New Stays

Sophisticated Sydney stay

A is for apartment-style hotel living at A by Adina. The new establishment in the centre of Sydney elevates the guest experience with thoughtful Australian design, knockout views and smart stylish rooms that can be transformed depending on the way people want to stay.

New harbour hotel

In mid-2021, Aiden Darling Harbour is set to bring boutique accommodation to Sydney’s waterside neighbourhood Pyrmont, with 88 intimate yet luxurious rooms housed in a refurbished 1930s Art Deco building.

Ripples gets a refresh

The cosy cabins at Ripples on the Creek have had a deluxe refresh, offering decadent new places to stay among the picturesque 40-hectare property in the lush Northern Rivers region. New cabin, Fern Hill, features a fireplace, barbecue and king-size bedding, and Silky Oak has been renovated with a new kitchen, bathroom and walk-in shower. All three cabins have freestanding spas on the deck and a lovely country outlook.

New Food and Drink 

Wine time on the Quay

Matt Moran’s award-winning harbourside restaurant Aria is getting an exciting new lease on life with part of the space becoming a wine bar by late 2021. Featuring more than 1700 bottles of wine, the bar will offer the refined Aria dining experience without a reservation.

Graze the globe in the Opera House

Opera Kitchen has been reimagined by new operator Solotel Group (Aria, Barangaroo, Opera Bar) as a bustling market food hall with global flavours from poké bowls to fresh-filled paninis and Japanese gyoza.

Bagels spread to the Inner West

Landing in Newtown this month is an outpost of Lox In A Box — the famed Bondi takeaway joint serving up bagels loaded up with lox (finely sliced cured salmon), capers and cream cheese.

Gourmet getaway

In the Hilltops region, three-and-a-half hours’ drive from Sydney, country town Boorowa has two new foodie stars. Bright and breezy The Marsden St General Cafe and Pantry is popular for coffee, deli items and chic homewares, located in the town’s old butcher’s shop. While The Absolutely Superb Bibliothèque and Occasional Wine Bar serves local wine and charcuterie boards Thursday to Sunday evenings.

New Experiences 

Moore Park makes new tracks

The top level of Moore Park’s Entertainment Quarter car park has been turned into a hi-tech HyperKarting track with 410 metres of indoor trail for all weather conditions and premium electric go karts. With efficient safety protocols and a dedicated kids’ track, hyperkarting is super for school holidays.

Follow the brew path

The inner west of Sydney is the veritable home of craft beer and a recently launched interactive map, Inner West Ale Trail, guides ale lovers around 11 independent craft breweries from Stockade Brew Co. to The Grifter and Young Henrys.

Indigenous fine dining

In Mudgee, a culinary journey by Aboriginal-owned and operated Indigiearth immerses guests in more than 60,000 years of culture and flavours with the five-course Warakirri degustation experience. The fine-dining, bush tucker-style dishes incorporate seafood, bush fruits, native drinks and more.

A taste of the Valley

A suite of premium wine-tasting experiences has launched at Wine House Hunter Valley, which houses myriad winemakers in one contemporary space. The Cocoa Nib Chocolate and Wine Tasting pairs four wines with delicate artisan chocolate, while the Barrel & Blend experience allows guests to play winemaker for a day.

Lunch on wheels

Newcastle-based bike tour company Newy Rides has launched its first event of ‘The Ride Along Series’, which tours the city with some of its local stars. The first ride partners with ex-Rockpool chef Joel Humphreys for a progressive three-course lunch, including wine pairings by local winemaker Daniel Payne from Dirt Candy Wines at each stop. Cameron Burns from Earp Distilling Co. will also be creating a one-off gin for the event. 1 May and 8 May; tickets $195.

Splash around in the Hunter

Long-time drawcard for families Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley has a new heated on-site water park. With two storeys of jets, water cannons and slides, the Water Splash Park adds to the Crowne Plaza’s current array of kid-friendly attractions, including the Water Dragons kids club, pony rides and more.

New Country Foodie Trails

There’s a swag of new culinary adventures in the Central West – from bespoke tours to intimate dinners and foraging. The Orange Wild Weekend champions local food and wine during the region’s F.O.O.D Week; Oberon’s Field to Forest Festival is a month-long foodie fest and at Outback Lamb, near Parkes, there are new Farm Tours with lessons in sustainable farming. 

Sydney Icons in Lego

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Sydney Tower Eye is hosting Brickman Cities LEGO® created by LEGO® Masters judge Ryan ‘The Brickman’ McNaught. The exhibition showcases architecture from Sydney, London, New York, Tokyo and Dubai with eight never-before-seen-in-Sydney LEGO® brick skyscrapers including Sydney’s Deutsche Bank. Tickets can be combined with access to the Observation Deck and Skywalk, with opportunities to meet Emmet Brickowski from The LEGO® Movie. 26 March to 11 July; tickets from $22.50.

