Lisa Hamilton

In Australia, we've got boundless stars to share. When you combine vast stretches of national park, deeply dark skies and a dash of pure air, you've got yourself the ideal recipe for a quality stargazing session. In Australia, there are countless hidden (and obvious) amazing stargazing spots that perfectly hit this formula. We've found the best, so you don't have to.  When is the best time of year to go stargazing in Australia?  Generally, the experts say winter, for the crispest air and sharpest visuals. This being said, anytime from February to October should deliver the goods in any one of the spots we've listed across the nation.  What should you take stargazing in Australia? Just like if you're going outdoors at night, anywhere, you need to be prepared. Even though the Land Down Under has a rep for hotness, at night, temperatures do plummet – so bring plenty of warm clothes, insect protection, and ample food and water. Depending on your stargazing level (one being – "I like looking up occasionally and saying 'wow!' while eating marshmallows, and pro being – "I prefer seeing my constellations through the Hubble"), you should bring binoculars, night camera equipment or a portable telescope.  Also, a good attitude and a healthy appreciation for celestial fun. Those two? Essential. 

Real ale fanatic? Craft brew aficionado? We’ve got news. The GABS Beer Festival – the most anticipated event on Australia’s beer calendar – is heading back to Sydney this May. Complete with a 30-metre bar (the longest in Australia) GABS will bring more than 500 brews to the Harbour City for festival goers to have a crack at. Attendees of GABS25 can head along to the International Convention Centre to sample the extensive selection of daring, out-of-the-box concoctions. Among the line-up of funky frothies will be some seriously unique tipples like the Broken Bay Pearl Beer from Six String Brewing Co in Erina that was made using 1000 shucked oysters. If you’re not saying “what a pearler” two pints in, that’s on you. Elsewhere on offer you can get your laughing gear around the Gingerbread Pastry Beer (yes) from Shout Brewing Co in Newcastle or the Pickle Beer (double yes!) from Stoic Brewing in Gerringong.  The creativity of these breweries knows no bounds, with the likes of The Socials Brewers in Mortdale heading to GABS25 to show off their Vegemite, stale bread and Indigenous macadamia nuts beer. Sounds yeasty. For the sweet toothed among us, there’s a Rainbow Ice Cream Cone beer by Good Land Brewing which is stacked full of strawberries, bananas, cherries, blueberries, vanilla ice cream and bubblegum.  There will also be some European guest breweries at the festival including the world’s oldest brewery, Weihenstephan, all the way from Germany. With 500+ beer taps on offer, a

With Easter just around the corner, we’re busy filling our trolley with overpriced chockie eggs and making plans to enjoy the extended weekend. If your calendar is looking a little bare, we’ve got just the ticket for your Easter Sunday. In an eggs-cellent showdown, the Sydney Swans will be going head-to-head with Port Adelaide in a round-six clash that promises to be a very family friendly match-day. Even better news for families, we've got a discount code you can use to nab a family ticket for just $70 (subject to availability) – use code SWANSHQ70 when purchasing via this link. After an epic 2024 for the Swannies, Sydneysiders will no doubt be keen to don the red and white to support the team in this new season that's well underway.   Which AFL teams are playing on Easter Sunday? The Sydney Swans are going head to head with Port Adelaide on Easter Sunday (April 20). Once you’ve finished up your Easter egg hunt you can get on down to the game for a family-friendly first bounce time of 3:20pm. Pretty nice way to spend Easter if you ask us. Where is the Sydney Swans vs Port Adelaide game? The match-up between the Sydney Swans and Port Adelaide will take place at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Moore Park. Which means you can hop on the Light Rail from Central Station to get there.   What time is Sydney Swans vs Port Adelaide? Gates will open at the SCG at 1:30pm and first bounce will take place at 3:20pm – which means no late nights for families. As always the SCG w

