Camping on Sydney Harbour is seriously bucket-list stuff! While it’s normally off-limits, Sydneysiders are being invited to break the rules for one night – all in the name of charity. This free campout is part of Sleep Under the Stars, a nationwide fundraiser to raise awareness for Australia’s hidden youth homelessness crisis – and anyone can take part.
Since launching in 2015, Sleep Under the Stars has transformed some of Sydney’s most iconic spots into overnight campgrounds – from Hickson Road Reserve to Taronga Zoo and even Cockatoo Island. As part of the event, locals are invited to trade their beds for sleeping bags or swags and help raise $1 million for Stepping Stone House, a local charity supporting young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
In 2025, Sleep Under the Stars will return to Stargazer Lawn at Barangaroo for a wholesome night of live music, storytelling, games and stargazing. The campout is free to join, with fundraising encouraged – every dollar goes directly to Stepping Stone House, supporting programs that provide long-term accommodation, education pathways, employment support and life skills to those in need.
Today, almost 46,000 young Australians under 25 are experiencing homelessness. In 2023-24, they made up almost half (49 per cent) of those supported by NSW Specialist Homelessness Services, highlighting just how severely young people are affected. Nearly two-thirds of those seeking help in NSW were female, while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people accounted for roughly one in three young clients.
CEO of Stepping Stone House, Jason Juretic, says, “We often think of youth homelessness as something that only happens in big global cities like London or New York, but the reality is it’s unfolding right here in our own backyard. And it’s not just happening to strangers, it’s touching people we all know. It could be a mate, a colleague, or even the kids your children go to school with, forced to find shelter wherever they can. People don’t always associate couch surfing with homelessness, but that’s exactly what it is. Just because it isn’t happening on the street doesn’t make it any less devastating, and the ramifications on a young person’s health, education and future are huge.”
Sleep Under the Stars takes place on Friday, October 24 at 4pm to Saturday, October 25 at 8am. You can sign up for the Sydney sleep-out here, join a regional Aussie event or plan your own sleep-out too – find out more here.