Gay Sydney is alive and ready for you to visit. Sydney is the gay capital of the Southern Hemisphere. The city, and Australia as a whole, is considered one of the gay-friendliest places in the world. With the exception of marriage, LGBTI couples can cherish the same rights and benefits as their straight counterparts.
If that wasn’t enough, the weather is almost perfect all year round. During winter the temperature hardly falls below 10˚C. Even so, the highs are still around 20˚C. It’s no wonder then that Sydney is a prime destination for beach lovers–and for the lovers of men with their shirts off.
Here’s our handy-dandy little guide to get you started on your gay travels down under Get ready for gay Sydney!
When to Go
The high season for tourists are the summer months which are from the beginning of December to the end of February. If you’re an LGBTI tourist then the quintessential time to visit would be during the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras festival, which takes place at the end of February. This renowned festival is chock-full of exhibitions, music, theatre, community events, and of course massive parties. The theme for 2017 is Creating Equality. In 2017, Mardi Gras will celebrate how far the LGBTI community has come and highlight the areas in which we’re still not treating equally. If you truly want to experience gay Sydney then you cannot miss Mardi Gras!
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Photo by Woody Fridae[/caption]
Lynn MacLaren and Sarah Holt-Foreman were spending a September evening at a streetside wine bar in Fremantle, Western Australia. The sun was setting, they had a glass each, it was the weekend.
And then Holt-Foreman pulled a little model elephant out from nowhere, with two rings perched on its tiny trunk.
“As a child I collected elephants,” MacLaren explained to BuzzFeed News. “It was a joke between my brother and I. I was a little bit heavier than he was, and I just owned it, and had this elephant collection.”
The one Holt-Foreman presented was from Bali, where she had also bought the rings some time earlier.
“Do you want to get married?” she asked.
Sydney’s waterfront offers beautiful scenery and a classically romantic setting to enjoy quality time with your loved one. It’s not a surprise then to find a number of romantic restaurants with good quality food on the beachside. If you are planning for a lovely date night, you should check out the below selection of Sydney’s best waterfront restaurants.
Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:
Beautifully placed, stylish luxury is the promise of this self-contained accommodation nestled within 14 private acres adjoining Serengale Vineyard. Perfect for couples, getaways, groups and families for up to 10 people, this is an invitation to turn off the fast pace of life and slow down for a while.
Serengale Retreat has been meticulously renovated with two spacious living areas, five generous bedrooms, two bathrooms, contemporary furnishings, original artworks and a gourmet kitchen that would gratify the discerning chef. With every room framing a captivating view of rolling pasture, native garden or the Australian bush it is the ultimate in space and privacy.
You can stay at home and relax by the log fire, share meals and wine under the veranda or in the large dining room, stroll through the native garden, explore the forest walk, arrange a pamper package or enjoy a private wine tasting at Serengale Vineyard. For those wanting to explore further, cycle the rail and mountain bike trails, explore the National Parks, historic Beechworth and the Milawa Gourmet Region all only a short drive away.
Whether you are looking for a weekend retreat, time with friends or family or a holiday experience to remember, Serengale Retreat is the ideal destination.
Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:
A 2 Bedroom townhouse , nestled on a tree lined street, amongst beautiful elms in the quaint town of Bright, Victoria sits Bright Deluxe Accommodation – waiting for you to relax and enjoy our area.
Situated on a residential street known for its quiet tranquillity consisting of Lockup garage, private courtyard, fronts onto iconic Rail Trail, full size kitchen/dining/lounge, beautiful decor with a splash of antiques located walking distance to Bright central.
Available as holiday rental, please ring or email for enquiry or bookings for rates.
Sydney Mardi Gras closed with a glitzy concert with the likes of Courtney Act and Conchita Wurst, the party continuing into the night. The parade had 178 floats and over 12,500 participants marching.
Participants included representatives from indigenous Australians and other ethic communities, the police force, political floats and the 78ers – the people who marched for the very first time in 1978, and were brutally attacked by the police.
Participants included representatives from indigenous Australians and other ethic communities, the police force, political floats and the 78ers – the people who marched for the very first time in 1978, and were brutally attacked by the police.
Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay.
Photo / Destination New South Wales[/caption]
Dramatic drag queens and droll drag kings. Bears (the hairy-male type), bogans and Bananas in Pyjamas. Grooving and gyrating mer-drags, macho muscle Mary’s and minx-y mistresses. Sinewy prancers, dancers, hula-hoopers and hedonists in harnesses.
With such decadence and debauchery, it could only be Sydney Mardi Gras – the annual glittering gem of a pride event that showcases the diversity of Sydney’s LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) communities.
Now in its 38th year, Mardi Gras marks a high point in Sydney’s social calendar and holds its own as an internationally recognised celebration of equality, passion and freedom.
Borne from a rocky start, this much-loved parade originally began as a protest. Following years of hiding their sexuality, a group of around 1000 men and women took to Sydney’s inner-city streets on Saturday June 24, 1978, to march for the recognition of their rights. Despite the peaceful intentions of those who protested, the police reaction was violent, and many arrests were made.
Half a tonne of glitter and 5 kilometres of fabric is needed to get Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade on the road, and it shows. The gigantic street parade is a dazzler. Dressing up in feathers or leathers isn’t just for those in the show – people in the huge crowd of onlookers also tog up in weird and wonderful ways such as their favourite comic character, movie star (Marilyn Monroe is a favourite), or even the Sphinx.
Anything goes in the circus-like event, which has grown way beyond its original platform for the gay community to express themselves in all their diversity, and display their love of putting on a show. It’s become a gigantic street party and a sea of happy faces that anyone can join.
Mardi Gras is a must-see for visitors to the city in early March. The loud, lurid, and licentious cross-dressers generally grab all the media attention but the parade is more than just a huge-scale drag performance.