Sydney, In Winter

words by sophie rennard

The chill factor has officially set in and cast its icy freeze over the city of Sydney – but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. The outdoors can be dreary when the temperature is a little sub-standard, so we’ve rounded up a list of indoor activities, exhibitions and events to entice the punters over the winter months and ensure the good times keep rolling, despite the weather forecast.

Hit up the galleries
Sydney is heaving with museums and galleries showcasing a plethora of brilliant exhibitions. Make a beeline for the Art Gallery of New South Wales to check out their world-class permanent collection, plus the O’Keeffe, Preston, Cossington Smith show, opening on July 1.
Head to the Black Eye Gallery in Darlinghurst to scope out Glace Noir, an austerely elegant body of work depicting the Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina by the acclaimed Melbourne-based photographer, Kate Ballis – showing from July 4-16.
Plus, launching on July 22 at the Museum of Sydney is The Moderns: European Designers in Sydney, which presents a new understanding of modernism in Sydney, highlighting connections with the European design centres. A good one for any design buff.

See a show
What better way to warm up than put on your finest winter threads and dress up for a night at the theatre. One of our favourites, the Sydney Opera House, has a wealth of shows on over the winter months, including a special not-to-be-missed rendition of Swan Lake launching August 30.
George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 has hit the stage with an adaptation currently playing at the Sydney Theatre Company until the end of July.

Eat… lots
One of our favourite winter activities is eating and drinking – we are unabashed to admit it.
Say goodbye to rooftops and hello to cosy, candle-lit spaces where you can bunker down and enjoy long lunches or dinner with a bunch of beverages and top-notch fare. The Baxter Inn is a hip hole-in-the-wall with a focus on whisky, there’s literally a library of the stuff in here.
Find a pub with a fireplace; ones we recommend are The Hero of Waterloo, The Old Fitzroy Hotel or The Dove and Olive. For a hearty, hedonistic feed, hit up 3 Weeds in Rozelle, Grain Bar at The Rocks or Bar H in Surry Hills.