As a whole, Sydney’s nightlife scene gets a bad rap. And while we’ve been flying the flag for Sydney’s after dark offering for a while, it’s always nice when an external source validates our belief that Sydney is actually home to some pretty world-class party spots. This week, Nightlife International released their annual list of the best night clubs in the world, and a Sydney club has made history as Australia's first nightclub to crack the top 100.
Located in the heart of Darlinghurst, Carousel is a relatively new addition to Oxford Street’s after-dark offering, opening just last year to a very welcome reception. Described as Sydney’s Pink Mile, Oxford Street is not only our local "gayhourhood", it's known as one of the most reliably fun streets in the Harbour City. It’s the street that turns into a sequin-studded carnival every year for Sydney Mardi Gras, and it’s home to some of our editors' favourite late-night bars and most consistently buzzing dancefloors. As with a lot of Sydney’s nightlife destinations, Oxford Street was hit hard by the lockout laws, but as the government continues to push for improvements to Sydney’s 24-hour economy, this merry intersection on the Surry Hills/Darlinghurst border is set to shine brighter and brighter.
As for the club itself, it’s telling that this is the spot that Australia’s golden boy Troye Sivan chose as the venue for his official Sydney tour after party – transforming it for one-night-only into “Club Rush”. Described by Time Out Sydney's Arts and Culture Editor Alannah Le Cross as “a funky new late night haunt”, Carousel brings big Euro-club energy to Sydney’s inner-city. It boasts a consistently strong DJ line-up, an exceptional cocktail list, and swanky plush interiors.
The Darlinghurst dancing den has ranked as the 87th best club in the world – joining iconic venues like Hi Ibiza (at number one), Pacha Ibiza (at number 11), London’s Fabric (at number 26), and Berlin’s notoriously exclusive Berghain (at number 51).
As the first Aussie venue to ever break the top 100, Carousel is making history with this ranking – and though we know some Melburnians might have something to say on the matter, we’re happy to go with the word from Nightlife International, when we state that Sydney is home to the best club in the whole damn country. If it’s good enough for Troye, it’s good enough for us.
You can check out the full list of the world’s best clubs over here.
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