Lets face it, heading along to the cinema ain’t cheap these days – add a choc top into the mix and yeesh, you may as well take out a second mortgage. If 2025 is all about saying yes to getting out and about but doing it on a budget, Parramatta has the answer: a bunch of free pop-up movie nights for the whole family to enjoy. The travelling Family Movie Nights pop-up event will span across two weekends sitting inside the NSW school holidays, with the first kicking off on Friday, April 11 at Binalong Park, Old Toongabbie. Wondering what’s on the line-up? Don’t worry, they won’t be dusting off the old VHS and playing Flubber (although 10/10 would watch again), organisers have nabbed an epic line-up of flicks including the 2025 Academy Award nominated musical spectacular, Wicked. It’s free, and I get to sing ‘Defying Gravity’ to the good people of Parramatta? Win, win! Not only will this family-friendly initiative from the City of Parramatta bring the magic of movies to the masses, but you can also expect a bit of a funfair with live music, art, games, food stalls, kid’s workshops and plenty more kicking off from 4pm before the film begins at sundown. City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said the return of Family Movie Nights will be a welcome event for parents looking for cost-effective activities during the school holidays. “It’s getting harder for families to find fun yet affordable things to do during the school holidays, so we’re making life easier by putting on th

There’s something so intriguing about exploring the depths of the ocean, because we don't get many chances to check out what's down there. If you’re not a diver but you’ve always wanted to see what happens underneath the ripples of the water's surface, check out this ocean photography exhibition that's returning to the Australian National Maritime Museum.From November 28, the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2024 exhibition will feature all of the winners and finalists of the prestigious prize, which is led by the London-based Oceanographic Magazine.  The exhibition will display 118 of the most awe-inspiring wildlife shots ever snapped, immersing you in the otherworldly magic of the ocean and bringing you face-to-face with some of the sea's most majestic creatures. Particular highlights will no doubt be getting your peepers on the winning image from photographer Rafael Fernández Caballero. His incredible photo of a Bryde whale feeding on a heart-shaped baitball was taken in Baja California Sur, Mexico during the Mexican sardine run. The stunning shot was chosen from more than 15,000 images by a panel of expert judges.  There are plenty of other award-winning photos on display across 10 categories, including the Ocean Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Ocean Adventure Photographer of the Year and the Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year.   Tickets are on sale now with discounts available for concessions and children and family passes on offer. All tickets include access to al

All the singles that dream of a 90's rom-com meet-cute and/or the grisly death of internet dating – put your hands up! Gather ‘round, your day has arrived.  It's a universal truth that trying to find love via an app can be a soul-destroying process that makes many of us question our will to live. Now, for single Sydneysiders, the Emerald City cupids are putting on an IRL dating event called ‘No Swipes’, that, in their words, is all about “giving dating apps the middle finger”.  If you’re ready to flip the bird to the online dating world then mark Sunday, February 11 in your diary as the day you might meet your soulmate, aboard a yacht on Sydney's sparkling harbour (Sydney Sweeney, eat your heart out). For the fourth Sydney pop-up of their invitation-only event series, No Swipes has partnered with floating festival company Yacht Social – they're bringing nine yachts together in a corner of the harbour with sparkling city views, a float-up party, on-board barbecues and a line-up of top DJs soundtracking the day. Ticketed entry is via a waitlist, so you’ll want to get in quick if you’re keen on a ‘meet-cute’ story that will probably make people exclaim loudly at parties. You can pop your name down right here, and if you’re successful, an email with details on how to purchase tickets will come flying into your inbox with the speed and velocity of Cupid’s arrow. The invitation-only event accepts 400 people on board, and ticketholders can choose a place on a standard yacht, a prem

