The best things to do in Sydney this weekend

You’re never too old to have a ball checking out one of Australia’s largest inflatable obstacle courses, which is fantastic news for Sydneysiders this school holidays. Why? Because the all-ages playground Monster Jump is returning to the Entertainment Quarter from September 28 to October 6 with a brand new arrival. Jump into some action-packed school holiday fun with this monstrous 280-metre-long jumping castle boasting more than 30 different custom-built obstacles. Race your mates to see who can complete the course the fastest, or take it slow and steady to enjoy your favourite parts. But that’s not all—get ready for the all-new inflatable Monster Sports Jam, making its debut this school holidays in Sydney. Test your skills at the jousting station, shoot hoops on the basketball court, dodge the wrecking ball and more. Whether you opt for one or both courses, you’ll have some serious fun climbing, sliding, bouncing, slipping and tumbling all over the place. Don’t let the kids have all the fun! Monster Jump is suitable for everyone from children aged three and up to adults. That makes for an epic experience for the whole family – heaps more fun than sitting down in front of a movie. Kids under five will need adult supervision, but there’s one adult included as no extra charge with each toddler pass.A two-hour obstacle course pass costs $35 for anyone aged five and up, toddler passes are available for $45 (includes one adult). Pick up an all day pass for $60 or just come along

If you can’t quite hack the requisite international airfare and/or annual leave to explore the Amazon, meet polar bears, or go deep sea diving right now, there is another method for getting up close and personal with some of the world’s most incredible animals.  For the 59th year in a row, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will arrive in Sydney on loan from London’s Natural History Museum. Taking root at the National Maritime Museum, this stunning collection of photographs will be on show in Sydney from Saturday, June 15 until November 2024.  This incredibly prestigious photography event is centred on drawing attention to the wild beauty and fragility of the natural world. This year, judges had to look at nearly 50,000 entries from a line-up of professional and amateur photographers across 95 countries, being faced with the near-impossible task of whittling these down to just over 100 photo finalists. The images that made this year’s exhibition shine a light on the strain that our natural environment is under as a result of human intervention, and capture mesmerising snapshots of fascinating animal behaviour, stunning secret moments in the hearts of the world’s most unreachable places.The prestigious Grand Title this year went to French photographer Laurent Ballesta, whose surreal image of a golden horseshoe crab has earned him the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year for the second time. So, if you are in the mood to escape reality, dive into strange an

It’s imperative that you do not eat before you visit the Carriageworks Farmers Markets. You’ll want to save maximum belly space for your personal version of The Bachelorette where you decide who gets your dollars and what delicious produce gets to come home with you. Maybe you like something soupy and savoury first thing? In that case head to Bar Pho for a traditional Vietnamese start to the day. On the veggie train? Hit up Keppos St Kitchen for a falafel breakfast, or head to Food Farm for a classic bacon and egg roll.Once the hounds of your hunger have been quieted it’s time to prepare for your next meal, or seven. Stock up on artisan cheese from Leaning Oak, smoked salmon from Brilliant Foods and Sydney’s favourite sourdough from AP Bakery and brunch is sorted. You can spend a whole lot of money if you want to here, but equally you could just grab a kombucha on tap from Herbs of Life and find a chair for some of the best dog-watching in the city.   Hungry for more? Look at our list of the best markets in Sydney – produce or otherwise. 

Looking for a wholesome weekend activity that immerses you in French culture without the hefty plane fare? Oui, oui!  Well, put on your best beret and hop on over to Le Marché – French Markets at the Entertainment Quarter in the heart of Sydney. Spend a leisurely Sunday morning walking through more than 45 market stalls of French delights. From choux buns and Champagne to colourful berets and escargot, there is an abundance of French items to satisfy even the fussiest shopper. Très bien! Stock up your pantry at Le Marché’s culinary corner, a pocket of the market that you might liken to a French supermarket. Fill your baskets and mouths with farm-fresh eggs, truffles, baked treats, duck confit and, of course, all the French cheese your heart desires. Practise your high school French (which you’ve probably forgotten, except for 'bonjour') on the friendly artisans selling striped Breton t-shirts, colourful berets, linen tablecloths, straw baskets and more. Now we don’t know about you, but devouring croissants, macarons and boeuf bourguignon sounds like heaven to us. At the Entertainment Quarter, you can celebrate all things French at these fabulous markets.  Explore Le Marché – French Markets on the first Sunday of every month at the Entertainment Quarter. Find out more via the website here.

It’s impossible to make everyone happy. Indeed, when it comes to meeting the appetites of musical theatre fans in Sydney, it’s a tall order at the best of times. This year, Sydney’s major stages have been pumping out the busiest theatre calendar we’ve seen since pre-pandemic times. However, aside from some notable exceptions, many of the productions claiming the lion’s share of the flashy budgets and the big stars are nothing we haven’t seen before. Musicals like Chicago, Grease, and Rocky Horror are fun and all – but they’ve been done more times than we care to remember, and discerning theatre lovers have a nose for when something is mainly getting a re-mount for cynical commercial gain (allegedly), rather than artistic merit.  Enter, an unlikely saving grace – Sister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy. Sure, the story is a familiar one, inspired by the hit early ’90s comedy movie of the same name starring Whoopi Goldberg (who was also involved in creating the original production). However, this is the first time that this screen-to-stage production has appeared on an Aussie stage. This fun and vibrant show gives you all the razzle dazzle you could want from a night at the theatre – and it blankets the Capitol Theatre in a dazzling cascade of disco ball beams, to boot.  If you’re looking for a feel-good theatrical outing with plenty of sparkles, then let this show take you to church. Leaning into a Motown-inspired brand of ’70s disco, soul, and funk rhythms, this show harnesses or

