocks or Town Hall, guided by passionate locals. If you’d prefer to find your own way, download the free Sydney Culture Walks app or the Sydney Rides Guide from the City of Sydney website.

16. IT LOOKS GREAT FROM ABOVE

Get a birds’ eye view of the city from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the outdoor SKYWALK deck of the Sydney Tower Eye (the tallest structure

in the city) or from the window of a seaplane taking o right from the harbour. With sparkling blue water, golden beaches, green bushland and sparkling skyscrapers, the city is pretty as a picture.

17. PEOPLE ARE VERY FRIENDLY

It sounds like a cliché, but Australians are genuinely a friendly bunch. Expect to say good morning to people on the street or have a chat with most waiters, bartenders and baristas. You’ll notice that people tend to shorten their words, so someone might ask you if you’re bringing your cossie (swimming costume) to the barbie (barbecue) tomorrow arvo (afternoon). They can also swear quite a lot, but they mean no o ence.

18. HELP IS ALWAYS AT HAND

Aside from all the excellent information in this guide, there are plenty of other ways to find help when you’re travelling in Sydney. In Circular Quay and The Rocks, look out for the volunteer Sydney Ambassadors wearing their signature red shirts and white hats. You can find Visitor Information Centres at Customs House, The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Town Hall, Haymarket and Manly.

19. IT GETS REALLY HOT

The average high temperature in summer is around 26 degrees Celsius, but it’s not unusual to have days where it soars above 40. The sun is also stronger than in other places around the world with similar climates. That means you need to be diligent about wearing sunscreen and a hat and stay well hydrated.

20. YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE IT!

We think Sydney is the best city in the world. We hope you do too.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Greater Sydney is made up of more than 600 suburbs, which is a lot of ground to cover! If you have just a short time in the Harbour City, these are the top ones to see, ranging from Australia’s most famous beachside ’burb to hidden gems across the bridge. Each area has its own unique personality and plenty of things to keep you entertained. Whether you disembark at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay or further around the harbour at Balmain’s White Bay Terminal, you’ll be in easy reach of all the most popular neighbourhoods and top attractions.

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

Sydney Harbour & the City

» Welcome to the vibrant heart of Sydney. Starting at Sydney Harbour, the CBD runs south in a straight line towards Central Railway Station.

In recent years, Sydney city has undergone a dramatic transformation. Car tra c has been removed from many streets, creating a safe, walkable city threaded with wide boulevards and outdoor attractions. Though it’s a relatively compact area, it packs a lot in – soaring skyscrapers rub

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO

1. See the icons. Two of this city’s most famous sights sit right on the edge of the harbour – walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge then admire the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House.

2. Relax in central Sydney’s gorgeous green spaces, such as the sprawling harbourside Royal Botanic Garden, the historic Hyde Park (the oldest park in Australia) or the hilltop Observatory Park with its spectacular views. cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/parks

3. Immerse yourself in the stories of Sydney by visiting historic sites such as The Rocks, the heritage precinct along Macquarie Street (home to Parliament House, Hyde Park Barracks and The Mint), and St Mary’s Cathedral.

4. Shop ’til you drop at central Sydney’s best stores – try Pitt Street Mall for international brands, Castlereagh Street for luxury labels and The Strand for Australian designers.

5. Get a birds’ eye view of the city from the top of its tallest structure, Sydney Tower. The unique Skywalk experience lets you walk around the outside of the tower, 268 metres above the ground. sydneytowereye.com.au

shoulders with grand heritage buildings, bustling shopping malls sit alongside leafy parks, and neonlit food courts give way to hidden laneway bars. If you only have a short time in Sydney, you can still get a taste of what makes this city so appealing.

Sydney Harbour is the most famous sight, but head away from the water to explore the smaller precincts that are home to the city’s real gems. This is a place where people live, work and play, making for a cosmopolitan capital where the streets buzz with activity.

TOP 6 PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

1. Londres 126. Mexican cuisine, mezcal and a touch of surrealism in the new Quay Quarter Lanes precinct. londres126.com.au

2. Opera Bar. Enjoy oysters, seafood, pizza and an all-Aussie wine list at this famed waterfront dining spot. operabar.com.au

3. YCK Laneways. A dedicated precinct of small bars tucked in laneways, basements or rooftops in the CBD. ycklaneways.com.au

4. Rockpool Bar & Grill. Legendary Sydney steakhouse with a spectacular Art Deco dining room. rockpoolbarandgrill.com.au

5. Mr Wong. Authentic Cantonese dishes and a huge dumpling menu served in an eclectic, artfilled space. merivale.com

6. McRae’s Bar. Named in honour of the 1880s sandstone building’s original architect, this cosy drinking den is in the luxe new Capella Hotel. capellahotels.com

OPERA BAR

Barangaroo & Darling Harbour

» It’s all about good times by the water in these buzzy suburbs, tucked just inside the inner harbour to the west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sydney’s newest harbourside precinct, Barangaroo, is known for its glittering skyscrapers, stylish restaurants and leafy parkland. Formerly an industrial area and shipping terminal, the huge redevelopment began in 2012 and was completed in 2023. Barangaroo occupies the northeastern edge of the bay with the landmark 75-floor Crown Tower (the tallest skyscraper in Sydney) in the middle. Walk along the wide waterfront promenade to enjoy the sparkling harbour views, then head into the winding streets of Barangaroo to discover cafes, shops and small bars.

Just next door, Darling Harbour also began life as a working port before it was transformed

into an entertainment and dining precinct for the Australian Bicentennial in 1988. It’s still one of the city’s best places for fun, with an aquarium and zoo, museums, shopping and endless places to eat and drink. There’s always something happening in Darling Harbour, from major festivals to nightly fireworks and kids’ yoga in the park.

HOW TO GET THERE

Catch the train to Wynyard, where it’s just a short walk through an underground tunnel to Barangaroo. You can also catch a ferry from Circular Quay. For Darling Harbour, the closest train station is Town Hall. The light rail runs from Central Station with a number of stops in Darling Harbour.

DARLING HARBOUR

BARANGAROO

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO

1. Explore beautiful Barangaroo Reserve, home to 75,000 native trees and shrubs, as well as outdoor artworks and Indigenous displays. Grab some lunch for a picnic with a harbour view, then cool o with a swim at Marrinawi Cove. barangaroo.com

2. Have breakfast with a koala, come eye-toeye with a crocodile, cruise through a colony of penguins and meet Pig the dugong at the excellent WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. wildlifesydney.com.au; visitsealife.com/sydney

3. at Madame Tussauds wax museum, the only one of its kind in Australia. madametussauds.com/sydney

4. or treat yourself to a piece of Sydney fashion at one of the stylish boutiques tucked away in the laneways of Barangaroo. thestreetso arangaroo.com/shop

5. in the tranquil Chinese Garden of Friendship. Inspired by the philosophy of feng shui, the garden fuses elements of water, stone, plants and architecture. darlingharbour.com

TOP 6 PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

1. Fine dining and spectacular views at Crown from a three-star Michelin chef. crownsydney.com.au

2. Cool and quirky Vietnamese food with Asian-inspired cocktails. hello-auntie.com.au

3. Modern Turkish cuisine in an Instagram-worthy setting on the waterfront. anason.com.au

4. Fresh Australian seafood including fish, lobster, oysters, prawns and crab. nicksgroup.com.au

5. You can’t get much more waterfront than this. A must-do Sydney dining experience. captaincook.com.au

6. Indoor and outdoor seating, plus an innovative seafood-driven menu. bentleyrestaurantgroup.com.au/cirrus

CHINESE GARDEN OF FRIENDSHIP ANASON

Balmain Rozelle

» If you want to discover how Sydneysiders really live, in less than a 10-minute ferry ride you’ll discover the unique villages of Balmain and Rozelle.

Linked by one road, Darling Street is bursting with pubs, cafes, art and fashion. It’s a bustling street by day, and pubs and a foodie culture at night. Explore the historical pubs, where there is literally one on every corner. With more than nine harbourside parks, grab a picnic or some takeaway and explore the waterside tranquillity of these suburbs.

TOP 5 PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

1. Casa Esquina. This landmark building is a site with a rich culinary history, has been transformed into a hacienda with fire-cooked Argentinian food as the focus. casaesquina.au

2. White Bay Beer Co. Enjoy hand-crafted beers located inside a 150-year-old steel mill, a site that also houses a taproom. whitebay.beer

3. The Dry Dock. Balmain’s oldest licensed pub, established in 1857, has recently had a milestone transformation. thedrydock.com.au

4. L’Auberge. A slow paced neighbourhood bistrot with classic French food. laubergeduboutdumonde.com.au

5. Dirty Red Rozelle. A cafe with home-cooked food and the best co ee in town. Dine in the courtyard amongst the locals. dirtyred.com.au

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO

Swim at Dawn Fraser Baths, originally built in the 1880s, it is the oldest pool and swimming club in Australia, and very instagrammable. innerwest.nsw.gov.au

Hunt for vintage fashion, with Rozelle Collectors Markets and a street full of second-hand fashion shops in Rozelle, you’ll be sure to tick your sustainable fashion box. rozellecollectorsmarket.com.au

Explore the pubs, with 19 heritage pubs, one at every corner, there’s the local brew, live music and fine food to discover. balmainrozelle.org.au Shop the highstreet, there’s unique finds in fashion, jewellery and homewares. Take a stroll through Darling Street, and discover the treasures you’ll find.

Grab a coffee, known for its cafe culture, there’s no shortage of choices from early breakfast to long lunches, there’s a plethora of cafes to choose from.

ART GALLERY ON DARLING

CASA ESQUINA

Catch a ferry or an Uber, and within historic pubs, restaurants, cafes, and the some of the most picturesque parks

Paddington

» One of Sydney’s most elegant areas, where leafy streets are lined with grand homes, private art galleries and expensive boutiques.

Sitting just to the east of the city, the chic suburb of Paddington will give you a taste of how Sydney’s elite like to live. The main thoroughfare, Oxford Street, is always busy, but venture into the narrow streets beyond and you’ll discover cosy cafes, genteel pubs and designer stores specialising in luxury fashion, jewellery, millinery and more. Most of Paddington’s heritage terraces have been beautifully preserved and restored, making them some of the finest residences in the city.

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO

1. Splash some cash at the high-end stores you’ll find on every street. For Australian designers, head to The Intersection. theintersectionpaddington.com.au

2. Visit the famed Paddington Markets where local label Zimmerman got its start. Check out the stalls on a Saturday to discover the next big thing. paddingtonmarkets.com.au

3. Relax in the unique sunken spaces of Paddington Reservoir Gardens, built in the style of a Roman bath over the original 19th century water reservoir. cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

4. Gallery-hop through Paddington’s collection of world-class exhibition spaces showcasing contemporary works, Aboriginal art, sculpture and more.

5. Explore central Sydney’s largest green space, Centennial Park, with 189 hectares of gardens, wetlands, ponds and trails. centennialparklands.com.au

HOW TO GET THERE

Catch the 333 bus from Circular Quay to Oxford Street in Paddington.

TOP 5 PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

1. Fred’s. Farm to table, seasonal and sustainable dining in a restaurant that feels like a country home. merivale.com

2. Chiswick. Modern Australian cuisine in a picturesque, glass-walled dining room surrounded by a kitchen garden. chiswickwoollhara.com.au

3. Saint Peter. A pioneering ‘fin to scale’ seafood eatery from innovative young chef Josh Niland. saintpeter.com.au

4. Charlie Parker’s. Impossibly cool basement cocktail bar. merivale.com

5. The London. A quintessential Paddo pub dating back to 1875 with good food, sport on the TV and dogs in the courtyard. hotellondon.com.au

SAINT PETER

PADDINGTON

PADDINGTON RESERVOIR GARDENS

Bondi

» Visit the most famous beach in Australia, a place known around the world for its golden sand, rolling waves, beautiful people and funloving lifestyle.

You can expect Bondi to be packed with locals and tourists alike every day in the warmer months. Dive straight into the ocean (make sure you stay between the red and yellow flags), splash about in the two rock pools at the beach’s northern end or join the surfers bobbing o the southern end. Away from the water, Bondi also has a reputation for its stylish shopping, buzzy bars and great restaurants.

TOP 6 THINGS TO DO

1. Swim in the Instafamous Bondi Icebergs pool, a stunning Olympic-sized pool carved into the rock and painted white. Entry: $9 adults, $6 children. icebergs.com.au

2. or hire a sur oard so you can catch your own Bondi wave. letsgosurfing.com.au

3. , a spectacular trek along the cli tops. Look out for the Aboriginal rock carvings at Mark’s Park. bonditocoogeewalk.com

4. Visit the Farmers Market on Saturday or the famous Bondi Markets on Sunday to pick up some local treats. bondimarkets.com.au

5. to see local art, join a workshop or admire the architecture. First opened in 1928, it just completed a $48 million refurb. bondipavilion.com.au

6. which opened in this spectacular spot in 1877 and is the resting place of many influential Australians. waverley.nsw.gov.au/cemeteries

HOW TO GET THERE

Catch the 333 bus from Circular Quay to Bondi Beach.