Summer is all about getting outside and enjoying the sunshine – but when day turns to night, balmy weather makes for the perfect conditions to keep exploring long after the sun sets. By day, Jervis Bay is home to some of the most beautiful (and clearest water) beaches in NSW (heck, the world), but in the evening she’s just as glorious, thanks to less light pollution than in Sydney. If you’d like to dig your toes into the sand and marvel at the canopy of lights in the sky, then a guided stargazing tour in Jervis Bay should go to the top of your summertime activities list. Astrophysicist Dimitri Douchin, along with Caroline Boulom, invite you on a 90-minute experience that will open your eyes to the wonders of the universe right on the water's edge. Sounds magical, right? (They're the same people who run Blue Mountains Stargazing – and Dimitri sure knows his stuff, considering he's a TED speaker with a PhD in astrophysics. He’s a big thinker with a breadth of knowledge about how the world out there works, so we can’t think a better star-expert to take you on this very special journey.) You’ll get a chance to peep at the moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and The Orion Nebula through a telescope – and you might even spot a shooting star if you cross your fingers and toes. You might even witness the bioluminescence phenomenon, where a chemical reaction lights up the sealife, making their bodies glisten a shiny blue light. All participants who embark on the Jervis Bar stargazing t

Heaps Gay has long been a champion in the Sydney nightlife scene, holding parties and events that create a safe space for the queer community. On November 19, they’re returning with their Wet Dreams 10th birthday party, which will blow the lid off Sydney Harbour. It’ll be queer, it’ll be wet and it’ll be one of the best events of the year. They’ve just dropped the line-up performing at Mrs Macquarie Point, and we’ll be adding tickets to cart toot suite. Apart from everything else, THE Mel C of Spice Girls fame will be taking to the stage to perform a DJ set. This huge get for the Wet Dreams party comes as Melanie C embarks on her inaugural DJ tour – she’s heading to Sydney for a set at Seadeck, as well as to other cities Down Under. We hear she’ll be paying homage to the ’90s (good times), with dance classics and of course some Spice Girls hits. Zig-a-zig-ah. Elsewhere on the Wet Dreams line-up you’ll find British singer-songwriter Aluna, Kah-Lo, Cakes Da Killa, Byron Spencer, Felicia Foxx and heaps (gay) more epic performances.  To get tickets to Wet Dreams, head here and sign up for the pre-sale, which starts Wednesday, October 4 at 6pm. General sale begins Thursday, October 5 at 6pm over here. If you want to catch Mel C in Sydney the week before at Seadeck, you can grab yourself some tickets to that DJ performance right now here. Back-to-back Mel C weekends? Christmas is coming early. Want more spicy news? Australia is hosting an academic conference dedicated to Taylor Sw

If your social calendar has been looking decidedly un-sexy, we’ve got just the ticket to help you spice things up a bit. Dubbed ‘Australia’s sexiest party’, the Erotic Ball is returning to Sydney in 2023. On November 11, Sydneysiders are invited to a top secret location (v. sexy, v. elusive) to let their hair down and lean into all things erotic for an evening of pure, unadulterated fun.  This non-judgemental safe space will allow guests to explore their sensual side with the help of some sultry entertainment. Among the line-up of talented seductive professionals on hand will be former Miss Nude Australia Suzie Q, Benjamin Butterfly (who will put on a pole performance), Yanita Werkout (who will perform in drag), and Miss Taken Identity (who will lead a couples strip). For those keen to get involved there’s only one rule handed down by the organisers: dress to impress. Whatever sexy look you like – just make sure you double down and go all out. This is your opportunity to let go of your inhibitions and let that beautiful freak flag fly. If you’ve got an old PVC catsuit that has been collecting dust in the wardrobe, dust her off and remerge at the Erotic Ball. Whether you’re new to The Erotic Ball scene or if you’re a seasoned tease, you'll be totally welcome. To learn more about The Erotic Ball or secure your tickets, head here before they all get snapped up. Want more? Looking for a costume, toy or more? These are the best sex shops in Sydney Strip Her – a women-only strip s