The below review was written about the previous 2024 season of Julia at the Sydney Opera House.***** When Julia Gillard’s distinctive ocker voice first emerged from Justine Clarke’s mouth on Opening Night of Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Julia, the audience literally gasp-screamed. It was, without mincing words, pretty freaky.  STC’s production of Julia is a long-awaited response to one of the most iconic (and spicy) speeches made in Australian history. Written by Joanna Murray Smith, directed by Sarah Goodes, and starring national treasure Justine Clarke as Julia Gillard herself, this deeply Australian story is an amorphous re-imagining of all the forces that led up to that moment in 2012 when Julia Gillard so perfectly and viscously roasted Tony Abbott in the House of Representatives.  Julia is an intoxicating and fascinating experience that hits something deep and resounding within us We all know *that speech* (and if you don’t, watch it right now). It was a moment that stopped the internet and hearts all over the world. Gillard’s masterful use of rage gave voice to the invisible fury of millions of women who have spent a millennia not being taken seriously. The power of ‘the speech’ has made it a thing of legend, setting the stakes high for anyone trying to recreate it. However, now, in Julia, the creators have managed (mostly) to pull it off.  This play tries to start at the very beginning. We are taken deep into Gillard’s childhood as the child of Welsh parents

Every Saturday, more than 100 stalls line the grounds of Paddington Uniting Church and the neighbouring public school selling Australian-made fashion, handmade crockery and metal costume jewellery. The market has been operating on the same day since 1973, and the all-weather event is a profitable fundraiser for the church. Many of the stallholders return week on week, like the elderly Japanese couple selling Bonsai trees and the Spanish shoemakers selling espadrilles. It’s predominantly an art, clothing and design market – and alongside the kitsch bric-à-brac and Australiana-print tea towels you’ll find straw hats from local milliners and soft Tunisian-made ‘Turkish’ towels from young Eastern Suburb entrepreneurs. Antique, vinyl and vintage stalls are few and far between, but leather satchels, beach photography prints and patterned baby rompers are two a penny. On a hot day locals gather at the shaded tables and stools by the snack stalls. Turkish women hand roll yufka dough at the gözleme tent and vegetables are blitzed in a blender at the fresh juice stand. Chin’s Laksa stall, proudly MSG and gluten free, is a popular choice – as are the vegan cookies and sourdough scones on offer at the bakery stalls. It has a bohemian flair compared to its Oxford Street location and customers joyfully take up fortune readings, as well as reiki and Japanese massage. It’s an oddball mix, but one that works strangely well in an area known for its designer boutiques and gentrified pubs. Ou

Off the main drag, but still central enough to attract the tourists, Manly’s weekend markets brings together organic food stalls with souvenir sellers that makes for an easy one-stop-shop for a bite to eat and a quick browse before you hit the beach. Sydney Road has market stalls on either side, which can get stiflingly busy in summer sunshine. On a Sunday morning you’ll find Patrick’s Farm and Rita’s Farm proudly selling certified organic produce from the Hawkesbury and Wallacia. You can pick up Hass avocados, lush green veggies like broccoli, leeks, fennel and spinach, plus earthy Dutch cream potatoes and butternut, and boxes of free range eggs.  Alongside the two main produce stalls at the church end of the street, there are fresh-cut flowers for sale, as well as a variety of stalls peddling coffee, baked goods and fresh breads.  Though the food stalls pack up around 2pm, the bulk of the market’s clothing and gift stalls are there till 5pm. The range is hit-and-miss, from backpacker chic yak wool cardigans, natural skincare products and silver jewellery to the truly excellent retro haul at the tent occupied by Redfern’s Queen Justine Vintage. In the market for a loud Hawaiian shirt? You’re in luck. Looking for an acid wash denim mini? They’ll have heaps.  At the end of the day, this seaside locale is a perfectly breezy place to search for obscure and handmade gifts on a sunny weekend morning, with the beach a very sweet 50 metre walk away.   

You’ll find massive variety among the 200 stalls that take over Glebe Public School each Saturday morning, but it’s the fashion ones that attract most visitors. There are rows upon rows of eccentric and colourful vintage clothes, alongside hand-crafted jewellery, accessories and new clothing designed by locals. There are vintage stalls scattered all around the market, but the smaller section just off Derby Lane at the back of the school is a goldmine and a slightly quieter place to scour through racks and try things on.  Even if you’re not searching for a new wardrobe, the Markets at Glebe is a great place to grab some lunch and relax on the school lawns where live musicians serenade the crowd. The lane of food stalls – just opposite the lawn – has old market favourites, as well as more high-end offerings. Want to market all day long? Hop, skip and jump over to Rozelle for some more treasures.

A new wardrobe doesn’t have to mean popping tags on hundreds of dollars worth of swag, especially when you’re shopping at this long-standing secondhand market in Rozelle. The schoolyard of the Rozelle Public School has been a hive of weekend crate digging for more than 20 years, and while some stalls have almost earned long service leave, there are always newcomers keen to swap their good and chattel for some cold hard cash.The market runs on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm, and you can find bargains for less than you’d spend on a coffee – it’s all about the chase. Don’t be afraid to dig down into the tables of tops and skirts, T-shirt piles and racks of leather jackets. And if you don’t need vintage boots, a floral dress or a designer bargain, stroll through stalls selling antiques, cut glass crystal, old suitcases, DVDs, furniture and bric-a-brac. When you’re completely overstimulated head to the top right corner of the market where a handful of food stalls sell Himalayan fare, fresh juices squeezed on demand, gozleme, and dim sum. Because it’s a school there are no soft drinks sold on site, but a watermelon and rockmelon juice should sort out any dusty heads, and if nothing in the second-hand market grabs your attention, you can always grab a plant from the garden stall on your way out.   Want to know about markets in other parts of Sydney? Here's our guide.