Forever sparkling flirtatiously in the sunshine, displaying the sleek and sexy lines that have made it famous across the world, Sydney is truly a supermodel of cities. But indeed, like with any self-respecting Naomi or Giselle, good looks tend to come at a price. And at first glance, the New South Wales capital is no different.
When you first step foot in Sydney, the cost of living can be a shock to the system, especially if you’ve just hopped off a plane from Asia, South America, New Zealand, damn, even Europe nowadays. Everything from beds to beers attack your travel funds as hungrily as Kate Moss being let at a packet of Ryvita.
But all is not as it seems in the Harbour City. It only takes a sneaky look behind the catwalk curtain to realise there’s plenty of ways to get the most out of the city’s streets without breaking the bank. That’s right, Sydney is that most wondrous of creations – a supermodel who’s up for a cheap date.
Going out
Contrary to popular opinion, a night out in Sydney need not leave you penniless if you plan your night carefully. Girls are especially in luck. They can head to the Establishment on George Street for free Champagne (on Thursdays, from 5-7pm) while you get chatted up by a suit. Other good deals include $5 drinks and pizza at ScuBar (4 Rawson Place) on Thursdays until midnight; $6 beers and dumplings at The World Bar in Kings Cross on Sundays; $3 house spirits and beers at Bar Century (4/640 George St); Zanzi Bar (323 King Street, Newtown) do cocktails for only $8 (6 -11pm on Thursdays), similarly at the Marly (145 King St, Newtown) you can get half-price cocktails every night from 6-8pm. See sydneyhappyhour.com for full up-to-date happy hour listings.
Sight for sore eyes
There’s a reason why Sydney truly comes alive in the summer – it’s a great place to be outdoors. And the best bit is that enjoying the views comes for free. When ticking off the obvious harbour sights, make sure you stroll round to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair for the best panoramic view. If you’re up for a longer walk, the Bondi to Coogee stroll along the clifftops is hard to beat, stopping at TNT fave Bronte Beach for a swim. A quieter alternative is the Spit Bridge to Manly walk, a 10km hike with fantastic views and secluded beaches. You can even get an excellent free city walking tour with Peek Tours (peektours.com.au). The Royal Botanic Gardens also offer free tours. Want to swim in a pool with amazing harbour views, for free? Head to McCallum Pool, a short walk from the Cremorne Point ferry wharf. Desperate to get up the Harbour Bridge but can’t afford the climb? Well you can still clamber to the top of one of the pylons for $11. Likewise, if you want those harbour views without splashing out for a cruise, jump on the manly ferry for $7.20 one way. Or, you could spend just a few bucks on a train and spend a day in stunning national parks – the Blue Mountains to the west, Ku-ring-gai Chase to the north and Royal National Park to the south. If you plan ahead you can often camp for as little as $5 per person (environment.nsw.gov.au)
Route finder
Between its buses, trains and ferries, Sydney has a pretty decent public transport system. Head to 131500.com.au for all the fares and timetable info, or you can download their shiny, and free, new smartphone app. A good ticket option to consider from the get go is the $43 MyMulti1 weekly pass, which should pretty much satisfy all your needs, including the Manly ferry. For heading off around the country, think relocation, relocation, relocation. What’s that? When campervans are dropped off in less popular pick-up points, companies are desperate to get them back – so desperate they’ll charge you just $1 a day to drive them. This can make for a very cheap roadtrip (petrol aside of course) – the only catch is you may only have a few days to reach your destination.
Cheap beds
Sign up to the various loyalty schemes for hostel chains like Base, YHA and Nomads. In some cases these cards will also get you the concession rate at museums. Ditto if you want to travel on the Indian Pacific or Ghan trains, in which case the card will pay for itself immediately. Hostels will also often give you a discounted or free stay if you offer to do some work, such as cleaning. If you’re a true tight-arse, you can check out couchsurfing.com or globalfreeloaders.com for a place to crash without spending a cent. This option is also a great way to meet some locals as well.