Hey Bondi, are you feeling clucky? The uber-popular chicken shop that turns up the heat has a new home in the seaside suburb of Bondi Beach. That’s right, Belles Hot Chicken has opened a venue smack bang in the hustle and bustle of Hall Street. Belles Hot Chicken is now welcoming patrons into their freshly decked out digs that have been designed by Vicki Punch with an American ’70s diner vibe. Think retro booths, pastel colouring and totally groovy interiors. On the menu side, chook enthusiasts can expect more of the plucking good fare that has garnered Belles Hot Chicken such a big name amongst the public. Head in from the surf and tuck into some hot chicken and waffles or try the spicy chicken slider. Belles Hot Chicken Managing Director, Joss-Jenner Leuthart says the move into Bondi Beach felt like a great next move for the brand. “Comfort food, great booze and tunes just metres Australia’s most iconic beach –a match made in heaven,” said Managing Director of Belles Hot Chicken, Joss-Jenner Leuthart. “After opening the doors to our CBD flagship at Circular Quay, we pounced at the opportunity to transform Fonda’s iconic location to our new home. Belles is a place to kick back, dig in, get messy or just chill – and Bondi Beach always felt like a natural fit.” The new opening comes as Belles Hot Chicken footprint continues to expand throughout Sydney after finding success in Barangaroo, Darling Square, the Tramsheds and the CBD flagship in Circular Quay. Catch ya by the beach

If you’ve been singing Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ in your bedroom for the past 26 years, we reckon it’s high time you took your dulcet vocals to the main stage. Or at the very least to the teeny, tiny stage at Poppie's Karaoke, Sydney’s newest and “littlest” karaoke joint. Hidden inside the Little Guy, a trusted and much-loved bar on Glebe Point Road, Poppie’s welcomes crooners to pick up the microphone and belt out the classics. This will be Glebe’s first official karaoke room and they’ve pulled out all the stops for the momentous occasion. No rendition of Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ is complete without LED lights, neons and lasers, right? Good thing Poppie’s have the light show portion of your performance covered. Of course, karaoke isn’t really karaoke without a little lubrication. Fear not, you’ll be able to coat the vocal cords with all the Dutch courage you need to hit those Mariah-high octaves time and time again. Sip on ‘Poppie’s Punch’ or select a drop from the extensive beverage menu, all while noshing on complimentary popcorn. Once you’ve finished your set and collected your roses, head upstairs to the pool room and continue the good times. A nod to the ‘little’ in the Little Guy, Poppie’s will be a snug fit for those wanting to keep their performances intimate. With rooms capped at 15 patrons, this will be the intimate setting perfect for a song or two with your nearest and dearest. Given the small nature of the rooms, we encourage you to book ahead to ensure

The days are getting longer, the nights are getting warmer and there’s a scent of festivity in the air. The ushering in of the summer months brings about a sense of carefree whimsy to the city and we’ve got just the event to get your party started – on October 27, the Bacardi Dance Floor party is taking place inside the hallowed halls of the Cell Block Theatre at the National Art School in Darlinghurst, and famed indie dance act Northeast Party House will be taking centre stage. The Bacardi Dance Floor party will also feature musical performances from Gold Fang and Carolina Gasolina, who will bring a mix of reggae, funk, hip-hop and Afrobeat sounds. The folks from Bacardi will be on hand to make sure the zesty cocktails are a’flowing. Nothing says balmy nights quite like a Mojito, eh? And your bargain $30 ticket will get you entry to the party, two signature cocktails and food served throughout the event.  There’s nothing like partying with a conscience – all profits from the gig will be donated to the Support Act charity, which raises much-needed funds for crisis relief services within the music industry. Tickets are on sale now, so get in quick to make sure you’re in the mix at one of the biggest pre-summer parties of the season. What else is on in October? Check out our guide to fun weekend happenings. Hungry? Suss out these award-winning cheap eats in Sydney. Oh, and Sydney just scored its first restaurant subscription service.

