Shows at Phoenix Central Park
Photograph: Phoenix Central Park/Jess Gleeson | Tangents
Photograph: Phoenix Central Park/Jess Gleeson | Tangents

The best free things to do in Sydney

Entertain yourself in and around Sydney without spending a cent

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Sydney can be a pretty exxy place to live, but if you keep your bargain hunting eyes open, you’ll find heaps of free and cheap things to do on any day of the year. Some of the best things in life really are free. Here's where you can find them in Sydney.

Stay thrifty with one of these 25 fun (and delicious) things to do in Sydney for under $25.

Looking for cheap places to eat? Here's our pick of the best cheap eats in Sydney.

Free things to do every day of the year

  • Art
  • Galleries

Sydney’s vibrant art scene is busting at the seams with great galleries of all shapes and sizes. The Art Gallery of NSW is massive, with constantly revolving exhibitions from around Australia and the world – and now a whole standalone modern art building next door. Other galleries around town with free entry include the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Australian Museum, the Australian National Maritime Museum, Museum of Sydney, Sydney University's Chau Chak Wing Museum, and Hyde Park Barracks

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  • Things to do
  • Walks and tours
  • Sydney

If you live in Sydney, a three-hour walking tour around the CBD may sound like a chore rather than a fun thing to do on your day off. But if you have visitors in town, this is a free way to check off many of the city’s historical sites in one go. To join a tour, simply go to Town Hall at 10.30am or 2.30pm on any day of the week and look for the people wearing green ‘I’m Free’ T-shirts. 

  • Things to do
  • Ultimo

The City of Sydney has free ping-pong tables all over the place. We love the ones near Tumbalong Park, and those on the Goods Line (both near Darling Harbour). Adopting and adapting the concept behind New York’s popular High Line, the Goods Line is more than just an elevated walkway: there’s also play equipment, an outdoor gym and communal picnic benches, as well as a sandpit for the kids.

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Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Australia
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  • Things to do
  • Lavender Bay

Wendy’s Secret Garden – which is at the foothill of her private home in Lavender Bay – has been nurtured by Whiteley and two gardeners over the past 25 years. When Wendy Whiteley lost her husband, Australian artist Brett Whiteley, in 1992, she funnelled her love and grief into transforming a disused, derelict train yard space. Now, everyone's welcome to explore the terraced paths and staircases that wind down to some clearings with picnic tables and secret spots for all to enjoy.

  • Art
  • Surry Hills
Pop in to Brett Whiteley Studio
Pop in to Brett Whiteley Studio

While you're becoming acquainted with the Whiteleys, pop into Brett's art studio. The artist bought the former warehouse in 1985 and converted it into a studio and exhibition space. He lived there from 1988 to 1992. The NSW Government subsequently bought the space, and it opened to the public as the Brett Whiteley Studio in 1995, managed by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It's in Surry Hills, not far from Central Station.

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  • Things to do
  • Sydney
Go window shopping at the QVB
Go window shopping at the QVB

You may think of the majestic dome-roofed Queen Victoria Building in Sydney's CBD as a place where you end up flushing money down the drain – but, shopping aside, it's a beautiful place to stroll on through and admire the architecture and gorgeous window displays. Make more of a day of it by venturing up George Street to the equally historic (and equally gorgeous) Strand Arcade

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Caitlyn Todoroski
Contributor
  • Things to do
  • Sydney

Run, stroll, sunbake, picnic – the world is your oyster at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Thought to be one of the oldest public gardens in the Southern Hemisphere, they date back to 1810. Entry is free, and so are the guided tours from 10.30am – though you'll be able to discover plenty of cool stuff on your own (we particularly love the Cactus Garden).

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Caitlyn Todoroski
Contributor
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  • Attractions
  • Beaches
  • Manly

To avoid the heavy summer crowds and even heavier parking fees, head off the beaten track with a walk down to tucked-away cove, Collins Flat Beach. As well as hosting a gorgeous stretch of secluded sand, it's the closest waterfall to Sydney Harbour and is a habitat for fairy penguins. 

For our pick of the best secluded beaches, head here, and for our overall standouts, including the cool kids like Freshwater, head right here

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Caitlyn Todoroski
Contributor
  • Kids
  • Playgrounds
  • Casula

The $4 million playground is on the banks of the Georges River, on the way to Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, and it has wow-factor play equipment is perfect for tweens and teens. There is a jaw dropping maze of nets, cubby houses and ropes, dual flying foxes and swings. There’s also a smaller, but just as fun, playground for toddlers that has ropes, bridges and slides – but at a closer tumbling range to the spongy ground.

Check out our list of the coolest playgrounds around Sydney. 