Sydney festival
Although you’ve just missed it, January is the month for Sydney Festival. It’s a veritable feast of concerts, exhibitions and plays – and it’s worth telling your mates back home about. January is the month when Sydney comes to life. The first night is always a huge affair, thanks to a massive free concert in the Domain. Many top restaurants and bars get in on the act by offering super-cheap deals throughout the month. Check out sydneyfestival.org.au for all the info. This year there was a load of free stuff, including the giant rubber duck (above) as well as DJ sets in Hyde Park and lots of art dotted around town.
Walk on the wild side
While Sydney is blessed with a zoo and aquarium that are both world class, you don’t necessarily have to hand over any silly waterproof notes to get your nature fix. Grab a snorkle and head underwater at the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, which is just off Shelly Beach, a short walk from Manly. You’ve got a good chance of spotting stingrays, wobbegong sharks, seahorses and even the very cool leafy sea dragons. While up by Manly, also stroll over to Collins Beach, where you can admire the small colony of little penguins. If you love whales but don’t want to splash out for an expensive boat trip, fear not as they can often be seen close to shore, at points like North Bondi. You’ll have to wait until May however.
Cheap flights
Sign up for email updates from Qantas (qantas.com.au), Jetstar (jetstar.com), Virgin Australia (virginaustralia.com) and Tiger (tigerairways.com) so you know when they’re running sales – which is surprisingly often as competition is intense. It’s generally cheaper to fly mid-week rather than on a weekend and cheaper to fly out after major holidays than before.
Cheap films
Most major cinema chains sell cheaper tickets on “tight-arse Tuesdays” (some bowling alleys and pizza places do the same). Lots of bars do free movie nights, or head to Govinda’s in Darlinghurst (govindas.com.au) for cheap films and all-you-can eat vegetarian food. Dinner is $19.80 and a further $10 for the movie/dinner package. Movie only tickets are $14.90.
Culture fix
Many of Sydney’s museums and galleries have free entry so there’s no reason to turn into a hermit if it’s not the perfect beach day. The Art Gallery of New South Wales, by the Domain, is generally the pick of the bunch, but it’s also worth a gander in Circular Quay’s Museum of Contemporary Art. If Egyptian mummies are your thing, drop by the Nicholson Museum in the University of Sydney.
Cheap food
Seek out pubs that have a budget menu – many have meals as cheap as $5, even in Sydney (The Forresters $5 steak on Monday in Surry Hillls is the king). Also, drop by bakeries (try Bakers Delight and Donut King) around closing time and, if you ask nicely, they’ll often bung you bread and pastries they were going to chuck out.
Shopping
Generally speaking, head to Alexandria for factory outlets, Glebe for books, Newtown for retro gear, Paddington for your designer threads and Surry Hills for your vintage stuff. Don’t forget to check out charity shops like the Salvos and Vinnie’s, while Paddy’s Market is always crammed with bargains of the flea market variety. And if you see some furniture lurking on the street, feel free to take it with you as it’s been thrown out for a council pick-up. Word to the wise though, ignore sofas and mattresses. You never know what other creatures are included in the deal.
Markets
Whether you’re looking for a deal or simply crave a browse then you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to markets in Sydney. Try Bondi Beach (Sundays), Surry Hills (first Saturday of the month), Paddington (Saturdays), Kirribilli (second Sunday of the month) and Glebe (Saturdays). For something a little offbeat, the markets at Carriageworks in Redfern (Saturdays) have everything from jewelry to fresh produce.
Free internet
If you’re in Sydney, head to the Apple Stores (George St or Bondi Junction) for free web access. Most libraries offer free internet once you’ve become a member, which usually only requires some ID (and sometimes proof of address). And if you’re lucky enough to have a laptop, there’s complimentary WiFi in all sorts of places, like many McDonald’s and cafes.
Cheap clubbing
Get to most clubs early as some places only charge after about 10pm. It can also be cheaper to go out on weeknights. Of course there is always Happy Hour and if you sniff it out, you’ll find it at most bars and clubs.