TOP 6 PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

1. Speedos Café. The most Instagrammable café in the world with an epic beach view and prettyas-a-picture meals. speedoscafe.com.au

2. Totti’s. Celebrity hangout serving modern Italian and cocktails in a sunny courtyard. merivale.com

3. North Bondi Fish. Exceptional seafood with a Bondi twist from legendary Australian chef Matt Moran. northbondifish.com.au

4. Ravesi’s. A true Bondi icon – grab a seat on the verandah for drinks and people watching. hotelravesis.com

5. Icebergs Dining Room. One of Sydney’s favourite places for a long lunch, serving great seafood and ocean views. idrb.com

6. Sean’s Panaroma. Serving comforting homestyle food from a daily-changing menu since opening in 1993. seansbondi.com

North Sydney

» Cross over the harbour and get a different perspective on the city from the waterfront neighbourhood of North Sydney.

As you cruise into Sydney Harbour, look out to starboard and you’ll see the eclectic foreshore of North Sydney. There are rows of apartment buildings lining the harbour, expansive green parks, ferry wharves and the huge clown face of Luna Park smiling out across the water. Built right around the northern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, North Sydney is quieter than its southern counterpart but there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained.

In the charming suburb of Kirribilli, on the eastern side of the bridge, you’ll find some of the city’s most spectacular homes – including Kirribilli House, the Sydney residence of the Prime Minister. Wander the beautiful tree-lined streets and dream about what you could do with a lottery win. Further along the coastline there are a series of secluded bays with calm beaches for swimming and walking trails o ering stunning views.

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO

1. Talk to the animals at Taronga Zoo. Australia’s largest zoo – home to more than 4000 animals – is perched right on the edge of the harbour, giving the gira es the best view in town. taronga.org.au

2. Ride the rollercoasters, try your luck at the sideshow games and take a spin around the classic Coney Island at Luna Park, which has been thrilling Sydneysiders since the 1930s. lunaparksydney.com

3. Escape into leafy seclusion at Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay. Wendy, wife of acclaimed painter Brett Whiteley and an artist herself, gifted the garden to the people of Sydney. wendyssecretgarden.org.au

4. Hunt for vintage fashion, bespoke jewellery, stylish homewares and local designer pieces at the excellent Kirribilli Markets, held on the first and second Saturday and fourth Sunday of every month. kirribillimarkets.com

5. Walk from Bradleys Head to Chowder Bay and discover the most beautiful parts of the North Sydney coast. This gentle four-kilometre bush track also gives gorgeous glimpses of the Opera House across the harbour. sydney.com

LUNA PARK

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

KIRRIBILLI MARKETS

TOP 6 PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

1. Celsius Coffee & Dining. Great co ee, bountiful breakfasts and views for days at this cosy café set over the water at Kirribilli Wharf. instagram.com/celsiusco eeco

2. Ripples Chowder Bay. Mediterraneaninspired dining in a striking waterfront heritage building. rippleschowderbay.com.au

3. Kirribilli Hotel. A classic Sydney pub that’s been serving a thirsty community for almost 100 years. kirribillihotel.com.au

4. The Greens North Sydney. Sprawling family-friendly venue where you can eat, drink and play a game of lawn bowls. thegreensnorthsydney.com.au

5. Sails on Lavender Bay. Elegant fine dining with a focus on seafood and French techniques overlooking the harbour. sailslavenderbay.com

6. Bistro Lou Lou. Heavily French-inspired café and boulangerie that’s all about the best breads, croissants, cake, charcuterie and cheeses. shop.loulou.sydney

HOW TO GET THERE

Catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Milsons Point (for Luna Park), McMahons Point (for Lavender Bay) or Taronga Zoo Wharf. You can also walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge or catch the train to Milsons Point.

KIRRIBILLI

THE GREENS NORTH SYDNEY

Manly & Northern Beaches

» On the northern edge of Sydney is a string of spectacular beachside suburbs that will make you feel a million miles away from the city.

Jump on one of Sydney’s famous ferries and head across the harbour to Manly. This laid-back suburb is surrounded by water, with the harbour on the west and a huge ocean beach to the east. It’s a favourite of

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO

1. Snorkel at Shelly Beach, o the southern end of Manly, where the calm waters are teeming with fish. Join a tour with Ecotreasures for a guided adventure. ecotreasures.com.au

2. Catch a wave at the birthplace of Australian surfing, Freshwater beach. Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku surfed in front of thousands of spectators here in 1914. Beginners can take a lesson with Manly Surf School. manlysurfschool.com

3. Take a tour of Q Station, the historic quarantine centre perched on North Head that housed new arrivals to Sydney from the 1830s until 1983. qstation.com.au

4. Play a game of beach volleyball on Manly Beach. Eight courts are set up on the sand year-round and are free to use.

5. Tackle the Manly to Spit Walk, a 10-kilometre trail that winds through the inner harbour, past gorgeous beaches, historic lighthouses and scenic lookouts.

surfers, snorkellers, families and anyone looking for a little getaway in the heart of the city. Manly is the start of a 30-kilometre stretch of coastline known as the Northern Beaches. This is truly another side of Sydney, a series of small coastal communities more akin to Queensland than the capital. Admire the million-dollar waterfront mansions, surf at secluded breaks and soak up the sun.

TOP 6 PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

1. Manly Wharf Bar. A very popular pub set right on the wharf next to the ferry terminal with multiple indoor and outdoor spaces. whar ar.com.au

2. 4 Pines Brewpub. The original Manly craft brewery (there are now at least nine) and the birthplace of one of Australia’s most popular beer brands. 4pinesbeer.com.au

3. Exceptional seafood grilled, spiced or wood roasted served in a breezy dining room overlooking the harbour. garfish.com.au

4. The Boathouse Shelly Beach. A casual café and kiosk just steps from the sand, perfect for everything from co ee to cocktails. boathousesb.com.au

5. Pilu at Freshwater. Stylish Sardinian fine dining overlooking the water – a favourite destination for a long lunch. pilu.com.au

6. Norma’s Deli. If you like yia-yia’s food then this Greek-Australian semi-subterranean diner will do the trick. normasdeli.com

MANLY SURF SCHOOL

MANLY WHARF BAR

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

Western Sydney

» There’s a lot more to Sydney than just its magnificent coastline. Head inland to discover a different side of the city.

It might not be as famous as the waterfront side of the city, but there’s plenty to entice visitors to Western Sydney. From the sky-high towers and hidden small bars of Parramatta, Sydney’s second CBD, to its lush green spaces, multicultural neighbourhoods and action-packed adventures, you can discover something new every day. Immerse yourself in the arts at Casula Powerhouse, catch a show at the Riverside Theatre or learn about ancient cultural traditions at Muru Mittigar.

Western Sydney is one of the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with its residents hailing from every corner of the globe. That makes for a seriously delicious food scene, with di erent suburbs specialising in local cuisines. Try Harris Park for Indian, Auburn for Persian, Strathfield and Eastwood for Korean, Cabramatta for Vietnamese, and Lakemba for Lebanese.

HOW TO GET THERE

Catch the train from Central Station to Parramatta, which takes around one hour. You can also catch the RiverCat ferry between Circular Quay and Parramatta Wharf.

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO

1. Get your heart racing. Western Sydney is the place for adventurers with whitewater rafting, indoor skydiving, jetpack flying above the river and much more. penrithwhitewater.com.au; ifly.com.au; jetpackadventures.com.au

2. Explore the Blue Mountains, one of Australia’s most famous wilderness areas, just on the edge of Western Sydney. Head to Scenic World to experience this majestic landscape from above and below. scenicworld.com.au

3. Visit two of Australia’s oldest buildings – Old Government House in Parramatta (circa 1799) and Elizabeth Farm in Rosehill (circa 1793). nationaltrust.org.au; mhnsw.au

4. Relax in the beautiful Parramatta Reserve, a 70-hectare parkland where you can swim in the lake, paddle a rowboat or kayak, or explore the bush on winding trails. atparramatta.com

5. Follow the Great River Walk, an eightkilometre path that runs beside and across the Nepean River. It has lovely views of the Blue Mountains, picnic spots, playgrounds and lookouts along the way. visitpenrith.com.au

PENRITH WHITEWATER

OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, PARRAMATTA

TOP 6 PLACES TO EAT & DRINK

1. Chatkazz. Authentic Indian street food (with more than 200 dishes on the menu) in Harris Park, known as Sydney’s Little India. chatkazz.com.au

2. Eat Street Parramatta. Take your pick along Church Street, packed with restaurants from every corner of the globe. atparramatta.com/church-street

3. Nick & Nora’s. A little slice of the 1920s golden age on a rooftop in Parramatta. Think champagne towers and caviar. nickandnoras.com.au

4. Rusty Penny Brewery. Sip small-batch beers and tuck into Texas BBQ right in the middle of this working brewery in Penrith. rustypennybrewing.com.au

5. The Paper Mill. Four di erent eateries inside a restored heritage building on the banks of the Georges River in Liverpool. thepapermillfood.com

6. Misc. In the middle of historic Parramatta Park, this new venue o ers inspired modern Middle Eastern breakfast and lunch menus. miscparramatta.com.au

EAT STREET PARRAMATTA

PARRAMATTA RIVER

NICK & NORA’S

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

SIGHTSEEING

There’s so much to see in the Harbour City. From spectacular gardens, galleries and historic sights just steps from your cruise ship to the city’s smaller neighbourhoods with their distinctive personalities, Sydney charms every visitor. Find fun things to do with the family, from calm beaches to thrilling theme parks and up-close animal encounters. There are also plenty of free options, meaning you won’t have to break the budget to experience the best the city has to o er.

BRIDGECLIMB SYDNEY

PHOTO: DESTINATION NSW

Around the harbour

» Many of Sydney’s iconic sights are just a few steps from where cruise ships dock at the Overseas Passenger Terminal. (If you’re lucky, you might even have a five-star view of the Sydney Opera House from your cabin window.) Take a stroll around the shores of Sydney Harbour and soak up the city’s most spectacular attractions.

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

One of the most famous buildings in the world, the Sydney Opera House is an instantly recognisable symbol of the city. Beneath its iconic sails, the storied concert halls host more than 40 performances a week with theatre, music, opera, dance and more. If you don’t have time for a show, join a guided tour to go behind the scenes and see how the magic happens. You can also dine at the exceptional Bennelong restaurant that sits beneath the dramatic cathedral ceilings.

Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney, (02) 9250 7111, sydneyoperahouse.com

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

A ectionately known as The Coathanger, the Sydney Harbour Bridge has been spanning the two sides of the water for 100 years. A pedestrian footpath runs along one side of the roadway, o ering a unique perspective on the city below. But for the most spectacular views, join BridgeClimb Sydney and head all the way to the top. The thrilling climbs along the arches and to the 134-metre

More than four million people have climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge since 1990.

summit run every day and take 2.5-3.5 hours. BridgeClimb, 3 Cumberland St, The Rocks, (02) 8274 7777, bridgeclimb.com

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN & THE DOMAIN

Most of the eastern headland of Sydney Harbour is covered by the lush greenery of the Royal Botanic Garden. The oldest botanic garden in the country, it is made up of 15 themed gardens that house more than 27,000 plants from around the world. Visit the rotating exhibitions inside The Calyx or join the free guided tours held every day. Joining onto the garden is The Domain, a grand outdoor event space that frequently hosts huge concerts, opera and festivals, and is also home to the Art Gallery of NSW. Royal Botanic Garden, Mrs Macquaries Rd, Sydney, (02) 9231 8111, botanicgardens.org.au

ON THE WATER

The largest natural harbour in the world, Sydney Harbour stretches for more than 19 kilometres. Hop aboard a Captain Cook Cruises ferry for a sightseeing cruise that will show you more of its natural beauty. You can stop o at Shark Island or Cockatoo Island, two of the harbour’s eight islands, to learn about their Aboriginal and convict history. Captain Cook Cruises, Darling Harbour, (02) 9206 1111, captaincook.com.au

BRIDGECLIMB SYDNEY

OPERA BAR

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

Unique villages

» There’s more to inner Sydney than meets the eye. Tucked away within the city are a number of unique neighbourhoods, each with their own distinctive personality. Spend some time exploring these interesting areas and you’ll soon discover what makes them special.

BARANGAROO

A glittering strip running along the western edge of Darling Harbour, Barangaroo is the city’s newest suburb. It’s a place where work and play come together, with top financial institutions occupying the skyscrapers towering above chic bars and restaurants. At the headland is the leafy Barangaroo Reserve where a guide from Aboriginal Cultural Tours will explain the area’s rich Indigenous history and show you plants that have been used as food and medicine for thousands of years. barangaroo.com

WALSH BAY

This historic neighbourhood is based around wharves dating back to the mid-1800s. Today, these beautifully refurbished piers are a hub of arts and culture. You’ll find the Sydney Theatre Company,

Sydney Dance Company and Bangarra Dance Company, Australia’s acclaimed Indigenous dance troupe. Be sure to stop for a drink at The Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf for its spectacular views of the Harbour Bridge. walshbay.com.au

DARLING QUARTER & DARLING SQUARE

Tucked away behind Darling Harbour, Darling Quarter and Darling Square are a buzzy series of laneways and plazas home to some of the city’s best eats. Cafes and restaurants spill out onto the wide footpaths, serving up cuisine from all over the world with a particular focus on Asia. There’s also an excellent playground and water play area, and regular festivals or live music. darlingquarter.com; darlingsq.com

WOOLLOOMOOLOO

Another of the city’s revitalised wharf precincts, Woolloomooloo is to the east of the Royal Botanic Garden. There’s still a working naval base here and you’ll often see huge ships docked just o shore. Enjoy a long lunch at one of the stylish restaurants that line the wharf or have a swim in the stunning Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool, which is perched right on the edge of the water.

