The Summer Travel & Leisure Guide
Because the year’s too long and summer’s too short to waste time on the mediocre.
Australia has a reputation as one of the most beautiful places in the world for good reason, and the abundance of coastal beaches and inland lakes means you can close your eyes, point to a map, and end up in a place that possesses its own unique beauty.
You can pack your suitcase for a sybaritic resort holiday. You can pack the car boot for a day away from the city. You can pack your picnic basket for a lunchtime escape, or pack your bag for a winding jog along the coastal track less travelled by. But you cannot stay parked on the couch and miss the adventures, and when someone says 'so what did you do over summer?' answer blankly.
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NewsWhere to Find the Best Ice Cream and Gelato in Sydney
Whether you like your scoops creamy, salty, deep-fried or vegan, you can find them here.
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NewsThe Ten Best Secret Beaches in Sydney For a Secluded Summer Swim
Beat the crowds this sunny season with a trip to these more secluded sands.
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NewsThe Ten Best Beaches in Sydney
From napping under palms on the northern beaches to snorkelling in the turquoise waters of a protected marine reserve, these are ten of our year-round go-to Sydney beaches.
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NewsThe Best Places to Go Glamping in NSW
All these luxury NSW glamping experiences are under two hours away from Sydney's CBD — making it all too easy to have a weekend wilderness adventure in total comfort.
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RestaurantRaw Bar
136 Warners Avenue, Bondi
Bondi's Raw Bar is the classic light, summery Japanese joint everyone wishes was in their 'hood.
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NewsThe Best Luxury Getaways from Sydney
Sydney is blessed with loads of dreamy destinations ideal for blissed-out breaks with your partner or posse.
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CafeThe Grounds of Alexandria
Building 7A, 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria
The Grounds is innovative, idealist and a little bit chic — in the best possible way.
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NewsThe Ten Best Picnic Spots in Sydney
Wait till the weather is just right, then fill your esky with cold beer, natural wine and an oversupply of snacks and get picnicking.
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NewsThe Eight Best Rum Bars in Sydney
From a Cuban sugar trader's estate to a witch-doctor's apothecary, Sydney's rum destinations are never boring.
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RestaurantChiosco by Ormeggio
The Jetty, D'Albora Marina, The Spit, Upper Spit Road, Mosman
First-rate Italian food on a jetty. What moor could you want?
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EventThe City of Sydney's Plant Sale Fundraiser
Sun, 8 Mar, 2015
St Mary's Cathedral Forecourt, Sydney
The City of Sydney is giving away the pots of flowers that have blanketed the CBD over summer, with gold coin donations going to charity.
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EventArt at Night
Thu, 12 Mar 2015, Thu, 19 Mar 2015 and Thu, 26 Mar 2015
Various locations, Sydney
Galleries throw open their doors after dark, in an Art Month favourite.
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EventARTcycle Tours
Multiple single dates
Various locations, Sydney
Join in a truly eye-opening bike ride.
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CafePagoto Gelato & Waffle House - CLOSED
301 Victoria Rd, Marrickville
A challenger to Messina and N2 comes from the Greeks and their watermelon feta gelato.
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EventHouse of Crabs Endless Bag Night
Thu, 12 Mar, 2015
House of Crabs, Redfern
Bibs on. This is serious all-you-can-eat crab.
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EventSecret Garden Festival 2015
Fri, 27 Feb - Sat, 28 Feb 2015
Secret Location
Sharon Van Etten, Parquet Courts and all the dress ups.
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EventMAASive Lates - Undressed
Thu, 26 Mar, 2015
Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo
Ride the carousel, find out more about Alan Turing and celebrate the intersection of science and circus at the Powerhouse Museum after hours.
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EventSydney Cellar Door 2015
Fri, 27 Feb - Sun, 1 Mar 1970
Hyde Park, Sydney
The NSW-wide winery tour you can do in one sunny afternoon.
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EventWanderlust Cockatoo Island 2015
Fri, 20 Feb - Sun, 22 Feb 2015
Cockatoo Island, Sydney
When regular music festivals leave you feeling out of whack, there's yogic funland Wanderlust.