Free things to do today

  • Art
  • Galleries
  • Chippendale

Once upon a time in ancient China, there was an alchemist and philosopher who desperately sought to live forever – and he toiled away in his lab with ingredients like mercury, lead, and gold in his pursuits. Sorry to spoil the ending for you, but he never did find a cure for mortality – however, he did happen to create gunpowder and start a religion along the way. While nowadays this man, Laozi, is better known as a legendary philosopher and the father of Taoism, Chippendale’s White Rabbit Gallery is shining a spotlight on his lesser-known past.  A medieval forerunner to chemistry, the idea of alchemy is rooted in the transmutation of metals and other matter into gold, as well as the pursuit of a universal elixir. Just like Laozi, the artists behind this exhibition are exploring the material realm and pushing the boundaries of what things, as we know them, can be. We’re particularly enamored by Lu Pingyuan’s ‘Shadow of the Shadow, 2021’, a collection of adorable soot-black sculpted creatures with cartoonish eyes that peer curiously back at onlookers (they’re reminiscent of the soot sprites from Spirited Away). In essence, Laozi’s Furnace explores further possibilities of the term “mind into matter, and matter back into mind”.  For the uninitiated, the beloved White Rabbit is a privately-owned, state-of-the-art temple to contemporary Chinese art in the heart of Sydney’s coolest suburb (as certified by Time Out’s global ranking!). We always have high expectations for the bi-ann

  • Shopping
  • Markets
  • Eveleigh
Carriageworks Farmers Market
Carriageworks Farmers Market

It’s imperative that you do not eat before you visit the Carriageworks Farmers Markets. You’ll want to save maximum belly space for your personal version of The Bachelorette where you decide who gets your dollars and what delicious produce gets to come home with you. Maybe you like something soupy and savoury first thing? In that case head to Bar Pho for a traditional Vietnamese start to the day. On the veggie train? Hit up Keppos St Kitchen for a falafel breakfast, or head to Food Farm for a classic bacon and egg roll.Once the hounds of your hunger have been quieted it’s time to prepare for your next meal, or seven. Stock up on artisan cheese from Leaning Oak, smoked salmon from Brilliant Foods and Sydney’s favourite sourdough from AP Bakery and brunch is sorted. You can spend a whole lot of money if you want to here, but equally you could just grab a kombucha on tap from Herbs of Life and find a chair for some of the best dog-watching in the city.   Hungry for more? Look at our list of the best markets in Sydney – produce or otherwise. 

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  • Art
  • Galleries
  • The Rocks

In its 33rd year, the MCA’s Primavera is back in Circular Quay to showcase the brilliance of young artists under 35. This year’s exhibition, curated by Lucy Latella, revolves around the generational struggle Australians face to maintain their diverse cultures.  Two of the selected artists hail from Victoria, one from each of NSW, the ACT and SA, but their backgrounds, and the cultural stories they have to share, extend well beyond (colonial) Australian borderlines. Here’s a rundown of the art on offer... Chun Yin Rainbow Chan is a Hong Kongese-Australian artist from. Her background in music bleeds into her art, where she explores the mistranslation of women’s folk songs from the Weitou people.  Walgalu and Wiradjuri man Aiden Hartshorn hails from Wagga Wagga and Canberra. He works with modern materials like aluminium to reference the man-made industries that play havoc with his peoples’ ancestral connections to the river systems.  Teresa Busuttil splits her time between Adelaide and Malta, where she salvages materials like seashells to pay homage to her father’s migration from Malta to Australia. Her other works traverse the experience of young people under various colonial and contemporary powers in Malta. Sarah Ujmaia draws on her family’s experience of migrating to Melbourne from northern Iraq. Her interactive piece And thank you to my baba for laying the timber floor is an array of pavers that represent both the marketplace back home, and the evolution of oral languages. 

  • Shopping
  • Markets
  • Manly
Manly Markets
Manly Markets

Off the main drag, but still central enough to attract the tourists, Manly’s weekend markets brings together organic food stalls with souvenir sellers that makes for an easy one-stop-shop for a bite to eat and a quick browse before you hit the beach. Sydney Road has market stalls on either side, which can get stiflingly busy in summer sunshine. On a Sunday morning you’ll find Patrick’s Farm and Rita’s Farm proudly selling certified organic produce from the Hawkesbury and Wallacia. You can pick up Hass avocados, lush green veggies like broccoli, leeks, fennel and spinach, plus earthy Dutch cream potatoes and butternut, and boxes of free range eggs.  Alongside the two main produce stalls at the church end of the street, there are fresh-cut flowers for sale, as well as a variety of stalls peddling coffee, baked goods and fresh breads.  Though the food stalls pack up around 2pm, the bulk of the market’s clothing and gift stalls are there till 5pm. The range is hit-and-miss, from backpacker chic yak wool cardigans, natural skincare products and silver jewellery to the truly excellent retro haul at the tent occupied by Redfern’s Queen Justine Vintage. In the market for a loud Hawaiian shirt? You’re in luck. Looking for an acid wash denim mini? They’ll have heaps.  At the end of the day, this seaside locale is a perfectly breezy place to search for obscure and handmade gifts on a sunny weekend morning, with the beach a very sweet 50 metre walk away.   