It's October, which means it’s time to start carving out the pumpkins and poking holes in your old white sheets. If you prefer your trick-or-treating with a little bit more bass, this year's Return to Rio has your name over it. The witching hour just got a whole lot more fun. Return to Rio music festival is doing what it says on the label and it's returning to the social calendar after a four-year hiatus. The beloved three-day knees-up is coming back with frightful gusto across the Halloween weekend with a line-up that’s so good you’ll need to clutch your pearls.  Taking the stage at Del Rio Riverside Resort in Wisemans Ferry will be Sneaky Sound System, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Nick Warren, Patrice Bäumel and Mark Farina. Elsewhere at the spookfest, punters will be able to mix it up with the dark arts, with freak shows, voodoo fortune telling, and the Pickles Family Funeral immersive theatre where you can take part in your own funeral. If you’d like to step into the lighter side of things, there will also be reiki, massage, yoga classes and breathwork available. Return to Rio has long been known as the music festival where you dress to impress. It is highly encouraged for revellers to don their most outrageous kit, and with the festival coinciding with Halloween the costume options are ripe for the picking. Where you’re most terrifying Zombie look one day in the mosh pit then switch it out for a Barbie-inspired get up the next.  The last Return to Rio was held back in 2019, which

The school year is in full swing! Whether you’re looking for some reassurance that your HECS debt is paying off or are considering swapping degrees, it’s worth having a squiz at Times Higher Education’s esteemed 2025 World University Rankings. This year, six Aussie institutions made the cut, rubbing shoulders with big guns like the University of Oxford, Stanford, Princeton and Harvard. To compile this list, Times evaluated more than 2,000 tertiary institutions, considering factors like teaching, research quality, industry engagement and international outlook. The University of Melbourne placed 39th on the list, making it the highest ranked in Australia. It received an overall score of 78.4 and an impressive 99.3 score for industry engagement. The university also performed well in the rankings by subject, landing in an impressive 11th place for law and 20th for medical and health. Not too shabby when you look at the highly regarded institutions featured on the list. The University of Melbourne outperformed its fellow Aussie institutions by quite a large stretch, with Monash University ranking as the nation’s second-best and coming 58th globally. The University of Sydney placed 61st, the Australian National University came 73rd, the University of Queensland landed at 77th and UNSW Sydney rounded out Australia’s top 100 inclusions at 83rd. Overall, Australia had ten universities in the top 200, which is the sixth most of any country in the world, behind the US (55), UK (25), Ger

Calling all aspiring publicans: a beloved Sydney pub has just hit the market, and this one comes with its own place in Australia’s cultural history.  If the ubiquitous lyrics “I love to have a beer with Duncan,” strike a chord, then perhaps you’re in the market for purchasing a piece of memorabilia steeped in Slim Dusty lore. Specifically: the pub that inspired that very song. The Town and Country Hotel in St Peters (where Slim famously says "the atmosphere is great") has just been listed for sale, with Highland Commercial Property sales agent Peter Seeto telling ABC News he expects the iconic pub to go for $5 million. If you’ve got some spare change laying around and the thought of the Town and Country Hotel being turned into craft brewery doesn’t sit right in your soul, then this might be the investment for you. Want to dive a bit deeper into the history? As the story goes, life insurance salesman Pat Alexander was giving the hard sell to a man named Duncan Urquhart. They met at the Town and Country Hotel and got to chatting about everything under the sun. Well, everything except life insurance. Alexander didn’t sell Duncan any life insurance but it did inspire the lyrics to 'Duncan', which was later recorded by country music legend Slim Dusty before becoming a hit in the '80s. We drink at the Town and Country Where the atmosphere is great I love to have a beer with Duncan 'Cause Duncan's me mate St Peters is in Sydney's Inner West, so there’s no doubt this will be a highly

