by Paul Heney
Last updated: 7:00 PM ET, Sat May 6, 2023
Kayaking in Sydney, Australia. (Photo Credit: Paul Heney)
Even before its recent hosting of WorldPride, Sydney—along with its whole state of New South Wales—was on many queer travelers’ bucket lists.
The area has a huge local LGBTQ community, a plethora of arts, gorgeous beaches, and temperate weather, along with plenty of regional attractions. The city’s annual Pride festival, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, is one of the largest queer festivals in the world. It is generally held from the second Thursday in February through the first Saturday in March, an ideal time to visit from cold Northern Hemisphere climes.
The center of queer life in Sydney runs along Oxford Street in the Darlinghurst neighborhood, a quick 10-minute ride from the heart of downtown. Simply strolling down Oxford Street is a joy, passing by a variety of queer clubs, clothing stores, shops, and numerous restaurants.
Make sure to check out House of Priscilla, a fascinating costume shop with an unassuming entrance that will blow your mind with the fashions and colors of everything from wigs to accessories to full-blown drag outfits.
It’s difficult to overstate how inherently queer all of Sydney seems. Whether you’re sitting harborside for lunch, shopping downtown, or enjoying a quiet morning at a café like Bills Surry Hills, you’ll encounter members of the community at every turn and see Pride flags constantly.
House of Priscilla. (Photo Credit: Paul Heney)
City Explorations
Sydney’s famed Harbor Bridge climb is well worth the time, and not near as scary as I’d feared. Participants are latched onto the bridge’s superstructure the entire time, so there’s no chance of falling. What’s more, the girders are so wide that you’re rarely in a position to look straight down or get vertigo. Instead, it’s the loveliest of walks to the gradual summit, where the views of downtown, the harbor, and the whole metro area are simply breathtaking. To cap it off, the nearby Sydney Opera House couldn’t be better positioned, making this a true highlight of any Sydney visit.
The Art Gallery of NSW is one of the country’s leading art museums, and there’s more reason than ever to visit the institution, with its recently opened new building, the Sydney Modern Project. While the original building is a classic, with stately columns adorning the entrance, the new building is a study in contrasts, completely modern in scope, with walls of glass, and galleries that thrust into adjacent spaces or hang in midair. For years, the museum has been advancing its “Queering the Collection” initiative, which spotlights works of interest to—and art created by the community.
Make plans to get up early one morning for the fantastic Oz Paddle’s sunrise kayak through Sydney Harbor. Owner Sophie Morgan has a true passion for paddling, and she knows all the secret spots for the best photos. Your Instagram will be blowing up when you share the wonderful shots that she gets of you in your kayak.
Sydney, Australia at night. (Photo Credit: Paul Heney)
The Powerhouse Museum (also known as Powerhouse Ultimo) is located near the center of the city and contains a fascinatingly diverse collection. It focuses on science, art, innovation, and design, and there’s thoughtfulness in the exhibits toward telling the social side of things, including stories of disadvantaged communities.
A current exhibition is called Absolutely Queer, running through the end of 2023, that focuses on pride, protest, and creativity. The exhibit highlights the trans community and other marginalized groups, as much of the permanent collection is more gay-male-focused.
Day or Weekend Trips
Another benefit to visiting Sydney is the numerous day trips or weekend trips available to visitors with a car. The nearby Blue Mountains (which are also accessible by train) might be better described as the “Blue Canyon,” but the region is stunning, nonetheless.
It’s a two-hour drive to Katoomba, the center of tourism for the area. Scenic World is a wonderful place to spend a day exploring. Built in 1945 in place of a former coal mine, the park today includes miles of hiking in the valley, as well as interesting ways of getting around.
One of the highlights of the entire trip was the “Beyond Skyway” experience. Here, you ride the Scenic Skyway—a horizontal cable car that traverses almost 2,500 feet across, about 900 feet above the valley floor. But with Beyond Skyway, you stop halfway across, and (outfitted in safety gear), climb on top of the tram to sit and experience the magnificent view for about 30 minutes.
Beyond Skyway. (Photo Credit: Paul Heney)
Although this sounded terrifying, it was incredibly peaceful and a true memory for a lifetime. Scenic World is a huge supporter of the queer community, and during our visit, an enormous Pride flag adorned one side of the cable car. There’s also a Scenic Railway (with a 52-degree angle of descent!) and a Cableway that visitors can use to get around the park and to and from trails.
Hunter Valley, also about a two-hour drive from Sydney, is a relaxing wine-growing region that boasts multiple types of accommodations, from tiny houses to grand lodges that have hosted celebrities like Elton John. You’ll find plenty of Shiraz and Semillon here, but it also grows the most Tempranillo outside of Spain.
Our favorite places here were tastings at Audrey Wilkinson and Tyrrell’s Wines, and dinner at the amazing Sebastian, where we saw dozens of kangaroos casually lounging on the front lawn. Make sure to go for a horseback ride with Hunter Valley Horses or take a hot air balloon ride with Balloon Aloft Hunter Valley to cap off your getaway.
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