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  • Shopping
  • Markets
  • Rozelle
Rozelle Collectors Market
Rozelle Collectors Market

A new wardrobe doesn’t have to mean popping tags on hundreds of dollars worth of swag, especially when you’re shopping at this long-standing secondhand market in Rozelle. The schoolyard of the Rozelle Public School has been a hive of weekend crate digging for more than 20 years, and while some stalls have almost earned long service leave, there are always newcomers keen to swap their good and chattel for some cold hard cash.The market runs on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm, and you can find bargains for less than you’d spend on a coffee – it’s all about the chase. Don’t be afraid to dig down into the tables of tops and skirts, T-shirt piles and racks of leather jackets. And if you don’t need vintage boots, a floral dress or a designer bargain, stroll through stalls selling antiques, cut glass crystal, old suitcases, DVDs, furniture and bric-a-brac. When you’re completely overstimulated head to the top right corner of the market where a handful of food stalls sell Himalayan fare, fresh juices squeezed on demand, gozleme, and dim sum. Because it’s a school there are no soft drinks sold on site, but a watermelon and rockmelon juice should sort out any dusty heads, and if nothing in the second-hand market grabs your attention, you can always grab a plant from the garden stall on your way out.   Want to know about markets in other parts of Sydney? Here's our guide.

  • Shopping
  • Markets
  • Paddington
Paddington Markets
Paddington Markets

Every Saturday, more than 100 stalls line the grounds of Paddington Uniting Church and the neighbouring public school selling Australian-made fashion, handmade crockery and metal costume jewellery. The market has been operating on the same day since 1973, and the all-weather event is a profitable fundraiser for the church. Many of the stallholders return week on week, like the elderly Japanese couple selling Bonsai trees and the Spanish shoemakers selling espadrilles. It’s predominantly an art, clothing and design market – and alongside the kitsch bric-à-brac and Australiana-print tea towels you’ll find straw hats from local milliners and soft Tunisian-made ‘Turkish’ towels from young Eastern Suburb entrepreneurs. Antique, vinyl and vintage stalls are few and far between, but leather satchels, beach photography prints and patterned baby rompers are two a penny. On a hot day locals gather at the shaded tables and stools by the snack stalls. Turkish women hand roll yufka dough at the gözleme tent and vegetables are blitzed in a blender at the fresh juice stand. Chin’s Laksa stall, proudly MSG and gluten free, is a popular choice – as are the vegan cookies and sourdough scones on offer at the bakery stalls. It has a bohemian flair compared to its Oxford Street location and customers joyfully take up fortune readings, as well as reiki and Japanese massage. It’s an oddball mix, but one that works strangely well in an area known for its designer boutiques and gentrified pubs. Ou

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  • Shopping
  • Markets
  • Bondi Beach
Bondi Markets
Bondi Markets

If Bondi Markets were a person, they would a) be very healthy, and b) wearing two (organic) hats. Each weekend, Bondi Public School plays host to two different markets, with the Saturday edition bringing the Bondi Farmer's Market, and the Sunday bringing general marketware, fashion and vintage goods.  The Farmer's Market is an excellent way to kick off your weekend, with the old primary school playground playing host to a variety of lush local produce stalls, freshly fried fritters and brunchy delights a' plenty. There’s also doggy ‘parking’, live acoustic music and pop-up yoga classes on the lawn, with the festivities going until 5pm. In inclement weather the markets still go ahead, but often with reduced stalls. They also don’t open until 9am, so if you’re an early bird, pop across to the beach first for a walk or swim. Once you stock your fridge on Saturday, you can head back again on Sunday for the general fashion and market extravganza that kicks off from 10am to 4pm. Peruse the stalls for vintage finds, sustainable swimwear, delectable market eats and hidden treasures, all within close viewing distance of Sydney's most polarising beach. 

  • Things to do
  • Mosman

If you’ve ever wanted to get seriously close to a Sumatran tiger (without there being a terrible ethical or safety problem in the way), now is your chance. Tiger Trek is an experience that's free (included in the cost of your Taronga Zoo tickets). Attendees are invited to get into a flight simulator that takes them (very quickly) from Mosman to the Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra. Upon landing, you travel through an Indonesian-inspired village, meandering down a path past village shops and through a rainforest that looks uncannily like you’re in Indonesia. At the end, you'll get the chance to meet the three Sumatran tigers who were born at Taronga Zoo in 2019, as well as their beautiful mother, father, uncle and grandmother.  With only 350 Sumatran Tigers left in the wild, these tigers are incredibly important. Sumatran tigers are critically endangered, but as seen through Tiger Trek, all is not lost. Deforestation in Indonesian rainforests has decreased by 75 per cent since the folks over at the zoo began monitoring it in 1990. There has been a steady increase in the consumption of sustainable palm oil worldwide, with shoppers far more aware of the devastation caused by unsustainable palm oil harvesting than ever before. It's easy to feel helpless when it comes to this stuff, which is why one of the coolest parts of Tiger Trek is Choice Mart – this end room of the trek has been built to look like a supermarket check-out, complete with interactive touch screens that show

Eat like a baller on a budget

Dining out on a dime is one of this city's great thrills. Here are our picks for Sydney's best eats on a budget. We've tasted everything from banh mi to tonkotsu ramen, biang biang noodles and vegan burgers without breaking the bank. 

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