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EventMardi Gras Parade 2015
Sat, 7 Mar, 2015
Oxford Street and surrounding areas, Darlinghurst
Sydney's iconic celebration lights up the Darlinghurst streets.
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Event50 Shades of Bay Takeaway Picnic for Two
Sat, 14 Feb, 2015
Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, Watsons Bay
V-Day plans sorted, all without breaking a sweat.
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EventChinese New Year Twilight Parade 2015
Sun, 22 Feb, 2015
Sydney Town Hall, Sydney
Chinese New Year's signature event is still one of the most fun.
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EventLunar Streets
Sat, 14 Feb, 2015
Chinatown, Haymarket
Join the long tables for a night of pan-Asian food and pop music.
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EventLunar Markets
Thu, 12 Feb - Sun, 22 Feb 2015
Pyrmont Bay Park, Pyrmont
Why should noodle markets come around but once a year?
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NewsThis Swing Table Just Made Meetings Way More Fun
Swing your way through boring PowerPoint presentations.
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NewsThe Best Ways to Get Out and Enjoy Sydney This Month
Gear up with SPF30+ and broad-brimmed sunhats and squeeze the most out of the last days of summer.
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NewsState Government Moves to Rip Up College Street Cycleway
Is this goodbye to one of the safest routes through CBD chaos?
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NewsEight Sydney Beach + Eats Trips to Make Before the End of Summer
For the ultimate summer's satisfaction, combine your beach excursion with a foodie one.
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NewsCould This New Sky Garden Be the Workplace of the Future?
Forget the tedium of the office cubicle. The future is harvesting your own lunch, wearable tech and abseiling during coffee breaks.
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NewsTake a Peek at the Future Chinatown We'll Be Strolling Through
Sydney's home of Peking duck is going more pedestrian-friendly.
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NewsVan Gogh Paintings Realised as Haute Couture
Van Gogh's little straw hat has never looked so Bjork.
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NewsGALLERY + REVIEW: Laneway Festival 2015
Hypnotised by FKA twigs, pashed by Mac DeMarco, fed by Mary's. Laneway crowds lucked out this year.
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EventHurley Australian Open of Surfing 2015
Sat, 7 Feb - Sun, 15 Feb 2015
Manly Beach, Manly
Go running down to the riptide for free sets from Vance Joy and San Cisco.
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EventBob Marley's 70th Birthday Feast at Queenie's
Thu, 5 Feb, 2015
Queenie's, Surry Hills
The legend would have been 70 this week. Eat a Rasta-Muffin in his honour.
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EventA Taste of Harmony Food Truck Festival
Mon, 2 Feb, 2015
Martin Place, Sydney
Grab your coworkers and share a food truck lunch.
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NewsA Look Back at Ten Years of Laneway Festival
The last ten years have seen Australian festival after Australian festival launch and go under. How have Laneway managed to nail it?
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NewsThe Ten Best Outdoor Gyms in Sydney
Playground equipment for grown-ups. The perfect way to break up a run.
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NewsThis New App Can Tell You Which Friend Stresses You Out Most
Want to surround yourself with positive people? There's an app for that.
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RestaurantAqua S - CLOSED
Shop 27, Level 10, Regent Place, George St, Sydney
An ice-creamery with its head in the clouds.
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NewsDin Tai Fung Opens Two-Storey Dumpling Palace in Sydney
Those xiao long bao dumplings are going south.
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EventThe Sydney Skinny 2015
Sun, 1 Mar, 2015
Cobblers Beach, Mosman
A unique, en masse skinny dipping experience.
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EventBelle and Sebastian
Thu, 29 Jan - Sat, 31 Jan 2015
Enmore Theatre, Newtown
Indie pop royalty blown in on a breeze of Glaswegian whimsy.
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Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch Wanted Your Nine-to-Five Job
The Glaswegian lead singer also thinks you might have written his music for him.
