This video covers part 1 of our take on what's new in Sydney in 2023. Part II is coming soon and there's more information below. Travel well in Sydney friends!
A new gallery - Sydney Modern
The Art Gallery of New South Wales has long been a highlight of a visit to Sydney. Behind the grand neo-classical facade sits a superb collection of Australian and international art.
In 2022 a $300 plus million expansion of the gallery opened in a spectacular structure right by the original. Unofficially known as Sydney Modern, the new gallery features a mix of Australian and international contemporary art. Highlights include a major lift in the prominence and scale of the Australian First Nations collection in the Yiribana Gallery.
The Tank, a repurposed World War II era oil storage tank on the site, has been transformed into a dramatic exhibition space.
See our guide to Sydney's public galleries here -
Photo: Mark Bowyer Sydney Modern Gallery
A new Sydney museum - Chau Chak Wing Museum
Sydney University has been exhibiting art, artefacts and natural history in small museums across the campus for over a century. In 2020, three museums became one thanks to a donation from Chinese property developer and philanthropist Chau Chak Wing. The collection is wonderfully diverse and the museum is refreshingly compact. 2 - 3 hours will excite your curiosity across a wide sweep of subjects.
I love this museum - it includes everything from Australian and global natural history to a fascinating art collection. Impressive Egyptian and Roman pieces are especially intriguing in Sydney. It's a good spot for curious kids too.
At a time when museums are increasingly needing to account for themselves and how they obtained the things they exhibit, it’s a tad disappointing that the Chau Chak Wing doesn’t provide much context on the origins of its collection.
See our guide to Sydney museums here -
Photo: Mark Bowyer Tasmanian Tiger - Chau Chak Wing Museum, Sydney
Sydney's neighbourhoods blossom
Marrickville
Sydney’s wonderful neighbourhoods don’t get much attention in travel recommendations. In this video we mention two - Marrickville and Glebe.
Marrickville was rated by Timeout as one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods in 2021. One of the multicultural centres of the city, it’s long been a great place for Greek and Vietnamese cuisine. In recent years, craft breweries, cool cafes, live music and a bizarre new shrine / pub /brewery dedicated to former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, have given new energy to Marrickville. Spend some time there.
Here are the Marrickville places we feature in the video - there are loads more! You can cover most of it by wandering around Marrickville Road and Illawarra Road.
Marrickville Pork Roll - Banh mi stall
Illawarra Rd Marrickville
Banh Cuon Ba Oanh
Illawarra Rd Marrickville
Bob Hawke Beer and Leisure Centre
Lazy Bones Live Music
Illawarra Rd Marrickville
Illi Hill Cafe
Illawarra Rd Marrickville
Side Story Cafe - Marrickville Library
Marrickville Rd
Glebe
Nearby Sydney University and the Chau Chak Wing Museum, Glebe has long been a bohemian enclave. Sydney’s property madness and gentrification are pushing out a lot of Glebe’s character, but it’s still a place of heritage, cafes, eateries and some of Sydney’s best small bookshops. The weekend markets are good and it’s great place to wander - all the way down to the harbour.
Photo: Mark Bowyer Bara - the first prominent monument to Sydney's First Nations peoples was inaugurated in 2022
A new visibility for Australia's First Peoples
For decades, one of the most obvious features of a visit to Sydney has been the near invisibility of the cultures that inhabited the place for 30000+ plus years before the invasion and colonisation of 1788. International friends have long commented on how strange it is that Sydney doesn’t have a museum of Indigenous history and culture and other recognition.
Change comes slowly but it’s happening.
Bara, a new sculpture looking across Sydney Cove (Warrane) to the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, is a stunning new addition to this iconic spot by Queensland Aboriginal artist Judy Watson. It’s the first major piece of First Nations art in such a key Sydney location. Don’t miss it during your visit.
While you’re enjoying the spectacular view from around Bara, you’ll also notice the Aboriginal flag flying on Sydney Harbour Bridge. The flag became a permanent fixture on the bridge in 2022 - another welcome development.
These symbolic shifts matter. In 2023, Australians will vote in a referendum on constitutional change to recognise our First Peoples and create an Indigenous “Voice” - a consultative body - to Federal Parliament. You’ll hear more about the voice as you travel Australia.
Photo: Mark Bowyer Approaching Sydney Opera House in the late afternoon
Old Compass Travel - new walking tours in Sydney
In 2023 we’ve also officially launched Old Compass Travel cultural and historical walks in Sydney. We operate two daily walks - An alternative walking tour of The Rocks and Sydney - Tales of the City, each covering fascinating Sydney stories and beautiful Sydney vistas. We also run special tours with authors and historians. Customised walks for the specific interests of visitors in and around the city can also be arranged.
For more head over to Old Compass Travel - we’d love to meet you in person and take you for a walk around Sydney!
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