There’s a lot to boast about in Sydney. A stunning harbour, best-in-show eateries and world-class cultural institutions at every turn. Now, we can officially add “home to some of the best universities in the world” to our running CV. According to the annual Times Higher Education (THE) world reputation rankings, the University of Sydney has placed 61st and UNSW 83rd. That’s a rather nice pat on the back when you consider the likes of University of Oxford, Stanford University, Princeton University and Harvard University all nabbed spots on the esteemed list. To compile this list, more than 2000 tertiary institutions were evaluated, taking into consideration factors including teaching, research quality, industry engagement and international outlook.  The University of Sydney received an overall score of 73.7 and a near perfect 99.5 for industry engagement. The best ranking school within the University of Sydney was the Education Studies department which came in at 21st spot. Over in the east, UNSW Sydney received an overall score of 69.1 and 98.2 for industry engagement. Given that Sydney is one of the most coveted places to visit, it makes sense that 51% of the student cohort at University of Sydney is made up of international students and 41% at UNSW Sydney.  A beautiful city that is home to some of the best universities in the world? Almost (almost) makes us want to hit the books again. These are the top 10 universities in the world for 2025 University of Oxford Massachuset

If you’ve been shortlisting universities for your future studious endeavours, then you might want to place the University of Melbourne in the running, as it has (once again) been recognised as one of the best in the world. According to the annual Times Higher Education (THE) world reputation rankings, the University of Melbourne was placed 39th on the list, making it the highest ranked in Australia. That’s a rather nice pat on the back when you consider the likes of the University of Oxford, Stanford University, Princeton University and Harvard University all nabbed spots on the esteemed list. To compile this list over 2000 tertiary institutions across the globe were evaluated, taking into consideration things like teaching, research quality, industry engagement and international outlook.  When sizing up the University of Melbourne, it received an overall score of 78.4 and ranked an impressive 99.3 when evaluated on industry engagement. The university also fared well in the rankings by subject, placing an impressive 11th place for law and in the 20th spot for medical and health. Not too shabby when you look at the highly regarded institutions featured on the list. Melbourne is widely considered one of the most liveable cities in the world - pair that with seven campuses, a top notch research cohort and a respected teaching faculty, it makes sense that this uni placed so high on the list. The University of Melbourne outperformed its fellow Aussie institutions by quite a large

The 2025 Easter school holidays have officially kicked off, which might mean you’re suddenly desperately in need of some activities to stave off boredom and keep busy little minds occupied. Lest we state the obvious, but often the responsibility of keeping kids entertained during the school holidays means a real wallop to the wallet. Picking up on the financial pinch that plenty of Sydney families will be feeling, the NSW government has highlighted a bunch of free events and activities available across the next two weeks. The varied line-up features a heap of free activities to keep your little ones intrigued, engaged and most importantly, entertained. Keen? Read on. First up, the ‘Move, Groove, Darling Festival’ will take place across three days in Darling Harbour. From April 18, head down to this harbourside corner of Sydney for kids yoga classes,a Saturday night disco and more. Photograph: Supplied | NSW Government If your mini is more an arts and crafts aficionado, The Rocks Discovery Museum will be holding a free Doll House Making workshop. Attendees will get to create a personalised doll house and try their hand at channelling their creative side. If your kids were captivated by Putricia the corpse flower (we can’t blame them), Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden will be hosting an Alchemy of a Rainforest Exhibition to educate curious minds on the rare tropical and subtropical rainforest plants grown within the grounds. There will also be daily guided walks around the garde

There’s a lot to love about our old girl, Sydney. She’s got pristine beaches, an epic food scene and a veritable smorgasbord of events to attend any given day. But cheap parking ain’t one of our great city’s boastful attributes. And a new report released by NRMA and Bitzios Consulting backs that up, revealing that the cost of parking in Sydney is one of the most expensive in the world. The Parkin’ Mad report found that daily parking fees in Sydney average at around $77.30. Beep beep! According to realestate.com.au, CBD parking is a hot-property commodity, with car spaces being listed for staggering prices – you can pay up to $150,000 for 14 square metres of concrete. Parking mad, indeed. If that's sobering enough, the report also found Sydney’s parking woes are having a very real knock-on effect amidst the cost of living crisis. As we fork out more for parking, that means there’s less disposable income to go towards hospitality, tourism and retail – three pillars that are essential to a flowing economy. In the report, Paul Nicolaou, Executive Director of Business Sydney, said he hopes the Parkin’ Mad findings might elicit some “sensible discussion” around affordable parking, after it was found that the City of Sydney generated $41.5 million revenue from parking meters last year. The report also crunched the comparative numbers and found that when stacked up against other cities with similar populations and density, Sydney was by far the most expensive city in the world when i

