Ultimate Guide to Melbourne & Sydney: Free Activities and Must-See Paid Events
By Justyn Harrison
January 7th Sydney – Free Activities
Explore Sydney’s Top Sights
Say hello to a Sydney Greeter (you’ll spot them in green)! They’ll take you on a walking tour through Sydney’s hidden gems, iconic sights, and rich history. Get ready to explore the city like a local and uncover all its beauty! Simply book online and head to the Town Hall at 10:30 AM or 2:00 PM any day.
Relax with Yoga Classes, Movies, Picnics, and More!
Sydney’s iconic Rocks precinct is offering free activities this summer. Enjoy free yoga, community picnics, and open-air movies on The Rocks. There’s also a free run club at First Fleet Park every Tuesday at 7:15 AM. Tickets for Laneway Cinema are free and available to be booked on Mondays.
Stroll through the Sydney Botanical Gardens
With picturesque scenes, guided tours, ‘behind the scenes’ opportunities, and more, this is any nature lover’s dream! You can even snag some native, exotic, rare, and hard-to-find plants to spruce up your new home.
Dance to Music at Moonshine Bar
Immerse yourself in 12 nights of free live music from Sydney’s favourite DJs and musicians. The Moonshine Bar is harborside, so you can enjoy iconic landscapes while sipping iconic drinks.
Sydney – Paid Activities
See the Sydney Festival
The Sydney Festival is Australia’s cultural hub, with 130+ events spanning art, performance, immersive installations, opera, and more. You can grab early bird tickets for as little as $49 AUD on their website.
Watch a Blockbuster at the Sydney Theatre
Sydney is hosting a plethora of iconic plays and musicals, including MJ: The Musical, Guys & Dolls, and The Book of Mormon (to name a few 😉).
Cruise through Sydney Harbour in a Sea of Lights
Vivid Sydney is a dazzling festival that transforms the city into a hub of lights, music, ideas, and food for 23 unforgettable nights. To make the most of the experience, hop on a Light Cruise, starting from just $39 AUD. Be sure to book ahead to secure your spot!
Celebrate Christmas at Town Hall
Experience the Christmas story come to life with beautiful carols, captivating pageantry, enchanting choirs, the soothing harp, the NSW Police Band, and the majestic grand organ.
Melbourne – Free Activities
Explore the Queen Victoria Market
Melbourne’s iconic Queen Victoria Market is a bustling hub of culture and flavour, home to over 45 food traders serving dishes from around the globe and more than 60 specialty traders offering unique wares and handcrafted goods. It’s the perfect spot to experience the heart of Melbourne’s vibrant spirit.
Venture through ACMI
ACMI is one of Melbourne’s leading museums, celebrating the wonder and power of film, TV, video games, and art. ACMI’s dynamic lineup of exhibitions, screenings, festivals, commissions, and industry and education programs delves into the stories, technologies, and artists shaping our shared screen culture.
Rip Curl Pro Competition
Just over an hour outside of Melbourne (two by train!), the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach is the longest-running event in competitive surfing and an iconic stop on the World Surf League Championship Tour. The world’s best surfers gather to compete on its renowned waves.
See the Penguins on St Kilda Beach
St Kilda Pier, specifically the Breakwater area, is home to a colony of around 1,400 little penguins. The best time to see them is about 30 minutes after sunset. To get there from Melbourne CBD, you can take Trams 12, 16, or 96. When visiting, please stay on the designated boardwalks and keep a distance of at least 3 meters from the penguins to protect their habitat.
Melbourne – Paid Activities
Pet and Hold Iconic Australian Wildlife – Kangaroos and Koalas
Werribee Open Range Zoo offers an unforgettable experience where you can walk with, feed, and even touch iconic Australian wildlife, bringing you up close to nature! The zoo also has a large reptile house and optional safaris available for an extra fee.
To hold a koala, you’ll need to book the Australian Experience in advance, which costs $59 AUD. However, walking freely with kangaroos and emus is included in your general zoo entry, priced at $53 AUD.
See Melbourne Like Never Before at Eureka Skydeck
You’ve likely heard of Eureka Skydeck, but have you discovered Bar 88? Tucked within one of Melbourne’s tallest landmarks, this hidden gem offers an elevated drinks experience with jaw-dropping views. Entry is included with your general admission ticket! For thrill-seekers, don’t miss the Edge Experience, where you’ll stand 88 floors above Southbank on a glass floor. It’s the ultimate Melbourne adrenaline rush!
Immerse Yourself in RISING Melbourne
RISING is Victoria’s top festival, showcasing fresh art, music, and performance every June. In 2024, the festival featured 23 free events, 798 artists, and 403 local businesses, making it an unmissable celebration of creativity.
Laugh at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of the top three comedy festivals globally, held each year in Melbourne, Australia’s hub for comedy. The event showcases a dynamic blend of stand-up, cabaret, theatre, street performances, and a variety of other acts.