CHINATOWN

Dating back to the 1920s, Sydney’s Chinatown has long been the heart of the city’s Asian community. Centred around the pedestrian Dixon Street, it’s packed with restaurants and shops. Yum cha (a Cantonese brunch of dumplings and tea) is a tradition in Sydney and there are lots of delicious options here. Duck into the labyrinth of Paddy’s Market, a bustling shopping hub where you can buy everything from fresh food to fashion.

BARANGAROO

The most beautiful walks

» Sydney is spectacular on foot. From winding trails around the harbour to grand cli top trails and inner-city culture crawls, it’s the best way to see the city.

BONDI TO COOGEE COASTAL WALK 6KM / 2HR

Easily one of the world’s best walks, this glorious trail winds between two of Sydney’s best beaches, along windswept cli tops, through pockets of bushland and even beside a vast 19th century cemetery. Take your time and break the journey with a dip in the ocean. bonditocoogeewalk.com

HERMITAGE FORESHORE TRACK 1.8KM / 1HR

A short, well-shaded coastal walk around the Vaucluse foreshore that’s mostly on a raised boardwalk, this is a great walk for families or those who prefer to take it easy. You’ll get to admire multimillion-dollar waterfront mansions and historic houses and can stop for a swim at any of the five beaches along the way.

GLEBE FORESHORE WALK 2.2KM / 1HR

Starting at Bicentennial Park (right across the water from the White Bay Cruise Terminal), this easy trail travels along the peaceful inner harbour. Expect to see people fishing o the concrete stairs, kids riding bikes and plenty of friendly dogs. It finishes at the Sydney Fish Market in Pyrmont, so you can refuel with a delicious seafood feast.

MANLY TO SPIT WALK 10KM / 4HR

You’ll be amazed at how much pristine bushland there is right in the centre of the city. This walk takes you around the northern edge of Sydney Harbour, encompassing subtropical forest, beautiful bays, historic lighthouses and even Aboriginal rock engravings.

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE TO SOUTH HEAD 18KM / 8HR

The famous Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk passes six beautiful beaches and quiet bays.

If you have the time (and the fitness) this walk covers all the Sydney highlights. Starting at Circular Quay, you’ll walk past the Opera House, through the Royal Botanic Garden, through the ritzy suburbs of Double Bay and Vaucluse, and into the Sydney Harbour National Park. Finish at South Head, where the harbour meets the ocean.

SYDNEY CULTURE WALKS

Download the free Sydney Culture Walks app and take a self-guided tour through the city’s best art, architecture and history. There are more than 500 sites included and a huge range of walks that connect them, helping you discover the stories of the city step by step. Art lovers should try the Sydney Sculpture Walk and history bu s will like the Colony Tour.

sydneyculturewalksapp.com

MANLY TO SPIT

BONDI TO COOGEE

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

Five of the best beaches

» Every visitor to Sydney should dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean at least once. With more than 100 beaches and more than 30 ocean pools along the coast, you’re spoilt for choice.

BONDI

The most famous beach in Australia is also the closest to the Sydney CBD. This golden sweep of sand is regularly packed with locals and tourists soaking up the sun, splashing in the rock pools and catching the waves. Keep an eye out for the Bondi Rescue lifeguards who are keeping swimmers safe 365 days a year.

MANLY

Stretching for more than two kilometres, you’ll always find a quiet patch of sand at Manly. The beach is recognised as a World Surfing Reserve and the incredible waves are suitable for beginners, experts and everyone in between. Walk around to Shelly Beach to snorkel in the protected crystal-clear waters that are teeming with fish and marine life.

BALMORAL

The grandest of the harbour beaches, Balmoral has more than a kilometre of sand across two curved

bays, fronting water that’s as still as a swimming pool. It’s perfect for water sports of all kinds; try snorkelling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and even sailing.

COOGEE

A perfect slice of Sydney’s laid-back beach lifestyle, Coogee is another of the best beaches in the Eastern Suburbs. Sheltered by the rocky Wedding Cake Island o shore, the waters are reliably calm and great for both swimming and surfing. There are three ocean pools along the southern edge of the beach including McIver’s Baths, the only rock pool in Australia that’s open only to women and children.

CAMP COVE

A calm harbour beach close to the southern entrance to Sydney Harbour, Camp Cove is a local favourite. It’s a great option for families (or those who aren’t confident swimmers) and the still waters are ideal for swimming and snorkelling. Then stretch your legs along the pretty South Head Heritage Trail through the Sydney Harbour National Park, which runs just behind the sand.

BONDI BEACH

COOGEE BEACH

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

Family fun in Sydney

» Sydney is a great city for families with plenty to entertain the young and young at heart. From our famous beaches and fun outdoor adventures to animal encounters and interactive museums, the Harbour City is packed with good old-fashioned fun.

BEST BEACHES

The calm harbour beaches are perfect for kids – try Camp Cove, Parsley Bay, Redleaf, Balmoral and Chinamans Beach. In the east, Clovelly has a long, sheltered bay lined with concrete platforms for easy entry. More confident swimmers will like Coogee and the world-famous Bondi. Wherever you are, look out for lifeguards and always swim between the red and yellow flags.

TALK TO THE ANIMALS

Little animal lovers will be captivated by Taronga Zoo where gira es look out over Sydney Harbour, rare Sumatran tigers snooze in the sun and seals frolic in front of glass in the walk-through enclosure. Get up close to koalas, kangaroos, wombats and crocodiles at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and take a boat ride through the penguin enclosure at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. In Western Sydney, Sydney Zoo is home to more than 4000 animals in a unique immersive habitat.

LUNA PARK

You’ll spot the huge smiling face of Luna Park as your ship sails into Sydney Harbour. The park first opened in 1935 so there’s a fun mix of vintage, Coney Island-style attractions and modern, thrillsand-spills rides. Kids will love the chance to snap a selfie with their favour celebrity or superhero at Madame Tussauds or scream themselves hoarse on a speedy spin around the harbour with OzJet Boat. For something a bit slower, you can kayak right under the Sydney Harbour Bridge or learn to catch a wave at Bondi Beach.

CULTURE FOR KIDS

Marvel at the world’s first life-size, anatomically correct model of a Tyrannosaurus rex at the Australian Museum, then let the kids get their hands dirty in the interactive Burra play space. Climb aboard a replica of the 18th century HMB Endeavour or go below on the HMAS Onslow submarine at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Or learn about what life was like for convicts in the early years of the Australian colony at Hyde Park Barracks, which has a specially designed Kids’ Trail.

CAMP COVE

LUNA PARK

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

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BALMAIN ROZELLE

TOP 10: Free things to do

» Sydney might be one of the most expensive cities in the world, but there are plenty of ways to experience it without spending a cent.

1. WALK ACROSS THE HARBOUR BRIDGE

It’s an instantly recognisable landmark, the vast steel structure spanning the two shores of Sydney Harbour. It’s the largest steel arch bridge in the world, stretching for 1149 metres. Climb the stairs from The Rocks on the south side or Kirribilli on the north side to walk along the enclosed pedestrian corridor, more than 50 metres above the water. You’ll get spectacular views of the Sydney Opera House, city skyscrapers and the bustling harbour tra c below.

2. GET ARTY AT THE GALLERIES

Sydney’s two major art galleries – the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Gallery of NSW – both o er free admission to their permanent collections of thousands of works. (Note that there may be a fee for special exhibitions.) The excellent White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale is also free and houses one of the world’s largest collections of contemporary Chinese art.

3. COOL OFF WITH A SWIM

With more than 100 beaches and 35 ocean pools in Sydney, there’s always somewhere for a dip. Entry to every beach is free (and you won’t find anyone bothering you to rent a deckchair or umbrella) and almost all the ocean pools are free as well, with

a few exceptions. If you don’t want to stray too far from the city, there’s a new swimming spot at Marrinawi Cove at the end of Barangaroo where you can jump straight into the harbour.

4. RELAX IN THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN

Established in 1816, the harbourfront Royal Botanic Garden was the first in Australia and is still a leafy pocket of tranquillity in the heart of the city. Wander the pathways, admire the exotic plants or just stretch out on the lawns. If you’d like to learn more about the thousands of plants within, join the free guided tour that departs every day at 10.30am. (You’ll need to book ahead – visit botanicgardens.com.au.)

FAIRY BOWER, SHELLY BEACH , MANLY

5. GO WINDOW SHOPPING IN THE CITY

It costs nothing to look, right? Start in the Queen Victoria Building, a spectacular multilevel shopping arcade that opened in 1898. Nearby is The Strand Arcade, an elaborate Victorianstyle arcade that opened around the turn of the century. For glitzy modern flagship stores, head to the blocks around Castlereagh and King streets where brands like Gucci, Dior, Cartier and Ti any have spectacular window displays on show.

6. WALK AROUND RUGGED SOUTH HEAD

South Head marks the southern entrance to Sydney Harbour and is threaded with walking trails. Catch the ferry to Watsons Bay and follow the Gap Blu Loop to admire dramatic ocean cli s at The Gap. Then continue on the South Head Heritage Trail to historic Hornby Lighthouse at the end of the peninsula.

7. STEP BACK IN TIME AT THE MUSEUMS

Whatever your historical passions, there’s a free museum to suit you in Sydney. See dinosaur skeletons and deadly native animals at the Australian Museum. Learn about Australia’s fascinating history of innovation in science, aviation and design at the Powerhouse Museum. And see why Sydney once had the nickname Sin City at the Justice & Police Museum. (Note that there may be a fee for special exhibitions.)

8. SNORKEL AT SHELLY BEACH

This quiet cove at the southern end of Manly Beach has calm, crystal clear water that makes for excellent snorkelling. It’s part of an aquatic reserve, so the marine life has been able to flourish. You can walk in straight o the sand and spot huge blue groupers, harmless Port Jackson sharks, wobbegongs and maybe even a dolphin or turtle.

9. JOIN A FREE WALKING TOUR

You don’t have to pay anything to take an informative walking tour, led by a passionate local guide. I’m Free Walking Tours runs a Sydney Sights tour at 10.30am every day, departing from Town Hall. Or if you have an evening in town, their tour of The Rocks departs from just next to the Overseas Passenger Terminal at 6pm Monday to Saturday. Visit imfree.com.au/sydney to book.

10. EXPLORE THE HUGE CENTENNIAL PARK

It’s called the ‘lungs of the city’, a grand European-style park with 189 hectares of formal gardens, wetlands, sporting fields and walking trails. Admire the enormous Moreton Bay fig trees, seek out the historic buildings and sculptures dotted throughout the grounds, or set the kids free in the immersive Ian Potter Wild Play Garden (just be prepared for them to get dirty).

PHOTO: DESTINATION NSW

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

Sydney is one of the most creative cities in the world. It’s sprinkled with iconic cultural institutions, independent art galleries and majestic museums. From the allure of modern art to the grit of our colonial history, Sydney is a fascinating place that’s inspired many artists, designers and authors. For a nautical adventure, don’t miss the Australian Maritime Museum. Love the classics? Stroll the elegant halls of the Art Gallery of NSW. Interested in Australian Indigenous art? Take pleasure in the vibrant artistry at Aboriginal Art Galleries. Or meet Ramses at the Australian Museum. Whether you are curious about history, art or science, Sydney has a cultural fix for us all.

WHITE RABBIT GALLERY

Learning experiences

» Learn something new on holidays at these interesting and educational museums, which will appeal to the whole family.

AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM

Inside this landmark building is Australia’s very first museum, established in 1827, and celebrating the natural history and culture of Australia and the Pacific. Expand your understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures with Waranara Tours, a unique introduction to objects from the Australian Museum’s collections, led by a First Nations guide (Wednesdays, Saturdays & Sundays).

Australian Museum, 1 William St, Sydney, (02) 9320 6000, australian.museum

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

Sail through Sydney’s maritime past at the Australian National Maritime Museum on spectacular Darling Harbour. Chart your course

through a treasure trove of ocean wonders and nautical vessels. Climb aboard a replica of Captain James Cook’s tall ship or take a deep dive into oceanic warfare inside a real-life submarine.

Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray St, Darling Harbour, (02) 9298 3777, sea.museum

SYDNEY OBSERVATORY

This magnificent heritage-listed sandstone museum, circa 1858, is perched atop the highest point of Sydney Cove, o ering incredible stargazing opportunities. Step inside the astronomy dome to see telescopes in action on a familyfriendly tour designed for small groups including children six years and over.

