Things to do in Sydney today

There’s always a lot going on at Sydney’s favourite house. So much so that it can be hard to keep track – with new headliners dropping every other week, and huge events taking over the various venues seemingly out of nowhere.  Keen to go to a show under the sails over the next few months? We’ve rounded up a few top picks in the Sydney Opera House winter to spring season:  Backstage tours gives you a peek behind the curtain Explore the inner workings of Australia's most famous buildings on one of these expert-led tours. Dates: DailyTickets: From $48 Erth’s Dinosaurs will stomp into the Opera House Premiering in Sydney before heading off on a global tour, this larger-than-life theatrical adventure will bring the prehistoric world to life with astonishing puppetry, thrilling storytelling and plenty of dino facts. Dates: April 8–19Tickets: From $49 Parasite: Live in Concert will bring the Oscar-winning film to life A rare chance to experience the Academy Award-winning Parasite in a whole new way, Bong Joon-ho’s genre-defying masterpiece will light up the big screen while renowned composer Jung Jae-il conducts a live orchestra performing his haunting, tension-filled score in real time. Dates: April 24–25Tickets: From $89 The Other Side of Me will tell a powerful story through dance Making its Sydney debut, this intimate duet will explore the emotional fallout of the Stolen Generations through movement and storytelling. The piece follows a man caught between families, continents...

If your idea of a perfect Sydney afternoon involves a swim, a Spritz and front-row harbour views, we’ve got you. After a v successful launch season last summer, Pier One’s pop-up pool is back: this time with a Amalfi-coded makeover.  Live until the end of April, this sun-soaked floating pontoon invites guests to swim, drink and socialise right on the water. Open daily from 11am to 4pm, the pastel pink installation has transformed the hotel’s waterfront into a breezy harbour-side hangout with big beach club energy. Set just steps from Pier Bar (which, btw, serves an excellent happy hour), the netted pontoon pool serves up shark-safe harbour swims, with loungers waiting for post-dip cocktails and Euro-inspired snacks. Access to the pool is included with food and drink purchases from the bar – the perfect excuse to linger over a long lunch by the water. With gorgeous views across the harbour to Walsh Bay, last year’s pool was pretty enough, but this year they’ve seriously levelled up. The space has been styled in partnership with Australian outdoor lifestyle brand Business & Pleasure Co., whose retro-inspired umbrellas and loungers give the pontoon a luxe, hyper femme coastal aesthetic. Pier Bar’s coastal-inspired menu can be ordered to your lounger, so there’s really no need to change out of your bikini all afternoon. Our top pick from the menu? The bay bug ‘Big Mac’ sliders are a playful upmarket take on the Maccas icon, and bloody delicious after a day spent in and out of...

You know that post-night-out buzz? The one after a really good date or wild night out with friends, where you’re smiling all the way home in the Uber, replaying the best moments in your head, before falling asleep in a dopamine haze. That’s the exact spell Head Over Heels cast on me. This gloriously camp, joy-filled queer musical is basically the recipe for a perfect night out: a wacky story, boppy tunes played live on stage, impressive costumes and props, and a cast where every member channels ‘main character’ energy. Brought to us by Hayes Theatre Company and Well Done Creative (the makers of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening), Head Over Heels is a brilliant reminder of just how vital and dazzling small theatre productions are in Sydney. As a humble theatre fan, I believe this show deserves to be a sell-out – so consider this your gentle nudge to snag a ticket before the season ends on March 22. What is Head Over Heels about? Combining Shakespearean-style romance with the iconic '80s pop anthems of The Go-Go’s, Head Over Heels is a joyous celebration of nonconformity. It’s set against the legendary all-woman band’s boppy tunes, like ‘We Got the Beat’ and ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’, with a side serve of Belinda Carlisle’s stratospheric solo career, including the anthemic ‘Heaven is a Place on Earth.' But if you’re expecting it to be a biopic about The Go-Go's rollicking adventures on the road, you might be in for a surprise. Head Over Heels is actually a...

Sydney is a city known for its coastline, so it makes sense that Australia’s largest cultural and science event for the ocean would take place on our sparkly shores.  Running until the end of March, Sydney’s Ocean Lovers Festival is back with a month-long celebration of wellness, culture, food, film, art and outdoor adventures – and this year it’s not just taking over Bondi, it’s a Sydney-wide celebration of the sea. Whether you’re looking for a sunrise yoga session, a beach clean session, an ocean-related film premiere or a hands-on creative workshop, there’s a whole lot to dive into (pardon the pun), with most events free or low-cost. On Friday, 6 March, events are kicking off with a Women Making Waves Harbour Cruise, spotlighting women driving change in ocean science, sport and sustainability.The launch weekend fun will carry on in Manly, with sunrise yoga by the cove, breathwork, the Ocean Discovery Zone for kids, and the Big Manly Beach Clean (Sunday, March 8). The next week will keep encouraging Sydneysiders to get outdoors, with the Seabirds to Seascapes Cruise on March 11 taking curious ocean lovers on a harbour tour that blends wildlife education, conservation and v good coastal views. Keen to keep moving? Paddle into sunrise with the Eco Kayak Tour (March 14) by Sydney By Kayak, or join for the behind-the-scenes Living Seawalls Tour (March 15) showcasing Sydney’s innovative marine habitats. The Ocean Lovers Festival Bondi Weekend (March 21-22) will be packed with...

As evidenced by the major weather events that continue to threaten communities across Australia (and the world – with 2025 clocking in as the world’s third-hottest year on record), the climate crisis isn’t going anywhere. And while it’s easy to feel despondent in the face of climate change, there are incredible people and organisations taking action – harnessing modern technology, regenerative farming techniques and collective action to slow down the crisis. This month, founders, researchers, students and community organisations will be coming together in Sydney for Climate Action Week – taking over the Harbour City from March 9-15. Here's everything you need to know. Led by the Climate Action Foundation and backed by the NSW Government, Future Super and Boundless, this year’s program doubles down on practical, community-powered action. Expect heavyweight voices at the opening day, including Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, California Energy Commission chair David Hochschild, Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean and former Irish president and global climate advocate Mary Robinson. Across Greater Sydney, the week-long program spans Oceans and Water, Health and Wellbeing, Food and Agriculture, Fuels and Energy, Nature and Biodiversity, and Green Tech and Finance – with First Nations leadership and youth voices front and centre. Think snorkelling for science at a Snorkel-Out for Climate, behind-the-scenes Living Seawalls tours, an AEVA Electric Vehicle...