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NewsWin Golden Age Cinema Passes Thanks to Appleton Estate
Here's the best way to indulge in a little late-deco nostalgia and a cracking film.
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NewsAqua S Ice Cream Parlour Opens in Sydney CBD
Meet the new Sydney ice cream joint making a feast of the humble soft serve.
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EventTin Shed Camping Tours
Fri, 30 Jan - Sat, 31 Jan 2015
Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach
A campfire, ghost stories, singalongs and bears, all at Bondi Pavilion's indoor woodlands.
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EventClub Swizzle
Fri, 9 Jan - Sun, 15 Mar 2015
Order yourself a drink and get ready to dive into the deep end of debauchery.
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EventEvery Man and His Dog Stand Up Paddle Race
Mon, 26 Jan, 2015
Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, Watsons Bay
The new way to dog paddle.
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NewsHow to Build a Cafe in Nine Days
Go behind the scenes of The Grounds of Alexandria's Sculpture by the Sea pop-up.
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NewsThe Ten Best Summer Getaways from Sydney
You're never more than an hour away from a cabin on the coast and a cocktail to shake in it.
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EventIMB Sunset Cinema North Sydney 2015
Thu, 22 Jan - Sat, 28 Mar 2015
North Sydney Oval, North Sydney
Roll out that picnic blanket, grab a basket of snacks and settle in; it's sunset cinema season.
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NewsOne Day Sundays Moves Homes After Noise Complaints
The beloved block party has a new, last-minute venue - but it could be for the best.
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EventGolden Age Cinema's Bill Murra-thon
Tue, 3 Feb - Sun, 8 Feb 2015
Golden Age Cinema & Bar, Surry Hills
The Golden Age Cinema is hosting day upon day of Bill Murray at his finest.
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EventCampfire Sessions at Cockatoo Island
Sat, 17 Jan - Sun, 18 Jan 2015
Cockatoo Island, Sydney
Let's be honest, summer nights are best spent with live music around an island campfire.
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EventRice Is Nice Summer Party at The Vic
Sun, 18 Jan, 2015
The Vic Hotel, Enmore
The Sydney record label puts on a perfect, chilled-out Sunday of free live music.
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NewsBuild Your Own Smartphone With Google's Project Ara
Pick and choose the components of your phone. Nice one, Google.
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NewsJurassic Lounge Heads Back to the Australian Museum
Your favourite after-hours museum party is back.
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NewsInaugural Bacon Festival to Launch at Cuckoo Callay
Chocolate-covered rashers, bacon caramel ice cream, even Bacon Bloody Marys.
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NewsBlack Betty BBQ Comes to Surry Hills
The Oxford Tavern's meat-lovin' barbecue joint has a second home.
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NewsThis Durable Cardboard Bike Costs Just $10 to Make
A bike so cheap that it's not even worth the energy deployed in trying to steal it.
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NewsThe Ten Best Things to Come Out of Jamaica
Jerk, James Bond, the world's finest coffee and rum? Thank Jamaica.
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EventBeat the Drum: Celebrating 40 Years of Triple J
Fri, 16 Jan, 2015
The Domain, Sydney
If you're a never-fail triple j listener, you won't want to hear about this one on Saturday morning radio.
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EventWaterfall Swing
Thu, 8 Jan - Sat, 24 Jan 2015
Darling Harbour, Sydney
This is one souped-up piece of play equipment.
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EventVeuve Clicquot Airstream Pop-Up Bar
Sun, 4 Jan - Sun, 1 Feb 2015
Sydney Opera House, Sydney
Summer just took indulgence next level.
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EventSeu Jorge: Summer Sounds in the Domain
Sat, 10 Jan, 2015
The Domain, Sydney
Sydney Festival's free outdoor dance party/picnic is back, with a heart-stealing headliner.
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NewsThe Sydney Festival 2015 Eats Guide
Grab a bite before the show - within walking distance of your venue.
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BarCoogee Pavilion Rooftop
169 Dolphin St, Coogee
Life's a beach at the imaginative Coogee Pavilion's beachfront rooftop bar.
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