Sydney Observatory, 1003 Upper Fort St, Millers Point, (02) 9217 0222, powerhouse.com.au/visit/ sydney-observatory

MARITIME MUSEUM

AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM

SYDNEY OBSERVATORY

Contemporary

» From modern art to cutting edge design and the future of fashion, these unique spaces show the best of contemporary culture.

WHITE RABBIT GALLERY

For contemporary art lovers this is a hidden gem in Sydney’s Chippendale, an easy 10-minute walk from Central Station. Admire the carefully curated collection of modern Asian art – this four-level private gallery holds one of the most significant collections of contemporary Chinese artworks in the world – then savour tea and dumplings in the elegant teahouse.

White Rabbit Gallery, 30 Balfour St, Chippendale, (02) 8399 2867, whiterabbitcollection.org

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (MCA)

With a harbourside location and impressive Art Deco exterior, this is a must-see. Filled with eye-catching modern art, there are more than 4000 artworks by Aussie artists and an extensive collection of Indigenous art. The rooftop cafe has sweeping views of Sydney Harbour and the gallery shop is brimming with take-home treasures.

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 140 George St, The Rocks, (02) 9245 2400, mca.com.au

POWERHOUSE MUSEUM

Once a coal-fired power station that supplied Sydney’s new electric trams, this contemporary museum is now home to more than half a million objects of national and global significance in fashion, transport, innovation, the industrial revolution and design. See architect Jørn Utzon’s original drawings for the Sydney Opera House, iconic fashion collections, steam engines, vintage planes, space capsules and more.

Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo, (02) 9217 0111, powerhouse.com.au

White Rabbit Gallery houses almost 3000 pieces from 750 artists.

POWERHOUSE MUSEUM

WHITE RABBIT GALLERY

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

The classics

» If you’re short on time and not sure what to see, these galleries and heritage sites will give you a great Sydney snapshot.

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

The distinctive sails of Sydney Opera House are instantly recognisable. This architectural masterpiece hosts contemporary and classic dance performances, opera productions, symphonies and avant-garde theatre. Stroll the forecourt and marvel at the structure or book a guided tour to explore backstage areas and see the world-famous tiled exterior up close.

Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney, (02) 9250 7111, sydneyoperahouse.com

ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

If you only have the time to visit one major gallery, this is the leading museum of art in Sydney, with important collections of Australian, European and Asian art. See works by some of Australia’s most famous artists, including Brett Whiteley,

John Olsen and Sidney Nolan. Don’t miss the architectural wonders of the new Sydney Modern building, opened to mark the gallery’s 150th anniversary in 2022.

Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Rd, Sydney, 1800 679 278, artgallery.nsw.gov.au

THE MINT

This colonial structure is Sydney’s oldest public building and boasts a rich history. Originally built in 1816 as a hospital for 200 convict patients – and financed with 45,000 gallons of rum – the “rum” hospital had its Southern Wing converted into a branch of the British Royal Mint during the NSW gold rush in 1851.

The Mint, Macquarie St, Sydney, (02) 8239 2288, mhnsw.au/visit-us/the-mint

HYDE PARK BARRACKS

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

HYDE PARK BARRACKS MUSEUM

This UNESCO World Heritage-listed museum tells the story of Australia’s convict beginnings and its powerful imprint on Indigenous Australia. Cutting-edge visual and audio technology allows visitors to follow in the footsteps of some of the 500,000 British convicts who were held here. The innovative methods of telling their tales are almost as incredible as the historical facts.

Hyde Park Barracks Museum, Queens Square, Macquarie St, Sydney, (02) 8239 2311, mhnsw.au/visit-us/hyde-park-barracks

ABORIGINAL ART GALLERIES

Inside the historic Queen Victoria Building is a renowned art gallery dedicated to established and emerging Australian Indigenous artists. At Aboriginal Art Galleries, admire the soulful paintings, authentic didgeridoos, handmade crafts and traditional artefacts.

Aboriginal Art Galleries, Shop 47-51, Level 2, Queen Victoria Building, 455 George St, Sydney, (02) 9264 9018, aboriginalartgalleries.com.au

STATE LIBRARY OF NSW

Enrich your mind inside Australia’s oldest library. There are galleries, reading rooms and more than six million objects such as books, manuscripts and maps. This summer, see the exhibition For All Time: Shakespeare in Print until February 24, 2024, marking the 400th anniversary of the scribe’s first collection of plays published in one volume. State Library of NSW, 1 Shakespeare Place, Sydney, (02) 9273 1414, sl.nsw.gov.au

ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

Must-see autumn exhibitions

» Autumn o ers a great opportunity to linger longer in he warm embrace of Sydney’s major museums and galleries. Here is what’s on.

YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Year of the Dragon is a group exhibition by various artists visualising the bridge between the living and the heavenly through contemporised mythology and symbolism. Those born under the fifth zodiac sign are said to be earthly connections to the celestial realm, the divine plane where dragons and gods reside.

Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, 181-187 Hay Street, Haymarket, Tuesdays to Sundays until March 31. Free. 4a.com.au

HERSTORY: REMEMBERING AUSTRALIA’S MILITARY WOMEN

Women have long played a significant role in Australian military service, from serving as nurses in the Boer War, to the formation of the women’s auxiliary forces during World War II and their current roles on the front lines. This is artist Carla

Edwards’ personal thank you to the women who have served in the Australian Defence Force from 1942 to the present day.

Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, Sydney, every day, until April 1. Free. anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au

IF YOU DON’T WANT EVERYTHING TO COME APART

This work considers the ways cosmic forms and forces mirror the dynamics, relations and dimensions of our social worlds. Centring on the formation and behaviour of star systems, the work uses the metaphorical qualities of interstellar movement as a way to reconsider the dynamics of human interaction, the role of the individual and the sway of the collective. Artist Lisa Sammut’s practice encompasses collage, sculpture, video and installation.

You’re Okay Gallery, 119 Bathurst St, Sydney, every day. Free. whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

DEVELOPING SYDNEY: ON THE CUSP OF CHANGE 1901

From 1900, the City Building Surveyor’s department of Sydney Municipal Council used photography to document our city’s profound transformation. The photographs inadvertently capture the largely working-class neighbourhoods and people being displaced by commercial and

sydneytravelguide.com.au

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND THE WHITE RABBIT GALLERY: PHOTOGRAPHY: HAMISH MCINTOSH;

PHOTO: MUCHA TRUST 2024

A BLUEPRINT FOR RUINS

ALPHONSE MUCHA ‘REVERIE’ 1

This sizeable art gallery features contemporary Chinese works, plus a street-level teahouse with dumplings.

government redevelopment. Aboriginal people are largely absent from these photographs, despite their ongoing presence in the city.

Customs House, 31 Alfred St, Sydney, every day, except public holidays, until June 30. Free. whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Image: Whaler’s Arms Hotel, Cumberland Street, c1901, City of Sydney Archives A-01000232

ACTION! FILM & WAR

This cinematic journey explores the use of film to document the experiences of Australian Defence Force personnel overseas, and showcases the role of film to promote, report on, and recreate events from our military history, from before the First World War until today.

State Library of NSW, Macquarie St, Sydney. Seven days until April 28. Free. sl.nsw.gov.au

NICHOLAS MANGAN: A WORLD UNDONE

Nicholas Mangan transforms unconventional materials into captivating installations, ranging from coral rubble to cryptocurrency, o ering fresh perspectives on ecological, historical, economic, and political themes central to civic discourse. Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St, The Rocks, April 5 – June 30. Free. mca.com.au

A BLUEPRINT FOR RUINS

As China’s cities race to embrace modernity in a never-ending dance of renewal, buildings are designed to be demolished even before their completion. A Blueprint for Ruins reverberates with the shadows of the dispossessed within China’s urban metamorphosis. White Rabbit Collection, 30 Balfour St, Chippendale, Wednesday-Sunday, Free. whiterabbitcollection.org

WENDY SHARPE: SPELLBOUND

Get an insight into how an artist thinks and works with Wendy Sharpe: Spellbound, a sumptuous aesthetic journey into the nature of creativity, which features drawings, sketchbooks, artistmade books, paintings, ceramics, sculptural forms and site-specific wall murals by a much-admired, Archibald Prize–winning Australian artist. Art Gallery Rd, The Domain, from May 28, artgallery.nsw.gov.au

ALPHONSE MUCHA: SPIRIT OF ART NOUVEAU

Explore the life and work of one of art’s great stylistic innovators, Czech-born Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939). His posters of celebrity French actress Sarah Bernhardt propelled Mucha to sudden fame. Art Gallery Rd, The Domain, June 15 to September 22, artgallery.nsw.gov.au

WHITE RABBIT GALLERY

Hear Sydney’s stories

» As the oldest city in Australia, Sydney has some fascinating tales to tell from its convict days to the roaring ‘20s and beyond.

SUSANNAH PLACE MUSEUM

Take a peek into the lives of the working-class families who called these four pocket-sized terrace houses home from 1844 onwards in The Rocks, Sydney’s oldest neighbourhood. See how they lived, worked, and played in tiny backyards, open wash houses, basement kitchens and modest parlour rooms. Guided tours only.

Susannah Place Museum, 58-64 Gloucester St, The Rocks, (02) 9241 1893, mhnsw.au/visit-us/susannah-place

JUSTICE & POLICE MUSEUM

Sydney’s first European settlers were mainly criminals transported from the UK, so the city has a colourful gangland history. Step back in time at this former police court and holding cells to learn stories of the guilty and the innocent, and admire intriguing mug shots from the 1920s.

Justice & Police Museum, corner of Albert St & Phillip St, Circular Quay, (02) 8239 2211, mhnsw.au/visit-us/justice-and-police-museum

MUSEUM OF SYDNEY

For a snapshot of Sydney’s history, this museum tells stories about the people, places and culture of the city. The building’s architecture draws inspiration from the site’s history, weaving in remains of the inaugural Government House, circa 1788. Don’t miss the intricate model of the 11 ships of the First Fleet.

Museum of Sydney, corner Bridge St and Phillip St, Sydney, (02) 9251 5988, mhnsw.au/visit-us/museum-of-sydney

JUSTICE & POLICE MUSEUM

MUSEUM OF SYDNEY

The Museum of Sydney sits atop the ruins of the rst Government House, built in 1788.

PHOTO: DESTINATION NSW

SHOPPING

BARANGAROO

Sydneysiders are serious about their shopping and the Harbour City is studded with fabulous retail hotspots from historic arcades to urban markets and designer boutiques. If you are looking for local Sydney designs, one-of-a-kind collectables or big-name brands, Sydney has options for all budgets. For authentic gems to give you that Sydney sparkle, you can’t pass up the chance to hunt for Aussie Opals or visit the iconic Paddy’s Markets, which has everything from fresh produce to souvenirs and toys. For discount hunters, Birkenhead Point is a gold mine for designer fashion at incredible prices. So, let’s go shopping!

City centre

» You’ll find it all in the City Centre, from international brands to luxury labels and quirky Australian designs.

QUEEN VICTORIA BUILDING

Known to locals as the QVB, this historic covered arcade is an architectural landmark dating back to 1898. It’s home to luxury global brands, high street retail and the Queen Victoria Tea Room, famous for high tea. Town Hall station is located beneath the building or catch the light rail to the QVB stop.

Queen Victoria Building, 455 George St, Sydney, (02) 9265 6800, qvb.com.au

THE STRAND ARCADE

The Strand is Sydney’s only remaining Victorianstyle shopping arcade based on early 1800s European architecture. Here, discover luxury Australian brands such as Bassike, Camilla and Marc, and Dion Lee, along with high-end milliners, vintage watches and inventive jewellery.

The Strand Arcade, 412-414 George St, Sydney, (02) 9265 6800, strandarcade.com.au

PITT ST MALL

This bustling, pedestrian-only mall spans two city blocks in the city centre. It’s bordered with loads of retail centres – Glasshouse, Sydney Arcade, Westfield Sydney, Mid City Shopping Centre

and The Strand Arcade – and features more than 500 speciality stores. For high-street shopping destinations, discover Zara, H&M, Sephora, Sportsgirl, Superdry and many more. Pitt St Mall, 182 Pitt St, Sydney, pittstreetmall.com.au

WESTFIELD SYDNEY

Built around the iconic Sydney Tower, Westfield Sydney houses some of the world’s most exclusive brands, along with high-end services such as valet parking and personal styling. With more than 280 retailers over four levels, shop ’til you drop or window gaze at Tommy Hilfiger, Fendi, Bottega Veneta, Chanel and more.

Westfield Sydney, corner Pitt St Mall & Market St, Sydney, (02) 8236 9200, westfield.com.au/sydney

BARANGAROO

The a uent harbourside precinct of Barangaroo is filled with exceptional boutiques, fine dining and architectural wonders. Buy handcrafted footwear, made-to-measure suits, fine jewellery and limitededition co ee table books.

Barangaroo, 1300 966 480, barangaroo.com

THE ROCKS

The Rocks is Sydney’s oldest and most compact precinct with historic hotspots and an extraordinary harbourside location. It also o ers a unique shopping experience with quaint boutiques lining cobblestone lanes, designer clothing and cosmetics, and a vibrant market every Saturday and Sunday with plenty of handmade wares and memorable objets d’art to take home.

