Sydney is a beach town at heart with hot surfers and beach boys at every turn. The city has a relaxed vibe unique to the Southern Hemisphere and the scene is constantly changing! What’s hip today is out tomorrow, making for a new experience during each visit!
For the past few years, gay Sydney’s queer scene has been in flux, with restrictions on late-night socialising affecting its Oxford Street heartland, but the result is a move to fresh districts and more diverse venues. The big events such as the Pride Parade and New Year celebrations still draw thousands of gay visitors and Oxford Street still draws the gay crowds.
Palms on Oxford Street is the best place to go for super-fantastic pop every Friday and Saturday night. It’s known for its karaoke-style vibe and dive-bar sound system. Palms attracts mostly guys,
Arq is still the biggest club in town,definitely a “shirts-off” kind of venue for Sydney’s muscle boys and their fans. Stonewall has been around for years and is a popular pick-up joint on Oxford Street. It plays chart hits and commercial dance music and also hosts regular drag shows
Underground venues are popping up in precints such as Redfern. Many events move from club to club so its best to check out the Facebook links on our listings pages for the lastest event info. The Red Rattler theatre in Marrickville, also known as The Rat, is the baby of five local queer artists who wanted to create a legal warehouse venue. It plays host to some of the most attended parties during Mardi Gras. Club Kooky is a queer institution that has existed for around 20 years and has moves venues as the scene changes, explaing its longevity in a city that is contstantly evolving.
Edgier nights include Tokyo Sing Song, a basement bar in Newtown that hosts queer parties like Voguey Bear. The Bearded Tit is a fantastic bar that also doubles as a creative space. It’s a great example of a venue in Sydney that’s queer-friendly but not exclusively queer. The events lineup is diverse with plenty of LGBTQI content. It’s in Redfern, which is one of the best parts of Sydney for more left-of-centre bars and nightlife.
Sundays at The Beresford are also legendary among locals. It’s a mixed crowd culturally and age-wise – you’ll find guys who identify as twinks, bears and everything in between.
Finally, while Sydney is a big beach party town, the city is also famous for its natural beauty and culture from the Harbour to the historic Rocks. Explore famous sun drenched coastal beaches such as Bondi, Bronte, Coogee and Palm Beach. Bushwalk through Sydney Harbour National Park, dine at world-class restaurants, and visit the Blue Mountains and nearby vineyards!
