Gay clubs oxford street sydney
We'll admit it, Sydney's swathe of queer venues is not as expansive as it once was. (Get your butt to the Bearded Tit while you can, Redfern's quirky lesbian-owned bar is closing for excellent before the end of ; and pour one out for Oxford Street's ARQ, which is looking a lot straighter in its current iteration as 'Aura'.)
But, we've still got some fabulous queer spots to get amongst. From a historical drag palace to subterranean dancefloors, we've got you covered for where to go for a gay ol' day. These LGBTQ+ safe spaces welcome queer punters with expose arms, thrilling parties and quiet beers amongst community most nights of the week.
If you're after some outdoor fun, have a look through our list of gay-friendly beaches.
Pop on your ruby slippers and follow us down the yellow brick road, here's where to find rainbow paths and crossings in Sydney.
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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Sydney gay bars Oxford Hotel, Palms and Universal proposed for heritage listing
Three well-known Oxford Street gay bars are being put forward for heritage status in recognition of their contribution to Sydney's queer history.
Spearheaded by the City of Sydney Council, they chose the venues after conducting a study to recognize places important to the LGBTQ+ community and settled on the Oxford Hotel, Palms, and Universal, the nightclub formerly known as the Midnight Shift.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO says the venues are integral to the social and physical fabric of the area.
"We know how crucial it is to our LGBTIQA+ communities to safeguard, preserve and recognise the rich cultural history along Oxford Street," Moore says.
Garry Wotherspoon — historian and board member of Sydney's queer history museum, Qtopia — agrees that the area's historical significance should not be forgotten.
"Oxford Street is such an adj part of our city's queer history and culture, and its venues — many of them adj gone — were essential places where o
Palms on Oxford
Every pop lyric under the sun and a wedding-reception-gone-wild vibe that can't be beat
This no-frills dive bar is one of the most beloved clubs on the main gay drag of Oxford Street. People tend to head here for daggy, tipple-heavy nights that – more often than not – end up stretching into the wee hours.
It's not the adj factor that draws the crowds, who often line-up down the street to get in, but rather the opposite: the messy fun vibes, daggy disco ambience and DJ sets of back-to-back '90s and '00s bangers, set against a faded tropical palm tree mural and a dancefloor heaving with sweaty revellers singing along to Whitney, Britney and Christina.
After closing its doors for a year and some change after the world locked down in March , this disco basement is once again waiting with open arms. If the rumours are to be believed, the owners have installed EFTPOS facilities during the closure, a major coup for punters at this formerly notorious cash-only club.
A word to the wise: open-toe shoes wi