Built organically (and somewhat haphazardly) over decades, Sydney’s spaghetti-like streets have long been home to a mosaic of experiences ready to greet you. Turn a corner and you’ll find a heritage listed pub next to a high-end hotel, then take a sharp left and you’ll find yourself in a hole-in-the-wall gallery above an underground cocktail den. And while that meandering adventure can be a joy, if you’re travelling solo through the city, there are some poorly-lit streets that you might want to put on your ‘walk the long way around’ list. With that in mind, a new CBD art installation is not only illuminating the vibrant streets of Sydney, but providing a safer experience for women, girls and gender-diverse people accessing the city. The latest offering from the YCK Laneways precinct is Lightstream, a light art installation brought to you by artists Fausto Brusamolino and James Peter Brown. Situated on York Lane, the warm light installation was green-lit as a commission from the NSW Government’s Community Improvement District (CID) pilot in direct response to safety concerns from the public. Photograph: Supplied | YCK Laneways Lightstream has been an entirely collaborative project with women from the community offering suggestions on how to make the area a more safe space at night. Designed in partnership with the artists, the installation now provides warm lighting which reduces glare and shadows. “By incorporating warm lighting, we are not only enhancing the aesthetics of

Would it surprise you that only one in three people with low vision or blindness feel confident heading out and about, including into cafés and restaurants, in our community? It's a sad fact that, despite society's empathy and our love of Labradors, people with low vision or blindness are often turned away from venues – sometimes because they have a guide dog in toe. Shocker, right? These gaps in support lead people to opt out of public social interactions and dining out. Almost 500,000 Australians are blind or have low vision, so in pursuit of transforming Sydney into a more accessible city, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has launched a new campaign to assist restaurants, cafés and bars so they can better cater to people with low vision or blindness. Their Access Means Business initiative provides a handy toolkit for hospitality businesses to use to make sure they’re equipped to support patrons with low vision or blindness. Among the resources available are training modules and practical tools – and business owners have been encouraged to reach out to Guide Dogs NSW/ACT if they require further assistance to make their venue more accessible. Urban accessibility is a work in progress for many Australian cities, and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT CEO Dale Cleaver says that Sydney has a long way to go in order to see public spaces and facilities inclusive for the needs of all members of the community. "Until now many businesses and staff still lack the tools and training to provide truly inclusive serv

Creativity, music, movies, tech, gaming, innovation. In short? Big thinking. SXSW Sydney is returning for 2025 – and it’s promising to get the noggin’ ticking for the third year in a row. This week, festival organisers announced the first 40 speakers for this is year’s event, and among them were the likes of Tim Cadogan, Andra Keay, Simran Kair and Brendan Dowling.  The Future Belongs To The Curious is the theme for this year’s SXSW Sydney 2025 conference, which will give stage to conversations drilling into AI, fintech and other emerging technologies. Tim Cadogan, the CEO of GoFundMe will undoubtedly facilitate some interesting conversations around AI, specifically around the future of fundraising and how those two spaces will intersect. On the tech and finance side, Andra Keay (Managing Director of Silicon Valley Robotics), Simran Kair (Founder of Girls That Invest), and Brendan Dowling (Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs), will all front panels that will explore the topics of robotics, online police and the future of women in finance. Kicking off on October 13, the week-long conference promises to bring the arts and tech worlds to the fore with plenty of events, panels, performances, screenings, games and interactive sessions (not to mention the gigs and pop-up parties). Sydneysiders will also be able to access the bustling free program at SXSW Sydney 2025 that will take place in and around Tumbalong Park. Head along for live performances, happy hours and a free Inno

