Although it has become more mixed in the last decade, Oxford Street is the traditional heart of gay and lesbian Sydney and is the home to many of the city's bars and clubs.
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Lesbians have been hanging out in Newtown for years, and now gay men are moving to Oxford Street and its neighbouring townships Erskinville and Redfern.
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Affectionately called "Dykeheart", Leichhardt is home to lots of lesbians and Sydney's Italian community.
Take the ferry from Circular Quay to Watson's Bay or Manly to see the city from the harbour.
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Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
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Walk from Bronte Beach past Tamarama to the north end of Bondi Beach where you can treat yourself to a flat white.
More Local Info
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We suggest that the best general source for gay and lesbian online information is the Mardi Gras website.
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The online version of the Sydney Star Observer, the local queer newspaper, has limited listings but a lot of current info.
Tips
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Sydneysiders take their coffee very seriously, therefore you can find great quality independent cafes everywhere. A "white" coffee has cream while a "black" does not. A "flat white" (probably the most common cafe order) is similar to a "no foam" latte. If you're looking for a weaker, North American style coffee, try McDonalds.
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Purchase your duty free on arrival at the Sydney airport. As you walk from your arrival gate to the customs hall you will pass by a large, well-priced duty free area. Rather than lugging your duty free purchases around with you on your flight to Sydney, you can skip that hassle and simply buy them as you arrive in Australia.
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Australians can use colourful expressions in conversation so don't be surprised if you sometimes don't quite follow what's being said. And, yes, they do say "mate" an awful lot.
All flights arrive at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (airport code SYD) located 13km south of downtown Sydney.
Australia has very strict quarantine rules in order to protect their local agriculture. As your flight pulls up to the terminal you will be reminded that you must declare any food, plant or animal products you bring into Australia. As you enter the terminal from your airplane you will pass large bins where you can throw away any fruit, sandwiches or other snacks you didn't eat on the flight. Teams of sniffer dogs patrol the baggage claim area and any prohibited goods will be confiscated.
There are three terminals at the airport, Terminal 1 for international flights, Terminal 2 (for domestic flights operated by Qantas) and Terminal 3 (for domestic flights operated by other airlines such as Virgin Blue).
Unless you have to travel outside the city, you won't need to rent a car as public transportation is effective and taxis plentiful. Taxis are available outside the arrivals level at all three terminals and it will cost about $25 to get into central Sydney.
Airport Link is the quick "train" (or subway) service from Kingsford Smith into the city. The station is located at the north end of the arrivals level in the International Terminal. Train fares are not a flat fee but based on the distance travelled. A one way fare from the airport to Museum is around $14. You can save about 25% if you purchase a return trip ticket. If two or more of you are travelling together you'll find it is less expensive to take a taxi into the city.
We do not recommend bus service from the airport as it is limited and not direct.
Where to Eat
Oxford Street is littered with cafes and restaurants of varying quality, most of which will have a gay following simply because of their location. Try out a meal at a local pub or get a takeaway lunch at one of the many (usually excellent) sandwich shops in the food courts in downtown Sydney. The Food Hall at David Jones department store, while pricey, has excellent prepared lunches and dinners. Here are some recommendations (both on and off of Oxford Street) that are worth checking out because of the food, the crowd or the experience.
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bills - with three locations in the Oxford Street area, all owned by celebrity chef Bill Granger. (433 Liverpool, 359 Crown or 118 Queen Street, Woollahra, Museum Station)
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Cantina - tapas style dining with a Mediterranean menu. (245 Oxford Street, Museum Station)
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Coluzzi Bar - a busy place with terrific coffee. Grab a stool and a pannini and watch the world go by. (322 Victoria Street, Kings Cross Station)
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Dank Street Depot - great for breakfast, coffee or lunch in a design and gallery district. (1/2 Danks Street, Redfern Station)
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Fish Face - a busy and noisy seafood resto, try to get a table out on the street. (132 Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross Station)
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Fratelli Fresh - if you don't mind waiting in the line-up for the Café Sopra hidden away upstairs you're in for a treat. (7 Danks Street, Redfern Station)
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Marigold - an excellent choice for dim sum (or yum cha as it's called here). (683-689 George Street, Levels 4 and 4, Central Station)
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MCA Cafe - great for lunch, morning or afternoon tea and for people watching. Spectacular views of the Harbour and Opera House. (140 George Street, Circular Quay Station)
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Phamish - very busy, excellent Vietnamese restaurant. Expect to line up as no reservations are taken. (354 Liverpool, Museum Station)
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Tandoori Palace - curries and more in a hip atmosphere. A long time favourite with the locals. (86 Oxford Street, Museum Station)
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Una's - a local institution with a meat heavy Austrian style menu. (340 Victoria Street, Kings Cross Station)
Where To Meet The Locals
Men
Sydney has a strong pub culture where the atmosphere is more relaxed than the pumping club scene. Pop into most pubs late in the afternoon or early in the evening to meet the locals. That being said, pubs are open late and the crowd can morph over the course of a few hours. Unless otherwise noted, all are on or near Oxford Street with Museum being the closest train station.
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Arq - probably Sydney's most popular take-off-your-t-shirt dance club. Right in the heart of Oxford. (16 Flinders Street)
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Bank Hotel - a Newtown institution completely reno'd with a hopping night for the boys on Thursdays. (324 King Street, Newtown Station)
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The Colombian - don't let the sophisticated look fool you. It's hopping inside pretty much all through the night. (117-123 Oxford Street)
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The Flinders - Sydney's oldest gay bar, still kicking after all these years. Check out the restaurant too. (63 Flinders Street)
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The Green Park - not strictly a queer bar as it attracts a mixed bag of locals, but is especially busy with gay boys late on Sunday afternoons. (360 Victoria Street)
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Manacle - Sydney's leather bar. Is temporarily without a home base, so check the website for up to date info.