The Rocks, George St, (02) 9240 8500, therocks.com/shop

THE STRAND ARCADE

BARANGAROO

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

Urban hotspots

» Each Sydney neighbourhood has its own distinctive style and the stores to match. Discover beachside boho wares, vintage treasures and cool city styles.

BONDI

Boutiques in Bondi capture the laid back, coastal style of this famous beachside suburb. Spend time on Gould Street, which is lined with uber-cool boutiques – pick up playful jewellery from Lucy Folk, fashion staples elevated in premium fabrics like linen and cashmere from Jac + Jack or on-trend eco-friendly cleaning products from Bondi Wash.

NEWTOWN

The eclectic urban village of Newtown, home to Sydney University, is bursting with funky style, bohemian vibes and colourful street art. Here, in the shops that line Newtown’s main drag of King Street, discover one-o vintage finds, curious co ee table books and original fashion.

PADDINGTON

Paddington, in Sydney’s east, has long been known for its fashion credentials. Oxford Street is the main thoroughfare, and lined with alluring boutiques, designer furniture stores and upmarket pubs. The Intersection, where Glenmore Road meets Oxford Street, has an array of high-end Australian designers such as Scanlan Theodore and Lee Mathews.

BONDI

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

SURRY HILLS

This vibrant inner-city neighbourhood has evolved from working-class beginnings to a thriving hub of fashion, art and food. Crown Street is a popular shopping strip and Bourke Street is well worth a stroll too. Find handcrafted ceramics, designer stationery, pre-loved vinyl records, and international brands from Denmark and New York.

WOOLLAHRA

This leafy suburb is dotted with heritage-listed mansions and English-style upscale pubs. Queen Street is the place to nab designer threads or go to Armani Junior and Jacadi Paris for on-trend youngsters, Ruby & Min or Riada Concept for top designers and M.J. Bale for tailor-made men’s suits.

SURRY HILLS

PADDINGTON

SHOPPING

Luxury

» If you like to splash some serious cash, you’ve come to the right place. Visit the elegant flagship stores of designer brands, choose a piece of exquisite jewellery or even hunt down a luxe-for-less bargain.

CASTLEREAGH STREET, CBD

Luxury lovers should head to Castlereagh Street, near where it intersects King Street in central Sydney, for labels such as Dior, Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Hermès and Saint Laurent. For collectors of rare, opulent vintage pieces, visit The Vintage Clothing Shop in nearby St James Arcade.

THE STAR SYDNEY

The retail arcade in The Star Casino is petite but has a nicely edited mix of high-end boutiques. For a few of life’s little luxuries after trying your hand at a game of blackjack on the casino floor, stroll into Rolex for classic timepieces, Versace for Italian style

CASTLEREAGH STREET, CBD

and Kennedy for fine jewellery. The Star, 80 Pyrmont St, Pyrmont, 1800 700 700, star.com.au/shop

BONDI JUNCTION WESTFIELD

This sprawling retail centre in Sydney’s busy Bondi Junction is a one-stop shop for luxurious, global brands. Fashion-forward labels here include Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Christian Louboutin and Ti any & Co. Spread over seven levels, it’s easy to get lost –seek the concierge desks dotted throughout. Bondi Junction Westfield, 500 Oxford St, Bondi Junction, (02) 9947 8000, westfield.com.au/bondijunction

DOUBLE BAY

Amongst the leafy streets, secret lanes and little arcades of the harbourside village Double Bay lie some seriously chic luxury boutiques. Browse at aco. for a multi-brand curation of contemporary clothing, admire glamorous jewellery adored by celebrities at Jan Logan and don’t miss Belinda

THE STAR

International, for a treasure trove of designers from around the globe.

OPAL CUTTERS

A true hidden gem! Australian Opal Cutters has the largest collection of luxurious, ethically sourced opal jewellery in the country. The long-established showroom, retail space and opal-cutting workshop, boasts a stunning array of opals, pearls and other gemstones. The expert team can work with you to create a customised, future heirloom.

Australian Opal Cutters, 295-301 Pitt St, Sydney, australianopalcutters.com

BIRKENHEAD POINT

Discover hundreds of top designer brands at discounted prices at Birkenhead Point outlet shopping mall. Save on Calvin Klein, Armani, Coach, Country Road and more. Get there via a private water taxi from Circular Quay for the 20-minute ride to Birkenhead – it’s a fantastic way to see the harbour, too.

Birkenhead Point, 19 Roseby St, Drummoyne, (02) 9812 8800, birkenheadpoint.com.au

VOLLÉ JEWELLERY

For beautiful Australian opals, pearls and pink diamonds, go where locals choose to shop. Vollé

Jewellery specialises in the most beautiful and uniquely crafted jewellery for men and women. Vollé provides the finest range of jewellery and gemstones to suit every budget from simple, yet stunning gifts, to major investment pieces of incredible beauty and value. Every gem purchased comes with a certificate of authenticity and an international guarantee.

Vollé Jewellery, 149 York St, corner 80 Druitt St (opposite QVB and Town Hall), Sydney, (02) 9269 0898, vollejewellery.com

BIRKENHEAD POINT

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

SHOPPING

Markets

» The sparkling harbour and sensational weather, plus the sheer number of beaches and natural spaces, means Sydney communities love spending time outdoors. It makes sense that markets are a huge part of the culture in Sydney! Here are some local favourites.

BONDI MARKETS

This beachside market in world-famous Bondi is jam-packed with emerging local fashion designs, vintage finds and chic coastal homewares. Bondi Markets, Sunday 10am-4pm, Bondi Beach Public School, Campbell Pde, Bondi, 0402 280 633, bondimarkets.com.au

CARRIAGEWORKS FARMERS MARKET

Inside the contemporary arts precinct of Carriageworks, this foodie’s playground is crowded with seasonal produce from local NSW growers, farmers and makers set in an historic workshop. Carriageworks Farmers Market, Saturday 8am-1pm, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh, (02) 8571 9099, carriageworks.com.au

PADDY’S MARKETS

Take some time to check out the hustle and bustle of Sydney’s oldest and largest market. Set on the edge of Chinatown, this is a shopping experience

CARRIAGEWORKS FARMERS MARKETS

like no other. You can find fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood, meat, souvenirs, hats, leather goods, watches, sunglasses, cosmetics, toys, shoes, Ugg boots, mobile phone accessories, luggage, jewellery, homewares and much more!

Paddy’s Markets, Wednesday-Sunday 10am6pm, 9/13 Hay St, Haymarket, (02) 9325 6200, paddysmarkets.com.au

MARKETS AT GLEBE

With live music, handmade artisan collectables, pre-loved treasures and delicious food, the Glebe markets are a popular and eclectic place to be seen on the weekend.

Markets at Glebe, Saturday 10am-4pm, 46-56 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe, (02) 9999 2226, marketsatglebe.com.au

PADDINGTON MARKETS

Iconic Sydney brand Zimmermann got its start at

Rozelle Markets is set among the historic sandstone buildings of Rozelle Primary School.

KIRRIBILLI MARKETS

The Kirribilli Markets is one of Sydney’s oldest and most popular markets. It eatures more than 220 stalls selling, new and recycled fashion and accessories, emerging local fashion designers, home and gift wares, arts and craft, jewellery, plants, gourmet foods and a whole lot more! All funds from the markets go towards running The Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre that helps and supports the local community.

Check the website for dates, Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre, 16-18 Fitzroy St, Kirribilli, kirribillimarkets.com

ROZELLE COLLECTORS MARKETS

Rozelle is a hotspot for sustainable fashion and there is no better place to start than Rozelle Collectors Markets. It is a combination of secondhand, bric-a-brac and antiques market. This openair market is a brilliant spot to poke about, catch up with friends and a place to bag some unique finds. Operating every Saturday, year round, in the historical sandstone buildings of the Rozelle Public School. Nearby shops also o er a street full of second-hand fashion with recycled fashion shops on both sides of Victoria Rd.

Saturdays, Rozelle Public School, 663 Darling St, Rozelle, rozellecollectorsmarket.com.au

ROZELLE MARKETS

180 GEORGE STREET

EXPLORE SYDNEY PLACE

Sydney Place is the newest dining destination in Circular Quay with some of Sydney's best places to dine, drink and explore.

Located at 180 George St, discover a curated mix of dining experiences from new concept diners, must visit bars and grab and go favourites.

Sydney Place has some of the country’s hottest names in food including the revitalised Jacksons on George by Maurice Terzini (of Icebergs and Otto), Joel Best's underground Japanese whisky bar, Bar Besuto and Lode Pies and Pastries by Sydney chef Federico Zanellato (of LuMi Dining) and many more.

180 George Street, Sydney sydneyplace.com @visitsydneyplace

Scan the QR code for exclusive o ers at Sydney Place.

FOOD & DRINK

There’s something special about Sydney’s food and drink scene. The multicultural flavours will delight your taste buds and the zesty cocktails will stir your soul. But it’s not just about nibbling and sipping – many Sydney venues make the most of extraordinary views with rooftop bars, floor-toceiling windows or al fresco terraces. From time-honoured restaurants with legendary status such as Rockpool, to dining disruptors shaking things up like Kiln, and the chef’s choice at Izy.Aki in The Rocks, Sydney caters to everyone’s taste.Before you chow down, happy hour is serious business here, so choose your tipple. Perhaps a craft beer at Squires Landing at Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay or an Aperol spritz on Arturo’s rooftop.

SQUIRES LANDING

FOOD & DRINK

» With a diverse and multicultural population, Sydney is the place to savour cuisines from around the world.

SPICE TEMPLE

A fresh take on traditional Chinese cuisine, Spice Temple boasts a banquet-style menu with a focus on fare from China’s lesser-known regions. This long-established eatery dishes up a variety of modern Asian favourites using local and seasonal ingredients – eat your fill of noodles, dumplings, seafood and stir fries. Drop in for a quick lunch, where a bowl of fragrant noodles and a glass of beer or wine will only set you back $25.

Spice Temple, 10 Bligh St, Sydney, (02) 8099 7088, spicetemple.com.au

LE FOOTE

One of the oldest pubs in The Rocks was recently reimagined as a Euro-style wine bar and restaurant. Le Foote, which opened in May 2023, looks like a French bistro with bentwood chairs and white tablecloths, but the menu is distinctly Mediterranean. Savour small plates of cured meats and cheeses, washed down with French wine.

Le Foote, 101 George St, The Rocks, (02) 9232 0881, swillhouse.com/venues/le-foote

IZY.AKI

Located at award-winning Daintree inside the Sailors Home in The Rocks, Izy.Aki by chef Darren Templeman is an izakaya-style bar serving kappo omakase (chef’s choice) that has all the hallmarks of an intimate back-street bar in Osaka. For a more a la carte selection wander into Keel Bar upstairs o ering the chef’s Japanese bar menu.

106 George St, The Rocks, 042 164 5307, izyaki.com.au

SPICE TEMPLE

IZY.AKI

SYDNEY AUTUMN RACING CARNI VAL

EXPECT IT ALL

1 6 MAR - 20 APR

Drinks

» Did you know the colony of Sydney once used rum as currency? The city still enjoys a drink and there are lots of places to find one.

ALICE

An underground bar in The Rocks, Alice is bold and plush, just like the cocktails on the menu. The decor is similar to a jazz club without the jazz – think velvet-clad booths, soft lighting and pink ostrichfeather lamps. The Japanese-style flavours on the menu are inspired by Alice’s sister venue, Saké Restaurant and Bar.

Alice, 16 Argyle St, The Rocks, (02) 9145 8145, thisisalice.com.au

THE QUARRYMAN’S HOTEL

This pub is a real find, with a beer garden, rooftop bar and unique craft beers. Downstairs, there’s up to 34 taps pouring beers from mostly independent Aussie breweries. Upstairs, the Palm Springs-style

rooftop with pink decor, striped umbrellas and city views has a cocktail-menu focus. The food? Classic pub faves with flair.

The Quarryman’s Hotel, 214-216 Harris St, Pyrmont, (02) 9660 0560, quarrymans.com.au

DEAN & NANCY ON 22

Ascend high above the city to this lofty cocktail lounge with a distinctive 1950s New York feel. Encircled by glass to showcase gleaming Sydney skyscrapers, the space is all leather, brass and marble. While it’s steeped in luxury, it doesn’t take itself too seriously – there’s a playfulness to the cocktails, food and sta .

Dean & Nancy on 22, 2 Hunter St, Sydney, 0408 994 817, deanandnancyon22.com.au

THE LORD NELSON BREWERY HOTEL

If only the walls of this historic pub could talk – The Lord Nelson has been serving drinks in The Rocks for almost 200 years. Today, they even brew awardwinning beer in the cellar. The upstairs dining room is covered in convict-hewn sandstone, yet the menu

PHOTOS:

DEAN & NANCY ON 22

is a perfect example of modern Australian cuisine. Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel, 19 Kent St, The Rocks, (02) 9251 4044, lordnelsonbrewery.com

APOLLONIA

This Sicilian-style bar takes up the basement of heritage-listed dining mecca Hinchcli House. Named after the character of Apollonia in The Godfather, the bar’s cocktail list continues with the Italian theme. Try the La Bonita with tequila and grapefruit marsala, or the Seasonal Negroni with gin, vermouth and Italian bitters.

