Broken Heel Festival Credit: Destination NSW
Fireworks and entertainment during the Broken Heel Festival at the Palace Hotel, Broken Hill.
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With mountains, rainforest, farmland, desert and a dramatic coast, it’s no surprise that New South Wales is home to people as diverse as its landscape, with an interesting collection of quirky interests and pastimes. Here are some of the fun events taking place across the state throughout the year.
Broken Heel Festival, Broken Hill
In September, the Broken Heel Festival parties its way around Broken Hill and Silverton in the NSW Outback. Over three outrageous days, disco divas and drag queens take to the stage to perform tributes to the movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which was filmed at various locations in the area, as well as in Sydney. Glambassadors such as Philmah Bocks and Art Simone are joined by a parade of performers in a wild celebration of cabaret, comedy, opera and live music at the Palace Hotel in Broken Hill and the Silverton Hotel. While in the area, explore the Living Desert and Sculptures reserve with its sandstone sculptures, or go on a tour of Mutawintji National Park.
Parkes Elvis Festival
At Parkes, a five-hour drive from Sydney in Country NSW, fans of the King come to town for five days each January (the week of Elvis’s birthday) for the annual Parkes Elvis Festival. Events include the Elvis Express train journey from Sydney, parades, Elvis tribute competitions with more performances than you can shake a hip at, burlesque and 1950s make-up workshops, gospel concerts, vintage car displays and a whole lot of fun.
Broken Heel Festival Credit: Destination NSW
Host Maude Boate entertaining guests aboard the Silver Stiletto train bound for the Broken Heel Festival.
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Broken Heel Festival Credit: Destination NSW
Host Maude Boate entertaining guests aboard the Silver Stiletto train bound for the Broken Heel Festival.
Parkes Elvis Festival Credit: Destination NSW
Parkes Elvis Festival Parade
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Parkes Elvis Festival Credit: Destination NSW
Parkes Elvis Festival Parade
Trundle Abba Festival
In May, it’s usually the turn of Abba fans to take over a country town as they descend in long blonde wigs and sequined flares on Trundle, a 40-minute drive from Parkes, for the Trundle Abba Festival. (Note that the 2021 event has been cancelled.) The one-day appreciation of all things Abba features popular Australian Abba tribute band Bjorn Again. While in the area, check out the Parkes Observatory radio telescope, made famous in the movie The Dish, and visit the Peak Hill gold mine.
Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin
A workhorse of Country and Outback NSW, the utility vehicle, or ‘ute’ is celebrated in unique style at the Deni Ute Muster in Deniliquin, a 7.5-hour drive from Sydney. Deniliquin claims to be Ute Capital of the World — it certainly looks that way over the October long weekend when this festival of utes and country and rock music takes place in a paddock outside of town. Around 20,000 people attend the event, and most will arrive in a ute to join in the muster. There are driving competitions, including one for best ‘circle work’ (for the driver who can turn the most circles in one minute), and a Show N Shine competition for the best presented ute, best classic ute and even the ute with most flags. After the muster, check out the majestic river red gums of the Murray Valley National Park wetlands, a 40-minute drive from Deniliquin.
Sheep festivals
At Booligal, an eight-hour drive from Sydney in Outback NSW, it’s sheep that draws the crowds. Held at the Booligal Cricket Ground in April, the Booligal Sheep Races begin with judging the best decorated sheep, before moving on to the serious business of the races. Visit nearby Lachlan Valley Nature Reserve to spot galahs, wedge-tailed eagles, kangaroos and emus.
And in the pretty Hunter Valley town of Merriwa, a 3.5-hour drive north of Sydney, locals have been celebrating their merino sheep population with the Festival of the Fleeces in June since 1990. The weekend highlights include a working sheep dog displays and penning contests. A favourite event is the Running of the Sheep, when more than 200 sheep parade through town in little red socks.
Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin Credit: Zowie Crump
Ute competing in a Deni Ute Muster driving challenge in Deniliquin.
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Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin Credit: Zowie Crump
Ute competing in a Deni Ute Muster driving challenge in Deniliquin.
Windmill, Booligal Credit: Destination NSW
Windmill located in the Riverina town of Booligal.
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Windmill, Booligal Credit: Destination NSW
Windmill located in the Riverina town of Booligal.
More Inspirational Stories
Art Gallery of New South Wales, SydneyCredit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a visit the the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.
