Sydney, Australia
Other Fun Stuff
Art Babes
All female burlesque and circus troupe that not only performs regularly at queer shows around Sydney, but also offers a number of affordable, one-off classes throughout the week on the fine arts of burlesque aerial, showgirl strutting and striptease.
Bondi Beach
Bondi Beach is one of the most popular Sydney beaches, about a half-hour drive from the city centre. You can also reach it by bus from the Sydney central business district or by train to Bondi Junction. The north end of the beach, by the North Bondi Surf Lifesavers Club, is where you’ll find all the homos, though of course there are more boys than girls. Families hang out more around the centre and the south. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Campbell Parade & Curlewis St.
Bondi Beach
Creative Womyn Down Under
A social group dedicated to promoting the creative sides of womyn. The group organizes regular day-long workshops on everything from acrylic painting to poetry-writing to sculpting and more. No membership required, with the only fees being session payments, which are actually quite reasonable. Check out their “events” link for other creative, lesbian events across Australia.
Gaiety Theatre
Sydney’s LGBT theatre troupe presents a couple of plays a year in collaboration with the Darlinghurst theatre.
Gurlesque Burlesque
“Australia's premiere, dirtiest, sleaziest, comedic, political, sophisticated, satirical, strip-tease, theatrical, burlesque, controversial show, for women only.” What more can I add to that? They usually perform at least once a month in venues across Sydney.
Joy Radio
This is Australia’s one and only completely gay radio station, aired out of Melbourne, but you can listen to it live anywhere thanks to their live web streaming. Check out Women on Waves, Inside Out, The Women Zone, Rainbow Report and all the other funky music shows that make this the great station it is.
McIver’s Baths (aka Coogee Women’s Pool)
At the southern end of Coogee Beach, you’ll hit the Coogee Women’s Pool, a natural saltwater pool that many a gal calls her “lesbian paradise”. This is a gorgeous, women-only ocean pool with amazing deck areas for sunbathing and exquisite views.
Accessed via the footpath at the end of Grant Reserve.
Carr St. & Beach Street
Coogee Beach
OutSkirts
An occasional evening of live musical performance, by some of the hottest up-and-coming female artists in Australia. "OutSkirts offers a friendly, intimate and relaxed atmosphere for women who love women and live original music."
Pride History Group
I am a total queer history buff, and love organizations like the Sydney Pride HIstory Group. For those of you who want to know more about Sydney's LGBT community of years past, these are the people who can help you. During 2009 Mardi Gras they'll even be launching a pamphlet on the history of the Sydney lesbian scene!
Queer Screen
These are the bent boys and girls behind a whole slow of homo cinema events in Sydney, from the annual Mardi Gras film fest to the yearly Queer Doc fest. To make sure we don’t die of gay movie thirst during the rest of the year they have (somewhat) monthly showings of some gay and lesbian film classics.
Sydney By Diva
This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re the kind of person who gets a kick out of drag queens, Sydney By Diva is for you. Take a three-hour bus tour with cocktails and learn all about gay Sydney thanks to your charming hostess, Shirley Shagwell. Check ahead to see if tours will be offered while you’re there as most of the tours are booked ahead of time as groups.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir
Just for fun singing group that prides itself on a high level of performance. They usually present a few shows a year in Sydney.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Memorial (next to the Jewish Museum)
This memorial is so discreet it’s pretty easy to walk by it, even if you’re looking, so pay attention. A simple pink Perspex triangle, the memorial commemorates homosexuals persecuted in the Holocaust. It was unveiled by a Sydney woman, now deceased, who survived Auschwitz, along with her sister, thanks to a generous gay inmate who looked after them.
Green Park
(in between Darlinghurst Rd. & Victoria St.)
Darlinghurst
Sydney Roller Derby
Still quite the newbie club, the Sydney Roller Derby gals are concentrating on growing their club right now as compared to doing a whole lotta matches. But they are taking new members if you're living in Sydney or check the site for any upcoming bouts.
Taylor Square
This teeny, tiny green oasis in the heart of the so-called Golden Mile is the absolute epicentre of homo Sydney. Good meeting point or spot to stop and look around the gay village.
Corner of Campbell St. & Little Oxford St.
Taylor Square
The Society of Women Writers in New South Wales
Though not a lesbian group, the Society is for all aspiring or published women writers. Established in 1925, it is the longest-standing literary society in Australia. They hold writing workshops, followed by a luncheon, every second Wednesday of the month. Visitors are welcome.
The Women’s Library
Unfortunately, you have to be a member to check out books and documents from the Women’s Library (located right behind the Newtown Library). That said, you can always browse or partake in any of the events the Library hosts, from their regular art exhibits to weekly lesbian drop-in group on Tuesday nights or their monthly book club.
8-10 Brown St.
Newtown
Tel: 9557 7060
www.thewomenslibrary.org.au
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