Apollonia, 5-7 Young St, Sydney, (02) 7228 1400, apollonia.sydney

HOTEL PALISADE

Hotel Palisade has a rich maritime history and show-stopping views. Built in 1916, it’s a narrow, towering building of five levels – a public bar at street level, boutique hotel rooms in the middle and a swanky rooftop bar on top. Order a cocktail at Henry Deane bar and admire the pretty-as-apicture posterior angle of Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Hotel Palisade, 35 Bettington St, Millers Point, (02) 9018 0123, hotelpalisade.com.au

Try the Lunchbox Milk Punch at Alice – a chic cocktail with a quirky Australian ingredient.

HOTEL PALISADE

ALICE

Special eats

» You’ll never go hungry in Sydney, with exceptional fresh produce, innovative chefs and jaw-dropping dining locations.

ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL

Housed within the Art Deco City Mutual Building, built around 1936, Rockpool Bar & Grill is one of Sydney’s finest dining rooms. This legendary restaurant has been plating perfectly cooked dry-aged steak and pouring fine wine since 2009. Founded by Australian celebrity chef Neil Perry, Rockpool has been named as the eighth best steak restaurant in the world. If you don’t have time for a full meal, drop in for RP Hour from 4-6pm on weekdays for a selection of snacks, drinks and signature cocktails.

Rockpool Bar & Grill, 66 Hunter St, Sydney, (02) 8099 7077, rockpoolbarandgrill.com.au

KILN

Curious flavour hunters will love Kiln. The novel menu, created by young chef Mitch Orr, takes you by surprise, with high-quality, seasonal ingredients presented in new ways. The dining space is just as edgy, with swathes of earthy textures and plenty of

light, due to its sky-high position on the 18th storey of the Atelier Ace Hotel.

Kiln, Atelier Ace Hotel, 53 Foy Lane, Sydney, (02) 8099 8799, kilnsydney.com

BAR TOTTI’S

This bustling modern Italian trattoria has delicious casual fare just bursting with colour and flavour. Everything is made to share and the signature antipasti (beloved by Sydney locals) includes the famous woodfired “pu all” bread, burrata, sweet tomatoes, prosciutto and melon.

Bar Totti’s, 330A/330B George St, Sydney, (02) 9114 7379, merivale.com

ICEBERGS DINING ROOM & BAR

There are a few reasons why Icebergs is celebrity chef Nigella Lawson’s “favourite restaurant in the whole world”. First, the cli side view over Bondi Beach is second to none; you feel like you are sitting atop the ocean. Second, the Italian menu is expertly executed with seasonal Aussie produce. Finally, the service doesn’t miss a step.

Icebergs, 1 Notts Ave, Bondi Beach, (02) 9365 9000, idrb.com

WOODCUT

A bold dining experience of contrasts, Woodcut conjures up the nostalgia of slow-cooked meals over open fires, but in an ultra-modern setting. Award-winning chef Ross Lusted and his restaurateur wife Sunny pay homage to classic methods of fire, smoke, ice and steam. Imagine a Southern Rock Lobster charred in a wood-fired oven and finished with kombu butter.

Woodcut, Crown Sydney, Level 1/1 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo, (02) 8871 7171, crownsydney.com.au/restaurants/woodcut

BENNELONG

ICEBERGS

BENNELONG

Dining inside the Sydney Opera House is a pinchyourself moment. The dramatic peaked ceilings remind you that you’re within the famous sails, and the high-reaching triangular glass walls invite the iconic harbour views inside. Renowned Australian chef Peter Gilmore has crafted a quintessentially modern Australian menu, showcasing some of the country’s best produce.

Bennelong, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney, (02) 9240 8000, bennelong.com.au

SYDNEY FISH MARKET

It’s Australia’s home of seafood, the largest market of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, attracting over three million visitors a year. The Sydney Fish Market on Blackwattle Bay is home to seafood retailers, restaurants and cafes. You can grab some fresh prawns, oysters, sashimi, and fish and chips for a picnic at the outdoor tables, or treat yourself to whole lobster, king crab and abalone at The Boatshed restaurant.

Sydney Fish Market, Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Pyrmont, (02) 9004 1100, sydneyfishmarket.com.au

ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL

WOODCUT

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

Relaxed dining

» Sit down at one of Sydney’s many familyfriendly eateries where the whole family will find something to suit.

TRAMSHEDS

Just outside of the city in the leafy suburb of Forest Lodge, Tramsheds is a one-stop shop for all things delicious. Try the American-style fried chicken at Belles, a grain-fed Queensland-raised steak at Butcher & The Farmer, or exquisite handmade pasta at Flour Water Salt. There’s also an outpost of cult favourite Gelato Messina, a refurbished heritage tram to admire and an excellent playground next door.

Tramsheds, 1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge, (02) 9049 8885, tramshedsydney.com.au

CENTENNIAL HOMESTEAD

This sunlit, spacious cafe nestled in Centennial Park sits alongside an expansive rolling lawn and playground. There’s plenty of outdoor seating so you can keep an eye on frolicking little ones, and the menu has cafe classics such as scrambled eggs, fish and chips, and even picnic hampers.

Centennial Homestead, 1 Grand Dr, Centennial Park, (02) 9380 9350, centennialhomestead.com.au

FRATELLI FRESH DARLING HARBOUR

The Darling Harbour outpost of Italian local dining favourite Fratelli Fresh is fantastic for families. Not only is it located beside the mammoth Darling Quarter playground, but it has fun food stations

dishing up fresh pasta, pizzas and delicious gelato. Kids under 12 eat free on Sundays.

Fratelli Fresh, 14 Darling Dr, Darling Harbour, (02) 9259 5600, fratellifresh.com.au

CAPTAIN COOK CRUISES

Captain Cook Cruises is synonymous with luxury dining on Sydney Harbour with a comprehensive range of dining experiences including lunch, high tea, cocktails and spectacular dinner cruises. The company’s flagship MV Sydney 2000 is a world-class cruising restaurant featuring three dining decks and the fully open Star Deck.

Captain Cook Cruises, (02) 9206 1111, captaincook.com.au

GATEWAY SYDNEY

A few steps from Circular Quay, Gateway Sydney takes food court fare to another level. Tuck into authentic Egyptian at Bekya, flavourful noodles at Chat Thai or bulging burgers at Betty’s. Up on the roof, Bar Ombre serves up Italian classics and cocktails alongside stunning harbour views. Gateway Sydney, Alfred St, Circular Quay, (02) 9256 6900, gatewaysydney.com.au

JACKSONS ON GEORGE

The new Sydney Place in Circular Quay includes a fresh o ering from the same operator as the famous Icebergs at Bondi. Its Public Bar features all-day dining, the European-influenced Bistro George and a spectacular Rooftop oasis. Other eats at Sydney Place are Lode Pies, Malay Chinese and Bar Besuto. Jacksons on George, 176 George St, Sydney, (02) 8027 9997, jacksonsongeorge.com.au

JACKSONS ON GEORGE

CAPTAIN COOK CRUISES

PHOTOS: CAPTAIN COOK CRUISES, JACKSONS ON GE0RGE

EXPERIENCES

Whether you’re keen on heart-racing adventures or something a little more leisurely, Sydney has experiences for all kinds of passions and interests. Want to cuddle a koala? You don’t even have to leave the city. Want to see Sydney from a contrasting perspective? Take a helicopter tour with Blue Sky. Climb to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Curious about Sydney’s most haunted place? Let’s go ghost hunting! If time is plentiful, take an easy day trip into the pristine landscapes of the Blue Mountains to Scenic World. It’s a state-of-the-art adventure in ancient wilderness you will never forget. It’s time to choose your adventure in the Harbour City.

BLUE SKY HELI TOURS PHOTO: BLUE SKY HELICOPTERS

Feeling brave? Step onto the roof of the cable car at Scenic World, 270m in the air.

The icons

» You can’t come to Sydney without ticking the big names o your bucket list. These are the best ways to see the icons.

CLIMB THE SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

Scale to the summit of Sydney Harbour Bridge and get a whole new perspective on the sprawling city below. The sweeping 360-degree views from the peak of the bridge take in the glittering harbour, the Sydney Opera House sails, Luna Park, the cityscape and the headlands beyond.

BridgeClimb Sydney, 3 Cumberland St, The Rocks, (02) 8274 7777, bridgeclimb.com

BLUE SKY HELICOPTERS

If you have limited time in Sydney and want to see it all, then a Blue Sky helicopter tour is the only way to fly. The operators of Sydney Airport’s longestestablished, locally owned helicopter company know the beauty of Sydney, its harbour and its magnificent surroundings. Flying at about 200kmh and covering a round trip of 45km, you can take in magnificent views of the Harbour, Bridge, beaches and suburbs of Sydney in a 20-minute trip with memories that will last a lifetime.

462 Ross Smith Ave, Mascot, (02) 9700 7888, blueskyhelicopters.com

SEE THE ICONIC BLUE MOUNTAINS AT SCENIC WORLD

Scenic World is a glorious way to see the beauty and scale of the Blue Mountains. There are four di erent family-friendly attractions: Scenic Railway, Scenic Cableway, Scenic Walkway and Scenic Skyway. From whooshing down the world’s

steepest railway or gliding over the pretty landscape in the cable car, it’s a picturesque and memorable day out. Feeling brave? Try the new Beyond Skyway experience and step out of the cable car onto the roof more than 270 metres above the valley below. Scenic World, Violet St & Cli Dr, Katoomba, (02) 4780 0200, scenicworld.com.au

EXPLORE THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

The curves of the Sydney Opera House captivate the world, but beyond the famous exterior lies an extraordinary history and legendary tales. The original daily tour takes one-hour – inspect the building’s revolutionary design up close, be versed in unforgettable performances and uncover the Sydney Opera House’s best-kept secrets.

Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney, (02) 9250 7111, sydneyoperahouse.com

GO SKY HIGH ON THE SYDNEY TOWER EYE

For a thrilling adventure more than 300 metres in the air, visit Sydney’s tallest building for epic 360-degree city views. Soak up the astonishing vista from the Observation Deck, or book a Skywalk tour and step out into the fresh air with Sydney laid out in all her glory as your guide tells tales of the city. Sydney Tower Eye, Westfield Sydney, Market St, (02) 9333 9222, sydneytowereye.com.au

SCENIC WORLD

SYDNEY TOWER EYE

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW, SCENIC WORLD

Aboriginal culture

» Aboriginal people have lived in Sydney for thousands of years and are part of the world’s oldest living culture. Hear their stories.

HEAR STORIES OF THE DREAMTIME

In the 1700s, before the arrival of European settlers, about eight Indigenous clans lived along the harbour foreshore. Known as “saltwater people”, they gathered most of their food from the waters, and the harbour had huge spiritual significance. Join the 90-minute Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour to gain an intimate knowledge of these Aboriginal people’s saltwater heritage, their traditions and their modern connections.

Dreamtime Southern X, 27 Cope St, Redfern, 0403 686 433, dreamtimesouthernx.com.au

TAKE A BUSH TUCKER TOUR

The Indigenous people of Australia hunted and gathered native plants and wildlife for food and medicine for thousands of years. Learn the timehonoured uses of bush foods, hear Dreamtime stories and sample some of the unique botanicals for yourself in the Cadi Jam Ora Gardens at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Mrs Macquaries Rd, Sydney, (02) 9231 8111, botanicgardens.org.au

THE WORLD’S OLDEST LIVING CULTURE

Understand the spiritual significance of the sixhectare harbourside Barangaroo Reserve on this

walking tour with an Aboriginal educator from Aboriginal Cultural Tours. Barangaroo was named after a powerful female Cammeraygal leader of the Eora Nation. Hear incredible tales of the traditional peoples’ connections to the harbour and admire the 75,000 native trees that stud the reserve. Barangaroo Aboriginal Cultural Tours, The Cutaway, Barangaroo Reserve, 1300 966 480, barangaroo.com

WIRAWI

Escape the crowds and experience Vivid Sydney from the water on the newly-refurbished vessel, The Wirawi. Cruise amongst the other colourfully lit vessels and see the sails of the Sydney Opera House awash with kaleidoscopic design. A must-do experience event for the whole family. Ticket includes hot food box. tribalwarrior.org, 02 9699 3491

ABORIGINAL CULTURAL TOURS

DREAMTIME SOUTHERN X

On the water

» Sydney is surrounded by water. From the glittering harbour to crashing ocean waves and gently meandering rivers. It’s easy to get out and explore this watery wonderland by boat, kayak and sur oard.

DISCOVER SYDNEY HARBOUR BY KAYAK

Imagine gliding over the glassy waters of the harbour with the Sydney Harbour Bridge soaring above you. Sydney by Kayak is an award-winning eco-tourism operator and has been guiding groups of keen paddlers across the waters of Sydney Harbour since 2013. Join the popular Sunrise Kayak and Co ee tour or the fun Social Paddles, ideal for beginners.