New Services

Qantas Takes Flight to Griffith

Travellers can now fly directly to Griffith from Sydney, as QantasLink adds a daily service, meeting the boom in travel within Australia and showcasing the Australian airline’s commitment to supporting regional travel. The flight to the heart of the Riverina region will add more than 700 seats on the route each week, and create easy access to Griffith’s world-class wineries, fresh produce and fascinating heritage.

Upcoming Events

• HAMILTON | Sydney Lyric Theatre
  Now showing
  Hamilton has wowed audiences and broken records around the globe and it’s now playing at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre. The story of American founding father, Alexander Hamilton, is told through hip-hop and R&B, in a revolutionary Broadway moment.
   
• Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour: La Traviata | Mrs Macquaries Point
  Now until 25 April
  Opera Australia presents magical performances on Sydney Harbour and this year it’s the world’s most popular opera, La Traviata. The floating stage will transform as the sun sets with colourful costumes, a giant chandelier, unforgettable music and dazzling fireworks.
   
• World Surfing League Championship Tour | Newcastle & Narrabeen
  1-11 April & 16-26 April
  The first half of the Australian leg of the World Surfing League’s Championship Tour will be held in NSW with the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup held over 1-11 April and The Rip Curl Narrabeen Classic competing from 16-26 April.
   
• Sydney Royal Easter Show | Sydney Showground at Sydney Olympic Park
  1-12 April 
  A celebration of Australian culture from rural traditions to modern-day lifestyles, the Sydney Royal Easter Show at Sydney Olympic Park brings the state together for a day of entertainment, competitions, exhibits and good old-fashioned family fun.
   
• Australian Museum Holiday Program | Darlinghurst
  5-16 April
  Keep budding artists and scientists busy this school holidays at the Australian Museum Autumn Program. There’s the popular Scientist for a Day, as well as workshops in photography, illustration and more.
   
• Field to Forest Festival | Oberon
  1-30 April 
  Forage for wild mushrooms, embark on a wine trail or 4WD tour, or join a long lunch in a secluded forest at this produce-driven food festival in Oberon in the Central West. 
   
• Sculptures at Scenic World | Blue Mountains
  1 April-2 May
  Wander an open-air art gallery among the towering rainforests of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains, as Sculpture at Scenic World returns after a two-year hiatus. The immersive nature exhibition features dozens of world-class sculptures and installations and a free Kids Trail Guide.
   
• Thredbo Easter Adventure Carnival | Snowy Mountains
  2 April -18 April
  Spend the school holidays in the Snowy Mountains, with two weeks of outdoor adventures on offer at Thredbo. Take on the mountain bike trails, hike to the top of Australia, ride the Merritts Gondola, listen to live music, slide down the Alpine Bobsled and more.
   
• Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival | Royal Randwick
  3 April, 10 April, 17 April
  Witness the final three events in the city’s autumn racing schedule: The Star Championships Day 1 on Saturday 3 April; The Championships Day 2, Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day on Saturday April 10 with record prize money of $4 million, and Schweppes All Aged Stakes Day, Saturday 17 April.
   
• Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle National Final | Newcastle
  15 -16 May 
  Newcastle will host the final surf competition of the Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle, the country's biggest grassroots boardriders’ event. More than 60 of Australia’s best boardrider clubs will compete on Newcastle’s Main Beach for $112,700 in prize money.
   
• Afterpay Australian Fashion Week | Carriageworks, Sydney
  31 May - 4 June
  Australia’s pinnacle fashion event, Afterpay Australian Fashion Week, will open its runways to the general public for the first time. Tickets are now available to various designer shows including KitX and Manning Cartell, as well as the coveted opening and closing runways.
   
• Come From Away | Sydney Capitol Theatre
  From 3 June
  Opening in June at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, The Tony® and Olivier award-winning musical Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of thousands of stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland, Canada that welcomed them all.
   
• Sydney Solstice | Sydney
  8-20 June
  Sydney Solstice is a new winter event celebrating Sydney’s world-class food and beverage offering, as well as the city’s vibrant cultural, entertainment and dining precincts. Across two weeks, enjoy headline events including live music and performances, culinary experiences, local art, comedy and immersive workshops.
   
• Vivid Sydney | Sydney
  6-28 August
  Sydney’s festival of light, music and ideas returns in August. The popular and award-winning event will take place slightly later than in previous years and will bring a newly reimagined program of light, music and ideas to the city.