This Friday (April 4), the Tillies train will come roaring into Allianz Stadium for a hotly contested showdown against Korea Republic – and even though it's just a friendly, fans of the Matildas are already giddy. We love any chance at all to see the girls in green and gold take the pitch – but this game in particular already has football fans talking, with news that Sam Kerr will be rejoining her team after a tricky period of injury and off-field issues. While it’s highly unlikely the star striker will see any game time during the friendly against Korea Republic (being a friendly, it's said they'll likely rest her), her pitch-side presence will no doubt give a boost to morale for her teammates and fans in the crowd. After a meeting with the Football Australia Board, it's been confirmed that the 31-year-old will retain her captaincy when she hits the pitch again and is given the all-clear to play. (Props to Steph Catley who has done a fantastic job in the interim as captain while Kerr was on leave.) It's been well over a year since Kerr has played competitive football, since she tore her ACL during a Chelsea FC training camp all the way back in January, 2024. Since then, Kerr has experienced an tumultuous time including a surgery, injury rehab and a highly publicised court case following a run-in with a London Metropolitan police officer. RECOMMENDED: These are 5 Matildas every Australian should know. In a joint statement with Football Australia, Kerr expressed regret over ho

For most of us grown-ups, the holidays are over – and we’re all setting about booking our next one. Trying to plan your next twelve months around when the little ones are at school? Here's everything you need to know about the NSW school holidays and school term dates for 2025. When do NSW schools go back? (Start date of Term 1 2025 NSW) For the Eastern Division schools in NSW, the first term of the year starts on Thursday, January 30, 2025. For the Western Division NSW schools, term starts on Thursday, February 6, 2025. What are the dates for NSW school holidays 2025? NSW autumn 2025 school holiday dates: Monday, April 14 to Thursday, April 24, 2025 NSW winter 2025 school holiday dates: Monday, July 7 to Friday, July 18, 2025 NSW spring 2025 school holiday dates: Monday, September 29 to Friday, October 10, 2025 NSW Christmas (summer) 2025 school holiday dates: Eastern Division: Monday, December 22, 2025, to Monday, January 26, 2026 Western Division: Monday, December 22, 2025 to Thursday, February 2, 2026 What's the difference between the eastern and western division NSW school holidays? Historically, the NSW Department of Education has staggered NSW schools located in the eastern and western districts across the NSW summer school holidays. This means that schools located in the eastern section of NSW will return to school in the new year a week earlier than their western region counterparts. What are the NSW school term dates for 2025? NSW School Term 1 2025 dates: Eastern D

You head out for your morning coffee and who’s this red-headed fella you keep bumping into? Why, it’s a brush turkey, and there’s a reason you’re seeing more and more of them popping up all over Sydney. The Australian brush turkey was all but extinct back in the 1930s, but recent research published in the Wildlife Research journal has found that these curious birds are having a huge resurgence in urban areas. Yup, Sydney is in its brush turkey era. Brush turkeys were hunted and roasted for dinner at a rapid rate in the Depression, yet since legislation declared the birds a native species in the 1970s, they’ve been rapidly increasing in population across Sydney. The resurgence has been a while in the making, but it's been a rather extraordinary bounce-back from near extinction. Dr Matthew Hall, an urban ecologist at the University of Sydney, said research shows when the brush turkey boom hit our city. He told the ABC they “became really common in northern Sydney in the 2000s and 2010s." Now, in 2024, they can be found in around 312 Sydney suburbs – which is most likely why you’ve bumped into a few on your daily constitutional. Besides becoming an official native species, ecologists have been keen to pinpoint exactly why these yellow-necked birds have had such a spectacular return from being all but gone. One such theory behind their resurgence is the fact that by nature they practice sustainability habits – they’re more than happy to scrounge for discarded food and they’re no