Sydney by Kayak, 1 Railway Ave, Lavender Bay, 1300 452 925, sydneybykayak.com.au

SYDNEY BY KAYAK

DELIVER THE MAIL WITH THE RIVERBOAT POSTMAN

The Hawkesbury River borders the northwestern edge of Sydney and is dotted with tiny communities accessible only by water. The Riverboat Postman has been delivering mail and other essentials since 1910 and today the modern vessel welcomes passengers onboard to see a di erent slice of Sydney life. Tours depart 10am weekdays or you can join special lunch or music cruises on Sundays.

Riverboat Postman, Dangar Rd, Brooklyn, 0400 600 111, riverboatpostman.com.au

JET BOAT TOUR OF THE HARBOUR

For those who like to splash out on sightseeing experiences, hold on to your hat as you reach thrilling speeds and take dizzying 360-degree spins on the water in an iconic red shark boat with Oz Jet Boating. The experienced team will take you on the (wettest) ride of your life.

Oz Jet Boating, Eastern Pontoon, Circular Quay, (02) 9808 3700, ozjetboating.com.au

SCENIC SAILING ON DUYFKEN

Take a unique tour of Sydney Harbour onboard a replica of the Duy en, the first European ship to reach northern Australia in 1606. Departing from

RIVERBOAT POSTMAN

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW, CAPTAIN COOK CRUISES

LETS GO SURFING

the Australian Maritime Museum, you’ll sail past Barangaroo, Garden Island, the Sydney Opera House and more, while hearing fascinating stories of 17th century sailing and the Dutch East India Company’s trading voyages.

Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray St, Darling Harbour, (02) 9298 3777, sea.museum

LEARN TO SURF WITH LETS GO SURFING

Find your feet in the surf at Bondi with top-notch surfing school, Lets Go Surfing. Both group and private lessons are available for adults, teens and

kids, with all equipment and instruction included. Learn important surf safety rules, how to paddle, catch a wave and hopefully, stand up on the board! Lets Go Surfing, 128 Ramsgate Ave, North Bondi, (02) 9365 1800, letsgosurfing.com.au

JOURNEY BEYOND CRUISES

Sail into a world of gourmet delight aboard the 78ft luxury cruiser, Spirit of Migloo. Immerse yourself in an intimate dining experience as you traverse Sydney’s iconic harbour, cruising under the Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House. While enjoying the sights, indulge in a two-course lunch or a three-course dinner paired with fine local wine. Journey Beyond Cruises, Wharf 8, King St Wharf, 1300 460 400, journeybeyondcruises.com

CAPTAIN COOK CRUISES

Beyond the natural beauty of Sydney Harbour there is so much more to see and do. Wildlife and whale watching, islands and beaches, hidden coves and fishing villages all make up a vibrant living harbour. Palatial waterfront homes dot the foreshore, as do many popular attractions including the world famous Taronga Zoo. Multi-award-winning Captain Cook Cruises also o ers premium dining and sightseeing experiences for locals and travellers alike. The world-famous Premium Harbour Experience Cruise takes sightseeing to a new level with reserved lounges, a house beverage of your choice and a cheese and charcuterie tasting plate to share. The 90-minute cruise departs daily from Circular Quay at 12.30pm and 2pm. Captain Cook Cruises, (02) 9206 1111, captaincook.com.au

CAPTAIN COOK CRUISES

EXPERIENCES

Nature & wildlife

» You don’t have to leave the city to experience the great outdoors or to meet Australia’s legendary animals. Walks, wildlife parks and trail rides await.

GO UNDER THE SEA AT SEA LIFE

SYDNEY AQUARIUM

Deep-dive into an aquatic wonderland at one of the world’s largest aquariums in the centre of Sydney. Watch in awe as sharks, rays and a rare dugong glide above you in the expansive overhead aquariums, then jump aboard the state-of-the-art Penguin Expedition Boat Ride to cruise through a colony of King and Gentoo penguins.

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, 1-5 Wheat Rd, Darling Harbour, (02) 9333 9200, visitsealife.com/sydney

MEET A KOALA AT WILD LIFE SYDNEY ZOO

It’s incredible in a bustling city like Sydney to be able to get up close and personal with so many native Australian animals. At WILD LIFE you can pat a kangaroo, smile at a crocodile in the Crocodile Billabong and meet a cuddly koala! There’s also plenty of conservation education and expert guides.

WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, 1-5 Wheat Rd, Darling Harbour, 1800 195 650, wildlifesydney.com.au

TALK TO THE ANIMALS AT TARONGA ZOO

Taronga Zoo is home to more than 4000 animals, making it Australia’s largest zoo. Animal lovers can marvel at gira es, elephants, monkeys and more, against a stunning harbour backdrop. For adventurers, swing and climb across the zoo with

TARONGA ZOO

Wild Ropes Treetops Adventure. Want to linger longer? Roar and Snore is an on-site safari sleepover with behind-the-scenes access.

Taronga Zoo Sydney, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman, (02) 9969 2777, taronga.org.au

TAKE THE BONDI TO COOGEE COASTAL WALK

As one of the most famous beachside cities in the world, Sydney is known for its spectacular coastal pathways. The Bondi to Coogee walk is popular with walkers, joggers and pram-pushing parents. Take

SEA LIFE AQUARIUM

BONDI TO COOGEE COASTAL WALK

the cli -hugging trail past wild coastal scrub, ocean rock pools and water views. Start behind Icebergs at the southern end of Bondi Beach. bonditocoogeewalk.com

HORSE RIDING IN CENTENNIAL PARKLANDS

For an equine adventure without leaving the city, saddle up in Centennial Parklands – the 360-hectare green space is just dreamy for a horse ride. Situated inside The Centennial Parklands Equestrian Centre is Eastside Riding Academy, which runs leisure park rides. The academy caters for budding horse riders and those more experienced in the saddle.

Eastside Riding Academy, 120 Lang Rd, Moore Park, (02) 9360 7521, eastsideriding.com.au

EASTSIDE RIDING ACADEMY

History & culture

» Uncover some of the more unconventional aspects of Sydney’s distinctive cultural heritage, from the spooky to the sporty.

GET SPOOKY AT HISTORIC Q STATION

Embark on a ghost hunt at one of Australia’s most haunted places, Q Station in Manly, 30 minutes from the city. The site was originally used to quarantine people arriving in Sydney by ship from the 1830s until 1984, including soldiers, convicts, orphans and migrants. The two-hour Ghost Trackers tour is designed for families with children eight years and over.

Q Station, 1 North Head Scenic Dr, Manly, (02) 9466 1500, qstation.com.au

GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND

For die-hard cricket fans or future fast bowlers, the Sydney Cricket Ground Tour is a family-friendly 90-minute walking jaunt around this iconic sporting facility. Stroll through the members’ stand, step inside the dressing rooms, survey the playing field, view prized sporting memorabilia in the museum and walk out onto the hallowed turf. Sydney Cricket Ground Museum, Driver Ave, Moore Park, (02) 9380 0377, sydneycricketground.com.au/museum_scg

Q

PHOTO: DESTINATION NSW

WHAT’S ON

The 24th Biennale of Sydney, titled Ten Thousand Suns, is this year’s major international arts festival in Sydney. It is the largest free contemporary art event of its kind in Australia and is on at the Art Gallery of NSW, Artspace, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, UNSW Galleries and at the recently restored White Bay Power Station. If it’s stage you crave, then Sydney is also a key city to see everything from classics such as Death of a Salesman to hot new productions including the musical & Juliet.

KAYLENE WHISKEY ‘IWANT’

Biennale of Sydney

Until 10 June

This year’s Biennale of Sydney, now in its 50th anniversary year, is titled Ten Thousand Suns, and is free to the public. There will be exhibitions and events throughout Sydney. The 2024 edition will feature 96 artists and collectives from 50 countries and territories including New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Niue, Trinidad and Tobago and Ukraine. biennaleofsydney.art

WHITE BAY POWER STATION

28 Robert St, Rozelle

Inspired by pop culture alongside the ‘dot’ iconography of the Central Desert Yankunytjatjara artist Kaylene Whiskey’s work is titled Kaylene TV. It invites audiences into a giant TV with human-size cut-outs of icons such as singers Cher and Dolly Parton, as well as Whiskey’s own hybrid Black superheroes.

American Chinese artist and Grammy nominated music video director, Andrew Thomas

Huang, has created his first ever sculptural work. A great tiger will be suspended presented in the Turbine Hall, wearing a mask referencing Xiwangmu, Queen Mother of the West in Chinese mythology.

Peruvian artist Cristina Flores Pescorán has created a large-scale textile sculpture, Abrazar el sol (Embrace the sun), inspired by her own healing journey from a skin cancer condition, which exposed her to invasive examinations, biopsies, surgical interventions and medical observation for almost two decades.

Orquídeas Barrileteras (Orchid Kite), the first all-female group of kite makers from Guatemala’s Barrilete Festival, consists of 22 women spanning three generations. Stretching 5m wide, their lovingly and intricately designed kites are

BIG CHIEF DEMOND MELANCON

WHITE BAY

PHOTOS: BIENNALE OF SYDNEY

handmade using cloth, paper, bamboo, tissue, string, and natural materials.

Trevor Yeung’s mushroom lights exist on a closed-circuit system which, despite appearing to tumble organically, is entirely fabricated and closed o . Reminiscent of a child’s night light, a symbol of both security and naivety, these installations reflect Yeung’s sense of being a social interloper. (Also at Artspace)

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

140 George St, The Rocks

The foyer wall of the MCA will be transformed with a commission created by Iraqi-SwedishAmerican artist of Kurdish descent Hayv Kahraman. Drawing parallels between water, migration and the processes of Ebru marbling, the artist’s new work explores the violence and vulnerability experienced by undocumented migrants travelling to Australia via sea.

Sydney-based multidisciplinary artist and musician Serwah Attafuah’s digital creation unfolds in a near-future Ghana, drawing viewers into an Afrofuturistic vista contrasting colonial remnants with utopian hope, with a narrative that is propelled by burning slave castles, sinking colonial ships and formidable female warriors.

The sculptures of Malaysian artist Anne Samat sculptures are modelled from the artist’s relationships with friends or family and form sites of personal devotion and care.

Be Broken and Won’t Live Unspoken #2, combines traditional crafts with humble and everyday objects with established fibre and weaving techniques from across Southeast Asia.

ARTSPACE

43-51 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo

On the exterior of The Gunnery building, r e a’s large banners depict the words for sun in the Gamilaraay, Wailwan and Biripi languages of the artist’s parents and grandparents. The work continues inside Artspace in the Ideas Platform, here interjected by SILENCE = DEATH and LAND = RIGHTS layering dual messages for audiences to decipher.

A series of paintings and graphics created by Ukrainian artist Sana Shahmuradova Tanska, based in Kyiv and created in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. Shahmuradova Tanska draws upon Ukrainian history and folklore, blurring the line between form and mirage through dreamy figures that explore a molten landscape of collective memory, grief and violence.

UNSW GALLERIES

Cnr of Oxford St and Greens Rd, Paddington Quandamooka (Minjerribah, North Stradbroke Island, Queensland) artist Megan Cope confronts social, geographical and metaphorical boundaries through military-style maps that contest the myth of Terra Nullius and replaces colonial titles with her Jandai language and its cultural names and landmarks.

ART GALLERY OF NSW

Art Gallery Rd, The Domain, Sydney

This is a new drawings series by Roma artist Robert Gabris will create a ‘Garden of

K.S. ‘REMAINS’

ADEBUNMI GBADEBO: K.S. (FROM THE ‘REMAINS’ SERIES)

PHOTO: AARON WILSON WATSON. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND MUSEUM

Catastrophe’ in an expression of empowerment and agency. The works react against a European anthropological gaze that formed part of the objectification and discrimination faced by Roma people throughout Europe.

Tāgata Moana art collective Pacific Sisters, a collective of Pacific and Māori fashion designers, artists, performers and musicians present Mururoa, addressing the e ects of nuclear testing

in the wider Pacific and its long-term damaging environmental and physical impacts on Moana peoples and Supa Suga.

Big Chief Demond Melancon is part of a more than 200-year-old culture known as the Black Masking Culture of New Orleans. Part of a suit worn by the artist for the Mardi Gras parade, Big Chief Demond Melancon’s Africa depicts Zulu warriors drawing connections between African and First Nations traditions.

Acclaimed artist Frank Bowling’s Australia to Africa, part of his seminal ‘Map Painting’ series, merges postcolonial geopolitics with abstraction. Bowling is known for layering canvases with stained or washed colours so they appear flooded with light, creating luminous, near-illusory cartographies.

CHAU CHAK WING MUSEUM

University of Sydney, University Place, Camperdown

Citra Sasmita began researching the patriarchal roots of modern Bali which broadly narrates male heroism and depicts women as romantic decorations. Sasmita uses traditional Kamasan painting to reclaim the female figure as an active de-colonial agent challenging the exotic aesthetic heritage of Baliseering.

