All Australia Sydney

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Sydney

35 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Sydney, Australia

Updated July 1, 2024

Email

Unusual Attractions in Sydney

See All 35 Things To Do in Sydney

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Sydney

In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Sydney, Australia

Animals 7
Gardens 5
Plants 5
History & Culture 5
Statues 4

Sydney Leaderboard

Recent Sydney Activity

Stories About Sydney

Malaysian and Australian influences combine in Ho Jiak Town Hall's Vegemite-braised pork ribs.

A Gastro Obscura Guide to Sydney

Wattleseed pudding, Vegemite-braised ribs, and more freewheeling fusion in the harbor city.
by Lee Tran Lam

Podcast: Introducing Sound Detectives from LeVar Burton

Would you recognize what can only be heard but not seen?
by The Podcast Team

Podcast: The 'Forgotten Songs' Sound Sculpture

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
Tracking the small spiders involves quick, careful work.

The Fiddly Business of Tracking Australia's Most Venomous Spider

To study the Sydney funnel web spider, one researcher tags along from a distance with the help of tags the size of a grain of rice.
by Hannah Thomasy
The Suella, an egg-and-bacon breakfast plate with a sour Davidson plum drizzle.

In Sydney, a Cafe Serving Aboriginal Food Brings Comfort and Challenges

Nyoka Hrabinsky, an Aboriginal ethnobotanist, is turning “bush tucker” into brunch.
by Reina Gattuso
Laborers cluster around an accident at the quarry.

In Sydney, Intricate New Models Depict Australia’s Brutal Colonial Era

A redesigned museum hopes to grapple with the thorny legacy of the “convict period.”
by Sabrina Imbler
A group of fish loitering around the discharge of the Sydney Desalination Plant.

Fish Flock to the Super-Salty Wastewater of the Sydney Desalination Plant

Sydney's technological solution for drought is having unexpected effects on marine life.
by Sabrina Imbler
A mated pair of seahorses researchers have named Dusk and Dawn.

A Chain of Seahorse Hotels Is Coming Soon to Sydney Harbour

"If you build it, they will come."
by Sabrina Imbler

Lists Featuring Sydney

'Memory Is Creation Without End'
Justice and Police Museum
Mrs. Macquarie's Chair In Sydney Botanic Garden

The 10 Best Places to Visit Near the Sydney Opera House for Curious Travelers

10

Including 'Memory Is Creation Without End', Justice and Police Museum, and Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups.

Learn More