14 ways Sydney is better now than it was 10 years ago

Widespread clean-ups of Sydney Harbour have successfully transformed it from an industrial wasteland to a pleasing plunge spot, with several spots in the Harbour safe for swimming, all year round. Marrinawi Cove is one of the first. An idyllic swimming nook tucked away at Barangaroo, it is expected to be followed by many more. Plus, thanks to a big funding boost by the NSW government to rewild the Harbour, a rare seahorse was found living beneath the Opera House. How's that for good news? 

For a couple of weeks each year around March, the streets of Sydney are decked out in the rainbow colours of the LGBTQIA+ flag. But why should we limit our show of pride to just during Mardi Gras? Thanks to a number of rainbow walkways, such as the path through Prince Alfred Park created to mark the passing into law of marriage equality in Australia, Sydney’s colourful pavements are a symbol of tolerance, inclusivity and diversity that every Sydneysider, regardless of their identity, can feel proud of.

Once upon a time, Sydney city and the Surry Hills region reigned supreme as the singular coolest place for city slickers to hit up for a good time. Now, every corner of Sydney is lighting up with fresh developments, fun times and sparkly eateries that each deserve attention. Whether it be the consistent fabulousness of everything on in Parramatta, Marrickville getting picked as the second coolest suburb in the country, Enmore Road winning coolest street or Ashfield's general deliciousness, there's something popping off everywhere, all the time. If only we could get everywhere fast enough. 

Sydney was saddled with a dismal reputation for years thanks to the impacts lockout laws had on the city's nightlife. While the wildly unpopular legislation was lifted in its entirety by February 2021, there's still many a Sydneysider who will tell you that the city’s after-dark scene sucks. But don’t be fooled – the introduction of a 24-Hour Economy Commissioner and the declaration of numerous new party spots and big-time nightlife grants point towards a renaissance.

In December 2022, AGNSW officially opened the Sydney Modern Project, an expansive new second museum building touted as the most significant cultural development to be established in the Harbour City since the Sydney Opera House. You cannot fully comprehend the scale of the mammoth new building – designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA – until you descend down from the ground floor entrance, through the three limestone-clad art pavilions that gently step down towards the harbour, and wander out onto the more than 3,400 square metres of accessible roof ‘art terraces’ and courtyards. It's breathtaking, and it's here to stay. 

2023 has been a big year for Sydney. After what has felt like a long time, it looks like the rest of the world is slowly starting to see our humble Emerald City as the world-class destination that it truly is. With us playing host to WorldPride, the FIFA Women's World Cup AND SXSW (South by South West) this year alone, it's clear that we are moving up in the world, one glittery party, festival and sporting event at a time. 

Sydney is a city of gorgeous vistas and (generally) even more gorgeous weather. As such, eating al fresco kinda just makes sense. Over the past few years (ahem, hello pandemic), sitting outside became more important than ever, but now that we've moved through that whole *global health emergency* thing, sitting outside is now a way of life. Compound this with Sydney mayor Clover Moore's 2022 call to permanently allow fee-free outdoor dining, and we all have ourselves a fresh air winner. 

In what was a long-awaited decision, the NSW Government officially declared in 2022 that the Aboriginal flag would permanently replace the New South Wales flag on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This decision has had public backing for decades, with Kamilaroi woman Cheree Toka launching an online campaign five years ago that amassed over 170,000 signatures and that ended up raising $300,000 to cover the projected costs of installation. Now, it's here to stay. 

A veritable precinct palooza has taken over Sydney in recent years, creating several distinct hospo hubs all over central Sydney and beyond. In the CBD, there’s the Ivy Precinct on George Street, Barangaroo by Darling Harbour, 25 Martin Place at the foot of the Harry Siedler tower, Shell House and YCK Laneways. Then there’s South Eveleigh, Marrickville Metro, the Tramsheds and Parramatta's new dining precinct, as well as the dining boom set to take over the southern end of the George Street pedestrian precinct and Quay Quarter near Bennelong Point. These foodie playgrounds are perfect for connecting eateries and bars with new punters.

Barangaroo Reserve was once a derelict industrial zone. Before that, it was an incredibly important site for the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, but with colonisation and rampant  industrialisation it rapidly descended into a concrete wasteland. That is, however, until September 2015 when a massive development project led to a totally rejuvenated dining, leisure, art and waterfront precinct that edges Sydney Harbour. Progress ain't always bad. 

Sydney is already a pretty leafy city by most standards, but it is a whole lot greener today then it was ten years ago, thanks to one of the City of Sydney’s most ambitious urban renewal projects. The ‘Urban Forest Strategy’, as it was originally called, was published in 2013, and since then the project has used plants and land management to create shade and reduce heat impacts, improve air quality, provide wild habitats within the city and make this beautiful town of ours somewhere that enhances and encourages better mental wellbeing.

There was once a time when big cities were always snarled with traffic, bumper to bumper. But in the 21st century, getting cars off the streets is a growing priority for city planners. In Sydney, this has meant cars banished from large swathes of the CBD, and the total pedestrianisation of George Street, from just shy of Circular Quay all the way to Surry Hills. 

Sydney’s public transport systems have a chequered history. The one-way white elephant of the dearly departed monorail and Sydney’s less than reliable bus network made Melbourne’s impressively comprehensive tram coverage the envy of just about any and every PT user in the Harbour City. However, now our city is linked by an army of swift red trams, bringing ease and speed. 

The multibillion-dollar glow-up of Darling Harbour took more than a decade to complete, but it has transformed what was once a souless tourist trap into a bustling hospitality and culture destination. The new International Convention Centres, the transformation of Barangaroo and the Crown Towers development, and the creation of Darling Square have breathed new life into Pyrmont. In 2023, we will see the revamp of Sydney’s IMAX cinema and the opening of the eagerly awaited W Hotel, making this little corner of town buzz with a new wave of life.