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The Midnight Shift - probably Australia's best known queer spot, the Shift Upstairs is a crowded club while the Shift Downstairs on the main floor is a video bar. (41 Oxford Street)
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The Oxford - an industrial-looking pub on the main level with Gilligans, and more of a dance bar upstairs. (134 Oxford Street)
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Palms - a relatively quiet, laid back pub, good for sharing a few drinks with friends. (124 Oxford Street)
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Slide - a cool and trendy crowd at this dance club in an elegantly renovated bank. (41 Oxford Street)
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Stonewall - with drag queens and twinks and everything in between, it's an essential stop on a Sydney pub crawl. (175 Oxford Street)
Women
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Bank Hotel - a Newtown institution completely reno'd. An essential stop for the ladies on Wednesdays. (324 King Street, Newtown Station)
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The Sly Fox - Sydney's main lesbian hangout with pools tables and performers (drag or otherwise). (199 Enmore Road, Newtown Station)
"Cruising"
Gay Men
Sydney has both bathhouses (or saunas) and cruise clubs. While you can meet men for sex at both, bathhouses have some non-sexual facilities (like gyms or sauna rooms) while sex clubs do not. Guys in bathhouses remove their clothes while in cruise clubs they may not.
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Bodyline - probably Sydney's most popular bathhouse. (10 Taylor Street, just off Oxford Street at Taylor Square)
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HeadQuarters on Crown - a cruise club with a variety of themed areas. (273 Crown Street, Museum Station)
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Kingsteam - the only bathhouse on Oxford Street. (38-42 Oxford Street, Museum Station)
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Signal - a cruise club with play rooms and a lounge. (corner of Riley Street and Arnold Place, just off Oxford Street)
Things To Do
The Opera House
Stroll around Sydney's icon, the Opera House, to get spectacular views of the city and harbour. Try to work in a performance in one of the main halls so you can have a cocktail in one of the harbour-facing lounges at the interval. Or better yet take the unique backstage tour. It's also the perfect place to be on New Year's Eve.
Call to Book
The Essential Tour 1 Hour Tour, from CAD$35
Backstage 2 Hour Tour Including Breakfast, from CAD$152
Climb Sydney Harbour Bridge
Get a one-of-a-kind view of the city. The Bridge Climb follows along catwalks, up ladders, steadily to the summit. The Discovery Climb takes you inside the workings of the Bridge, giving you a behind-the-scenes look. The climbs at twilight are hugely popular and should be booked in advance. Call to Book
Bridgeclimb, from CAD$202
Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras
The most famous gay and lesbian event anywhere, Mardi Gras is an exuberant pride festival that culminates in the night time parade and party in early March. Mardi Gras also hosts a number of other events throughout the year including Sleaze Ball in October.
Luna Park
An old-style amusement park in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge, Luna Park is free and a great way to kill a sunny afternoon. Enjoy the rides and games and relive a bit of your childhood. Luna Park is also the site of fun parties like Toybox.
Beach Culture
The north end of Bondi, Sydney's best known beach, as well as Tamarama are both relatively close to Oxford Street and very popular. The harbour beach at Redleaf attracts a lot of boys. But also check out clothing optional Lady Jane. Take the ferry to Manly (and it's almost as good as a harbour tour). Or if beaches aren't your thing, dive into very gay popular Andrew 'Boy' Charlton Pool. Call to book
City Sights, Kings Cross & Bondi Beach, from CAD$67
Half Day Self Guided Manly Bicycle Tour, from CAD$26
Footie
Australians are sports mad (and will bet on anything that moves). Enjoy the real flavour of Sydney at an Australian Football League match during the season which runs from March through September. Or during the summer drop into a slightly more leisurely experience at a cricket match.
The Rocks
This is where it all began. Sydney sprung up from a modest convict settlement in the area beneath the Harbour Bridge now known as The Rocks. It now teems with terrific restaurants and galleries (like the Museum of Contemporary Art which happily combines both) as well as the Rocks Market each Saturday and Sunday. Call to book
The Rocks Pub 2 Hour Tour, from CAD$39
Retail Therapy
Sydney has unique shopping at almost every turn. Upper Oxford Street is home to quirky, one-of-a-kind shops like Sweet Art, lots of local designers and the Saturday Paddington Market. The Toolshed is a great stop for leather and fetish gear while The Bookshop Darlinghurst is probably Australia's best queer source of books and mags. Also check out all the new shops on Crown Street. The Queen Victoria Building in central Sydney and Bondi Junction (on the way home from the beach) are great shopping malls.
Blue Mountains
Great for a day trip out of the city, the Blue Mountains have postcard picture views and is home to some of Australia's unique wildlife. Take a backroads 4WD Tour, it's a nice contrast to the hustle of Sydney. Call to book
Blue Mountains Canyon 4WD Wildlife Discovery, from CAD$236
Hunter Valley
This world famous wine making region can also be done as a day trip, but with so many fine wines to enjoy, why rush? Two hours north of Sydney, the HunterValley region has over 100 wineries, restaurants, cafes, local cheese, olive producers, and a range of gay-friendly accommodation options. Call to book
Hunter Valley Winetaster Full Day Tour Incl Lunch, from CAD$168
