SYDNEY – THE AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLER GUIDE

Here's a solid choice of where to stay in Sydney, whether you're looking for solid good value options or don't mind splashing the cash. We've thrown in a few ideas, if you are looking to kill some time in style as well. Affordable: Sydney Harbour YHA, The Rocks: The most awarded hostel in the world redefines the concept with clean, spacious rooms (some with harbour views), a focus on sustainability, and a rooftop view of the harbour that’s worth a million bucks alone. Double/twins from $148 per room.110 Cumberland St, The Rocks; yha.com.au TheAltamont, Darlinghurst: This little gem feels oh-so Darlinghurst. Shades of grey,...

Perhaps the world’s most extreme game of mahjong was played on the heights of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The players, Pauline Heng, Tony Liu, Ling Khor and Jak Heng, climbed the 134 metres before taking part in this ‘sport’ and all its strategies. The game aimed to promote both the World Series of Mahjong and the BridgeClimb’s ‘Mandarin Climb’, which features local Mandarin-speaking guides for the first time, launched earlier this year. Mahjong tournament organiser Pauline Heng thought the setting was apt for the ancient game. “The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a powerful symbol of Australia,” she said. “Similarly, mahjong is...

No lobby, no room service, no valet parking – Alissa Jenkins finds out if this discreet abode upholds its designer reputation.  This might just be the ultimate night in. Outside the rain is pouring, but I’m inside, amongst friends: soft down-lights, designer furniture, wine. So far they’ve kept silent on my choice of outfit (a fluffy robe, not much else), which seems rather generous but then, we’re in a discreet kind of place. This is  The Contemporary, one of three properties dotted throughout Sydney’s central suburbs by the so-called ‘tastemaker of Sydney’, Geoff Clark. Clark is founder of interior design empire...

Doctor Who will be evading his greatest villains on the side of one of Sydney’s iconic buildings for one night in June. As part of Vivid Sydney, 3D-mapped projections of classic and contemporary Doctor Who action will be screened onto the grand façade of Customs House, Circular Quay,  on June 1. The one-night installation, devised by Australian creatives The Spinifex Group, marks the 50th anniversary of the BBC television program. There will be six shows on the Saturday night, the first  at 6.50pm, then 10 minutes to every hour until midnight, featuring music from the TV show including that iconic...

Bondi is a tourist magnet, yet retains a fiercely proud local culture – hence the ‘Bondi Bubble’ moniker. There are two types of people here: those trying desperately hard to look effortlessly cool and beautiful; and those effortlessly cool, beautiful people who don’t have to try at all. (Nikki Wallman) It’s friendly and welcoming – to anyone who respects the hallowed turf. Stay long enough, and the knots in your city-slicker shoulders may just start to untangle.  Start with breakfast at Three Blue Ducks (143 MacPherson St, Bronte). The simple, delicious food bursts with flavour and attention from the super (hot)...

Sure, it’s a little bit of a hike. But this northern beach village is its own little slice of Sydney paradise, with a unique character and a burgeoning nightlife that’s given locals even less reason to ever leave the ‘insular peninsula’. (Nikki Wallman) Jump on a ferry from Circular Quay and marvel at the fact that for a lucky few, this is just the daily commute. From Manly Wharf, head to Belgrave Cartel (6 Belgrave St) – a welcoming local haunt with some seriously good, no-frills food, like ‘Drew’s Mushies’, perfectly sautéed with herbs and feta. If you’re feeling active,...

Quaint, quiet and quirky – the postcard-worthy peninsula of Balmain feels a world away from the city, yet you’ll catch glimpses of it, and the harbour, as you meander the main thoroughfare of Darling Road. It’s a patchwork village of gorgeous sandstone cottages, quirky cafés and galleries, and specialty restaurants that are well worth exploring. (Nikki Wallman) If you’re after a grab’n’go start to the day, they do fantastic coffee at The Little Marionette (1A Booth St). However, if you want a serious breakfast (and it’s the weekend) go for the famous Kazbah (379 Darling St) breakfast feast, a degustation...

This swathe of the inner east is a seething hub of creativity. Sure, there are more wannabes and waifish model types than you can shake an organic chai latte at, but it’s also abundantly full of artfully-stocked fashion boutiques, funky homewares stores and organic cafés that take people watching to a new level of voyeurism. (Nikki Wallman) To kick off, try the ricotta hotcakes at iconic Bills (359 Crown St); follow the locals to fouratefive (485 Crown St) or Reuben Hills (61 Albion St), where the salted caramel and black sesame shakes are the stuff of legend; or go healthy...

Sydney city proper hasn’t traditionally been where you’ll find its soul, but thanks to a revamped retail offering and a wave of intimate new bars and restaurants, the city is now a superb place to spend big, dine small and most importantly – have fun. (Nikki Wallman) Start the day with some culture at Circular Quay. Grab a takeaway coffee from the masters at Mecca Espresso (1 Alfred St) and cross the road to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), host to sometimes out-there, always thought-provoking, modern exhibitions (140 George St). Now head south towards Pitt Street Mall and straight...

A Sydney icon’s littler (prettier!) sister Shelly Beach, Sydney, NSW Manly Beach can have its fame – little sister Shelly Beach (a short walk around the cove) likes it better that way. This intimate little spot, with its clear aqua waters and sandy, barefoot little kiosk, is popular with locals, families and anyone who’s been to Manly but realised Shelly was better. “As a Sydney city chick I think this ticks all the boxes,” Rowntree muses. “I just adore the atmosphere here. Even if you’re born and bred in Sydney like me, you still have a sense of discovery when you stumble upon...

Island hopping in the city Sydney Harbour islands, NSW Sydney Harbour’s underrated islands are “overflowing with natural beauty and history,” according to Rowntree, who scored them 9. Cockatoo Island is the real star, boasting bars, restaurants and regular events too.

Sydney’s hidden reserve Arthur McElhone Reserve, Sydney, NSW This surprising reserve in Elizabeth Bay in Sydney’s heartland, boasts manicured gardens, koi ponds with lilypads, and views of the harbour. Billyard Avenue, Elizabeth Bay

City wilderness Royal National Park, NSW Within an hour’s drive south of Sydney’s CBD, the Royal National Park seems a world away. Rainforest and beaches are home to a plethora of wildlife, walking tracks and surfing hotspots.