WHISPERS

APOCALYPSE SURVIVORS TETHYS SEA INHABITANTS

WHISPERSMEGAN COPE. PHOTO DANIEL BOUD APOCALYPSE SURVIVORS TETHYS SEA INHABITANTSSANA SHAHMURADOVA TANSKA

On the stage

» Get swept up in the magic of the stage at a host of Broadway-style musicals, moving operas or captivating plays on show in Sydney this autumn.

GREASE

March 24 – April 14

Grease is returning to the Australian stage in a new, multi-million-dollar live musical production. Sing along to the unforgettable Summer Nights, You’re The One That I Want and Greased Lightnin. Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket, (02) 9320 5000,

WEST SIDE STORY ON SYDNEY HARBOUR

March 22 – April 21

Combining a brilliant score and dynamic dance numbers West Side Story is a love story for the ages. Arrive early to enjoy the sun setting over the city skyline as you raise a glass, then take your seat to enjoy the enthralling show, complete with live orchestra and fireworks.

Mrs Macquaries Point, (02) 9318 8200, opera.org.au

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW

March 31 – April 28

This conic rock’n’roll musical stars Jason Donovan as Frank N Furter, who will be doing the Time Warp all over again. Watch on as squeaky-clean sweethearts Brad and Janet take o on an adventure they’ll never forget.

Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney, 1300 163 808, theatreroyalsydney.com

& JULIET

Until May 12

Emmy-winning Schitt’s Creek writer David West Read, flips the script on Shakespeare in a hilarious and poignant story of self-discovery and second chances which proves there’s life after Romeo. Sydney Lyric Theatre, 55 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont, 1300 795 267, sydneylyric.com.au

INTO THE SHIMMERING WORLD

Apr 2 – May 19

Acting greats Kerry Armstrong and Colin Friels take the stage in this epic and poetic story of love, loss and renewal, from Angus Cerini. Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, sydneytheatre.com.au

GREASE

Marcia Hines stars as Teen Angel in Grease at The Capitol.

THE PRESIDENT

April 13 – 18 May 18

With a cast and creative team drawn from the finest Irish and Australian theatre-making talents – including Hugo Weaving and Olwen Fouéré – this searingly relevant story of ambition, power and change is set to be an extraordinary night of theatre.

Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, sydneytheatre.com.au

PARADE

May 9-25

This Tony Award-winning musical is based on the true story of an unsolved murder that divided a nation. A moving examination of one of the darkest episodes of America’s history, it features a rousing, colourful and haunting score.

Seymour Centre, Cnr City Road &, Cleveland St, Chippendale, (02) 7255 1561, seymourcentre.com

DEATH OF A SALESMAN

May 17 – June 23

The award-winning Anthony LaPaglia takes to the Sydney stage for the first time, in this critically acclaimed production, directed by Australia’s Neil Armfield, also stars Alison Whyte as Linda Loman, the complex and devoted wife of the failing salesman and Josh Helman as Bi , Willy’s troubled son – the golden boy who has descended into self-doubt and despair.

Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney, 1300 163 808, theatreroyalsydney.com

THE ODD COUPLE

June 27 – July 13

In this hilarious new Australian stage production pairs two divorced men who share an apartment. The only problem is they’re as di erent as chalk and cheese. Shane Jacobson is the cigar smoking compulsive slob Oscar while McKenney is the hyper-allergic pernickety Felix.

Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney, theatreroyalsydney.com

KING LEAR

June 14 – July 20

Shakespeare’s epic of the imagination, King Lear, creates a portrait of a family and a country torn apart. This heart-wrenching new production promises to be powerful and utterly unforgettable.

Bell Shakespeare, 13a Hickson Rd, Dawes Point, bellshakespeare.com.au

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL

June 9, 2024 – July 28, 2025

Murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery, treachery and all that jazz... so begins this international multi-award-winning musical. Starring Anthony Warlow as Billy Flynn, Zoë Ventoura as Velma Kelly, Lucy Maunder as Roxie Hart, Peter Rowsthorn as Amos Hart and Asabi Goodman as Matron ‘Mama’ Morton, expect a glittering score that includes All That Jazz and Razzle Dazzle. Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket, (02) 9320 5000, chicagomusical.com.au

WESTSIDE STORY ON THE HARBOUR

CHICAGO

Live music

» Whether you like laid back jazz with cocktails or dancing at a rock concert, you’ll find a live music venue you love in Sydney.

MARY’S UNDERGROUND

With live music five nights a week in a chic underground space just behind the harbour, Mary’s is easily one of the coolest spots in the city.

29 Reiby Pl, Sydney, (02) 9247 3430, marysunderground.com

THE METRO THEATRE

The Metro is one of Sydney’s buzziest live music spaces, having hosted rock, indie and alternative bands for decades.

G2/624 George St, Sydney, (02) 7208 4483, metrotheatre.com.au

ENMORE THEATRE

This 100-year-old theatre has a regal retro facade and has hosted some of the world’s biggest bands including KISS, Coldplay and The Rolling Stones. This summer Aussie legends, The Whitlams, perform.

118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown, (02) 9550 3666, enmoretheatre.com.au

SAMMY JNR

Co ee by day, cocktails by night. Sammy Jnr transforms into a stylish venue with live jazz on Thursday evenings paired with an aperitivo menu and classic cocktails.

66 King St, Sydney, 0415 204 298, maybesammyjnr.com

THE ROUNDHOUSE

This distinctive curved building is part of the University of NSW and has been filled with good times since the 1960s. It o ers a cracking line-up of theatre, comedy, dance parties and live music.

UNSW, Anzac Pde, Kensington, (02) 9065 0910, arc.unsw.edu.au/roundhouse

THE VANGUARD

Live music, burlesque and cabaret are all on the menu at this famous venue in the indie suburb of Newtown. The intimate space is generally set up with tables for dinner and a show.

42 King St, Newtown, thevanguard.com.au

TIVA

This swanky jazz joint in an underground venue in the CBD is all about luxury, martinis and music. There are world-class tunes on stage every night with a line-up of soul, jazz, disco, house and R’n’B.

68 King St, Sydney, (02) 9145 8068, tiva.sydney

OXFORD ART FACTORY

Music and art lovers alike can see live music and performance art at the Oxford Art Factory, made up of flexible, multi-purpose performance zones: Gallery, Art after Dark Bar and Live Art Space. 38/46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, (02) 9332 3711, oxfordartfactory.com

HORDERN PAVILION

Many young Sydneysiders see their first-ever live band at the Hordern, a legendary rock’n’roll venue inside a striking heritage building in Moore Park. The pavilion has seen some incredible performers, from Frank Sinatra and Queen to Tina Turner.

Entertainment Quarter, 1 Driver Ave, Moore Park, (02) 9921 5333, thehordern.com.au

SAMMY JNR

OXFORD ART FACTORY

PHOTOS: DESTINATION NSW

Comedy

» Australia has produced some of the most famous comedians in the world. Have a laugh and catch the next big thing at these comedy clubs around town.

THE COMEDY CLUB

There’s nothing like laughing the night away in a crowd at Sydney’s premier comedy club. This joint has been making locals and visitors giggle since 1981. See up to eight home-grown and international comedy acts gracing the stage Thursday to Saturday evenings, with new line-ups every week.

122 Lang Rd, The Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, (02) 9550 3666, comedystore.com.au

SYDNEY COMEDY CLUB AT RIVERSIDE THEATRES PARRAMATTA

For plenty of belly laughs, the Sydney Comedy Club has polished comedians hit the stage every month. The club is inside the Riverside Theatres Parramatta, a performing arts space with multiple venues in Sydney’s western suburbs. There are regular stand-up comedy showcases featuring up to six top-notch comedians.

Church St, Parramatta, (02) 8839 3399, sydneycomedyclub.com.au

Dance

» Feel the power of movement and unlock ancient cultural traditions with performances from Sydney two premier dance companies.

BANGARRA DANCE THEATRE

For almost 35 years, Bangarra has been telling the powerful stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through contemporary dance. Made up entirely of Indigenous performers, they draw on 65,000 years of culture to create dynamic, exciting works of moving art. Performances are held regularly at their newly refurbished studio in the Walsh Bay arts precinct.

Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, (02) 9251 5333, bangarra.com.au

SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY

Australia’s leading contemporary dance company, the SDC is the training ground for the country’s best performers. The annual season of contemporary dance promises mastery, innovation and provocation. Shows take place at SDC’s Walsh Bay theatre, Carriageworks and the Sydney Opera House. The company also runs more than 75 classes a week if you are eager to pull on your jazz shoes.

Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, (02) 9251 6904, sydneydancecompany.com

PHOTOS:

BANGARRA DANCE COMPANY

SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY

CALENDAR

SYDNEY MARCH – AUGUST 2024

March 2024

GATSBY at The Green Light Theatre

When: Until March 24

Where: Sydney Opera House Studio

Details: sydneyoperahouse.com

Ramadan Nights Lakemba

Food festival

Where: Haldon St, Lakemba

When: Until April 8

Details: www.cbcity.nsw.gov.au

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Theatre

Where: Sydney Opera House

When: Until March 30

Details: bellshakespeare.com.au

The Sydney Royal Easter Show Family-friendly

Where: Sydney Olympic Park

When: March 22 – April 2

Details: eastershow.com.au

April 2024

Chris Isaak in Concert Music

When: April 10-11

Where: State Theatre

Details: statetheatre.com.au

West Side Story on Sydney Harbour Musical

Where: Sydney Harbour, Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point

When: Until April 21 (excluding Mondays and Good Friday)

Details: opera.org.au

The Rocky Horror Show Musical

Where: Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney

When: Until April 28

Details: theatreroyalsydney.com

Cockatoo Island Sunset Sessions Music

Where: Cockatoo Island

When: Until April 6

Details: cockatooisland.gov.au

Grease Musical

Where: Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket,

When: Until April 14

Details: capitoltheatre.com.au

Alliance Française French Film Festival Film

Where: Palace Norton Street, Palace Central, Palace Moore Park, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne

When: Until April 21

Details: a renchfilmfestival.org

24th Biennale of Sydney: Ten Thousand Suns Arts

Where: Various

When: Until June 10

Details: artgallery.nsw.gov.au

ARTEXPRESS Arts

Where: South Building, Art Gallery of New South Wales

When: Until April 21

Details: artgallery.nsw.gov.au

May 2024

Vivid Sydney 2024 Family-friendly

Where: various locations

When: May 24-June 15

Book: vividsydney.com

GABS Festival Beer

Where: Sydney Showground, Olympic Park

When: May 31 – June 1

Details: gabsfestival.com

Parade Musical

Where: Seymour Centre, Cnr City Road &, Cleveland St, Chippendale

When: May 9-25

Details: seymourcentre.com

& Juliet Musical

Where: Sydney Lyric Theatre, 55 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont.

When: Until May 12

Details: sydneylyric.com.au

Dawn French Is A Huge Twat Comedy

Where: State Theatre, 49 Market St, Sydney

When: Until May 11

Details: statetheatre.com.au

Death of a Salesman Theatre

Where: Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney

When: May 17 – June 23

Details: theatreroyalsydney.com

Wendy Sharpe: Spellbound Arts

When: 25 May – 11 August 2024

Where: South Building, Art Gallery of NSW

Details: artgallery.nsw.gov.au

Where: Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney

When: June 27 – July 13

Details: theatreroyalsydney.com

July 2024

King Lear Theatre

Where: Lyric Theatre

When: July 30 – October 31

Details: sydneylyric.com.au

Hamilton Musical

Where: Bell Shakespeare, 1/13a Hickson Rd, Dawes Point

When: June 14 – July 20

Details: bellshakespeare.com.au

How to Catch a Star Musical

Where: Australian Chamber Orchestra, Pier 2-3,1/13a Hickson Rd, Dawes Point

When: July 6-11

Details: aco.com.au

August 2024

Sister Act Muscial

Where: Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket NSW

When: August 7-25

Details: sisteractthemusical.com.au

June 2024

Romeo & Juliet Suite Ballet

When: June 5-9

Where: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House

Details: sydneyoperahouse.com

Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes

Where:

Gallery of NSW

When:

Details:

Chicago the Musical

Where:

Campbell St, Haymarket,

When:

Details:

com.au

The Odd Couple

Art Gallery of New South Wales

Tours daily, book now artgallery.nsw.gov.au

On Gadigal Country

Art Gallery Road

The Domain

Sydney NSW 2000

Australia

Yayoi Kusama Flowers that Bloom in the Cosmos 2022

© Yayoi Kusama, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Zan Wimberley

15 National Maritime

13 Mrs Macquarie’s

12 Mdm Tussauds

11 Martin Place

9 Hyde Park

8 Darling Harbour B5

SCAN TO FIND OUT MORE

The menus are a collection of unique modern Australian favours, woven together by inspiration from the legend himself, James Squire.

Nestled between Sydney Opera House,

The Rocks and Barangaroo is a world-leading cultural destination waiting to be discovered.

Home to: Australian Chamber Orchestra / Bangarra Dance Theatre

Australian Theatre for Young People / Bell Shakespeare Gondwana Choirs / Sydney Dance Company / The Song Company

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs / Sydney Theatre Company