Holy dooley, what a dumpster fire of a year it’s been – a quarter of which was spent twiddling our thumbs in Sydney’s longest ever lockdown. At Time Out, a sizeable chunk of the more than 2,000 articles we published in 2021 were about the cut and thrust of stay-at-home orders, as we ping-ponged from one confusing set of rules to another. And as Omicron cases begin to climb in NSW, it’s hard to not feel triggered by memories of the months we lost this year.
And yet, in amongst all that stressful, disappointing, frustrating news were some perfect pearls of joy, shining brightly through the gloom.
So to prove that 2021 wasn’t a total waste of time, we’ve picked out ten of the most uplifting stories published by Time Out over the past year that you loved. Enjoy!
An Australian beach was declared the best sandy stretch in the world
It's not news that Australia is blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but it's nice when the international community affirms what we knew in our hearts all along. Global travel platform Tripadvisor has given us the official crown, with the Whitsundays' Whitehaven Beach taking out the number one spot for 2021 in its annual list of the best beaches on the planet.
Red Light Green Light Girl from Squid Game popped up at Circular Quay
One of the most memorable and terrifying characters from the year’s biggest TV hit came for a visit to Sydney. Flanked by two of the distinctive, neon pink jumpsuit-clad henchmen, this viral pop-up promoting a show that, quite frankly, the world was already head over heels with, was the perfect combo of iconic Sydney views and pop-culture appeal.
Bunnings gave away more than 26,000 trees to Sydneysiders
If its legendary snag sangas weren’t reason enough to love Australia’s favourite hardware chain, this generous donation of trees certainly won the hearts of hundreds of thousands of Time Out’s readers. The best part? This donation initiative is still ongoing, so if you haven’t already made your claim yet, check out the article to find out when and how you might be able to score one of these leafy boys.
Thicc Cookies released a mammoth 1kg cookie
Bigger isn’t always better, but when it comes to these titanic treats, size matters! These chocolate-chip stuffed marvels, soft and fudgy on the inside, with the right amount of chunk (a lot), were a perennial favourite with our readers. Sure you could share one of these baked beasts, but 2021 was kind of the year to eat our feelings, and boy did Thicc come to the rescue on that front.
Sydney scored a new entertainment and nightlife precinct in the heart of the city
It’s no secret that Sydney’s nightlife has had a rough few years. So, in early 2021, the City of Sydney, the NSW government’s 24 hour economy commissioner Michael Rodrigues and Time Out joined forces to launch a new entertainment and hospo precinct bringing together the incredible collection of bars on York, Clarence and Kent Streets in the CBD. YCK Laneways has galvanised this corner of the city and helped rejuvenate the nighttime industries at a time when they need it most.
One of Sydney's tallest buildings sent us all love during lockdown
During lockdown, hotels were far from busy. In fact, most guestrooms across the city sat empty for months. But rather than just waiting out the crisis quietly, the good people at the Shangri-La Hotel at Circular Quay put their dormant rooms to good use, lighting them up to send a sky-high message: Love Syd. At a time when most of us were feeling more than a little despondent and isolated, it was a heartwarming reminder that we were all in it together.
Sydney is scoring a huge, new inland surf park
Sure, Sydney has a helluva lot of surfable shoreline, but from summer 2022, Sydneysiders will be able to get their surf on, day or night, even when Mother Nature’s waves aren’t up to the task. The Urbnsurf park is already under construction near to Sydney’s Olympic Park and will produce perfectly surfable waves every eight seconds.
Taronga Zoo welcomed a tiny, super-cute baby pygmy hippo
With her stubby little toes, her adorable little face, and her lovely little back rolls, the latest bundle of joy to be born at Sydney’s largest zoo put a pep in the step of many of Time Out’s readers. The as-yet nameless cutie pie recently made her public debut at the zoo, so if you want to meet this beautiful baby in the flesh, head to Taronga over the summer.
It’s official: Sydney no longer has the worst nightlife in the world
We have the second worst in the world, according to the findings of the Time Out City Index, a global survey of Time Out readers all over the world exploring the highs and lows of city living. Taking Sydney’s crown as the worst destination for a night out was Boston in the US, but it would be wise to take the findings with a pinch of salt. Sydney’s nightlife has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, but it may take a little while for that lockout cynicism to subside.
Golden Century has been saved from closure
Sydneysiders were up in arms when news broke that one of the city’s most beloved late-night eateries, Golden Century, was going into liquidation. But despair turned to delight when all 47 of its creditors voted unanimously to save the legendary very late-night dining institution, in a $4.5 million agreement to clear the Sussex Street restaurant's debt. Pipis in XO sauce at 2am shall remain a thing in the Harbour City.