Gay Sydney
www.gaytraveller.com.au features all the must see places to visit and things to do. Regardless of the time you visit Gay Sydney, there’s always plenty to do in this famous and vibrant gay city.
Oxford street is renowned as the gay heart of Sydney. The Darlinghurst section is where the gay and lesbian shops, cafes and clubs are predominantly located. Day or night, this is the area to cruise.
BINGAY! That’s the famous catch cry of the winner of the AIDS fundraising bingo event. Bingay (ie the gay version of bingo) is an weekly ACON fundraising event hosted by the multi DIVA award-winning drag queen, Mitzi Macintosh. Mitzi's barrel girl is the all-singing out there dyke Naomi Palmer. Bingay has been running every Tuesday night from 1999. During that time, it has raised over $750,000.
The Sydney Convicts are Australia’s first gay Rugby Union club and current titleholders of the Bingham Cup, the World Cup of gay Rugby. Since 2004, the Convicts have been active throughout the year with training, social and fund-raising events.
The highlight of the gay and lesbian calendar in Sydney has to be the Mardi Gras! The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is the world's premier gay & lesbian arts festival and includes the world famous night time Parade through the heart of Sydney, the harbour party which takes place right beside the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge and the enormous and spectacular Mardi Gras Party. If in Sydney later in the year, Sleaze Ball is the event that can’t be missed.
Bars and Night Clubs
Sydney is renowned for having one of the best gay and lesbian scenes in the world. Here’s a few of Gay Traveller’s favourites:
Colombian Hotel - always a good place to start, with great décor and a more sophisticated crowd. Gets a bit more devilish and the night goes on.
Stonewall Hotel - three levels of dance floors, plus regular drag shows and events.
The Midnight Shift - The video bar features seven plasma screens streaming the latest video hits. A good place for a gay boogie before clubs such as Arq turn up the heat later on.
ARQ Nightclub – one for the night owls who want to party the whole night away. World class DJ’s have performed here over the club’s ten year history.
The Flinders – a friendly bar situated a short walk from Taylor’s Square. Great for an after work beer. The bears come out of hiding here on Friday nights.
Sex Venues / Gay Sex Clubs/ Gay Saunas / Bath Houses
Headquarters, 273 Crown St, Darlinghurst, Phone: (02) 9331 – 6217, Open from noon to 7:00 AM, also has coffee lounge and shower area.
Signal Men's Club, cnr Riley St and Arnold Pl, Darlinghurst, Phone: (02) 9331 – 8630, Open from 11:00 AM to 3:00 AM Mon-Thurs, 24 hrs Fri-Sun.
Bodyline, 10 Taylor St, Darlinghurst, Phone: (02) 9360 – 1006. Located just off Flinders St, near Taylor Square. Has spa, sauna, steam, cubicles, video, coffee shop. Open 12:00 noon - 7:00 AM weekdays, and all weekend.
Kens of Kensington, 83 Anzac Parade, Kensington, Phone: (02) 9662 -1359, This venue has large steam room, sauna, spa, cubicles, gym, coffee shop, TV lounge, and a swimming pool that you can look down onto through the glass floor above. Massage is also available. Open from 10:00 to 6:00 AM daily, 24 hrs on the weekend.
Kingsteam, 1st Flr, 38-42 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, Phone: (02) 9360 – 3431. This venue has two small spas, a small steam, gym, video and lots of cubicles. Open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 AM every day, 24 hrs on the weekend.
Sydney City Steam, 357 Sussex St, Phone: (02) 9267 - 6766 Located near the corner of Liverpool St, near Town Hall, Darling Harbour and Chinatown. Has spa, sauna, huge steam, cubicles, video lounge, internet cafe. Open 10:00 AM - 6:00 AM weekdays, and all weekend.
Whatever you are into, don’t forget to go to www.gaytraveller.com.au to find the latest listings of gay bars, nightclubs, and saunas/bath houses in Sydney - the gay capital of Australia.