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Come alive with the possibilities as you delve into Sydney’s dynamic arts scene and cultural institutions. Feel moved as you immerse in striking contemporary artworks at public and private galleries, and take in cutting-edge performances and exhibitions across the city.
Be moved by must-see cultural landmarks
Marvel at the ‘sails’ of the Sydney Opera House as you approach this iconic performing arts venue, then join one of several fascinating tours on offer here. Discover the building’s unique history and construction on an Architectural Tour, or go behind the scenes on a Backstage Tour. See a show from an ever-changing program of theatre, dance and music in one of the venue’s many impressive performance spaces, then head to the Opera Bar to take in the front-of-house harbour view as you enjoy seasonal fare and a refreshing drink.
Appreciate the striking art deco façade and waterfront location of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), across the water from the Sydney Opera House at Explore the diversity of Australian modern art as you view highlights of a collection of more than 4,000 works, including a significant body of works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Take time out and digest the wonderful works you’ve just seen as you enjoy panoramic views across Sydney Harbour from the museum’s rooftop café.
Feel far away from the bustle of the city centre as you enter the Domain parklands next to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and make your way to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the leading museum of art in the state. Step back in time to view colonial and 19th-century Australian works and European masters, as well as a dedicated gallery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Then explore Sydney Modern, the AGNSW’s dynamic new addition, to discover site-specific works by leading Australian and international artists.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoy a tour in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
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Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoy a tour in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, The Rocks Credit: Destination NSW
Friends arriving outside the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in The Rocks, Sydney...Artwork: Moon in a Dew Drop.Artist: Lindy Lee
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Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, The Rocks Credit: Destination NSW
Friends arriving outside the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in The Rocks, Sydney...Artwork: Moon in a Dew Drop.Artist: Lindy Lee
Immerse in art in cutting-edge galleries
Lose track of time as you explore a myriad of inner-Sydney art galleries. Delight in a dip into one of the world’s most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art at the White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale, on the fringe of the city centre. Be intrigued by the selection from philanthropist Judith Neilson’s collection of almost 3,000 works created in China since 2000 by around 750 artists, before taking in the tranquil vibe at the gallery’s Teahouse as you snack on handmade dumplings and fine Chinese and Taiwanese tea. (You can also plan ahead and enter the ballot for tickets to cutting-edge performances at Phoenix Central Park, Judith Neilson’s risk-taking cultural centre a short walk from White Rabbit Gallery.)
Lean into the grand scale of Carriageworks, a multi-arts centre housed in expansive former railway workshops in Eveleigh, a five-minute drive or around a 15-minute walk from White Rabbit Gallery. Keep an eye on Carriageworks’ events page for visual arts exhibitions and new performance works.
Take your time exploring the many art galleries dotted around the hip inner-city suburb of Surry Hills. Enter the fascinating world of significant Australian artist Brett Whiteley at Brett Whiteley Studio, tucked away in a side street off Crown Street, one of the main streets running through Surry Hills. Take in the singular atmosphere of the late artist’s former home and workplace, with its unfinished paintings, art equipment, books and graffiti wall of quotes and images, and view one of the changing exhibitions of the artist’s works.
Find yourself challenged and stimulated by the conceptual and design-driven art at independent Surry Hills gallery China Heights, then take the short walk under the train tracks to 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art in Haymarket. Learn about the Asian diaspora in Australia via contemporary art at this fascinating gallery run by the non-profit Asian Australian Artists’ Association Inc.
Thrill to a sense of discovery as you find leading commercial art galleries tucked away in the leafy streets of Paddington in Sydney’s inner east. Roam the side streets of this fashionable suburb to find the likes of Saint Cloche, where gallery director Kitty Clark fosters the city’s emerging artistic talents; Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, one of the most influential commercial art galleries in Australia; and Olsen, founded by Tim Olsen to represent the late John Olsen, one of the country’s greatest painters, and showcase contemporary Australian artists.
White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale Credit: Destination NSW
Women walking through an exhibition at the White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale.
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White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale Credit: Destination NSW
Women walking through an exhibition at the White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale.
Brett Whiteley Studio, Surry Hills Credit: James Horan; Destination NSW
Brett Whiteley Studio in Surry Hills
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Brett Whiteley Studio, Surry Hills Credit: James Horan; Destination NSW
Brett Whiteley Studio in Surry Hills