Australia is such a wonderful country comprised of cities that thrive in their unique ways. Two of the most popular cities in Australia are Melbourne and Sydney. Aside from being a prosperous country, gay Australia is also known for its open-minded laws and appreciation of the gay.
In Australia, gays can freely express what they think or like, as well as walk without the fear of discrimination, hate, and disrespect. With that, if you’re planning to visit Australia as a gay traveller, there are notable spots that you shouldn’t miss. So, let’s take a stroll in the most popular cities, Melbourne and Sydney, to see what they can offer.
Melbourne, Australia, is one of the best places in the world as it predominantly progresses in a variety of fields. It is also known for its wonderful greeneries and city life that keeps the balance in life. It has countless travel destinations that warmly welcome gay travellers. Melbourne has a lot to offer to this community, from nature trips to cruising, bar hopping, dance clubs, and parties.
Another thing, Melbourne is such a sophisticated city with its continental architecture and attitude. It is regarded as a business and employment district with towering buildings within the city. It has a busy day and nightlife. Also, Melbourne has Metlink as the extensive bus, trains, and trams’ work that take everyone, both local and international people, to any place.
Before you visit Melbourne, check out here our selection of gay-friendly hotels in Melbourne.
Moving on, let’s now take a look at these gay spots to check once you visit Melbourne!
Compared to Sydney, which has a lot of surf-chiselled and beach-bronzed bodies, Melbourne offers sophisticated and professional vibes for everyone, including the gay community. Different kinds of visitors, such as Australians or not, are warmly welcomed in the progressive streets of Melbourne.
One of the most visited and recommended gay scenes in Melbourne is the Midsumma Gay and Lesbian Festival, which takes place every January and February. In this event, street parades, art events, and a ball are being held to entertain and commemorate the presence of the gay community. In the South, gays in Prahran and Yarra can be found too who proudly showcase rainbow flags. Here, the abundance of gay couples is immaculate. Also, there are several businesses and restaurants owned by gays, as well as bookshops that offer extensive gay media collections.
Moreover, St. Kilda remains to be the working-class beach town of Melbourne as it has an impressive scene of gas. This city annually hosts Pride March, which takes place from Lakeside Drive to Fitzroy Street and Catani Gardens. This is ideal for gays who would love to witness artsy and bohemian-inspired events and trips that never disappoint.
Club-goers can enjoy nights of endless partying in these areas, especially on weekends. There is also Bar 362, which has its iconic rainbow-clad door that offers great cocktails. On one hand, there is Sircuit with drag shows every night, and Laird offers only men on leather dens venue.
In the southern regions, the coldest winters happen every June and July, so if you are looking forward to enjoying a trip with a warm climate, you better have a planned trip from March to May and September to November. Travelling during the summer and Christmas holidays is not recommended as it can be expensive and crowded. These months are not the go-to if you are on a budget. Also, between January and February, the Midsumma Festival takes place, which you can join for a fun trip. This cultural festival showcases queer arts, live events, parades, and so much more. Better have this on your list!
As a culture and art-rich destination, Melbourne has a lot to offer to gay couples and individuals who would like to wander its historical places, such as a museum, a creative community of locals, and street arts. Given that, here are some of those!
First, on the list, we have the Australian Center for the Moving Image, which highlights the art of video. It isn’t like the ordinary museums that show indigenous, modern, and classic works as it is filled with documentary film collections and nonsensical abstract images. This museum also has different futuristic booths that utilize high-quality screens, headsets, and comfortable seating. It is like a virtual reality museum due to its inclusion of technology in expressing art to the audience. This place is perfect if you are into the arts!
Up next, we have the Queen Victoria Market of Melbourne, which is also called the biggest tourist attraction located in the market. It is a large open-air market that coincides with the southern hemisphere of Melbourne. It was first built in the early 1900s. It has these magnificent aisles that you can wander at, as well as the authentic Australian souvenirs that you can purchase for yourself, your friends, and your loved ones.
If you are into books, then Hares and Hyenas, which is a queer bookstore located at Fritzoy, is the perfect place for you. Here, you can see lots of options for book reading. There are different categories that you can choose from for a good price and view. It is also well-visited by gay travellers from all over the world, so it’s such a wonderful place to visit. While you’re there, you can also have a nice cup of coffee from Mario’s café located on Brunswick Street.
Lastly, we have here the royal botanical gardens that were founded back in 1846 with 50,000 plants coming from 8,500 different species. This is the perfect place and opportunity for gays who love to learn more facts about the geography, native plants, and gardening of Melbourne.
For the gay parties in Melbourne, you should check out Trough, Grouse, and the Closet Party. These parties showcase live performances and events for the queers. Lots of people visit and have fun at these events, both local and international. The best thing about these parties is that they favour disco music that is just always a vibe. For hotel booking, don’t let Brooklyn Arts Hotel slip out of your reach as this has excellent service, as well as location. Have a glimpse of the old Victorian era through its terraces and nearby streets.
And that is all for gay travel in Melbourne; now, let’s move to gay travel in Sydney!
Another progressive city in Australia is Sydney. It is well-known for the ever-majestic Sydney Opera House. It is also home to the best beaches, city life, economic progress, and natural beauty, both of the area and people. Just like Melbourne, Sydney is also an open-minded city that allows gay travellers to wander and live peacefully within its borders. With that, here are the best spots to visit once you pay for a visit to Sydney.
Starting off with gay-friendly hotels in Sydney, here are the must-visit and check-in hotels for your gay travel in Sydney.
This first hotel is located on Albion Street. It has a total of 271 hotel rooms, a lobby, a glass floor aquarium with hundreds of Japanese Koi fish, a swimming pool, a spa, a small gym, a sauna, and a café. It is like a total package hotel with its luxurious vibe and design. This gay-friendly hotel in Sydney is also nearby Oxford Street which is the gay village in Sydney, as well as gay bars.
It has large rooms, especially the Deluxe edition, which has a sofa area and a king-sized bed. If comfort is the only question about this hotel, there is no doubt that this one is top-tier. It also features an onsite bar and restaurant where you can relax during your free time. This is the perfect place to remove the stress from long travels to Sydney. Also, get a relaxing massage from the spa and, after that, a warm time inside the hotel’s sauna.
Next on the list is this apartment hotel which is located at Riley Street, Surry Hills. This hotel is also located nearby Oxford Street and the nightlife with which you can have fun.
Moreso, this hotel is a boutique and hip place that has two-bedroom suites where even four people can squeeze to sleep. The best thing about this hotel is its design, both exterior and interior. It has the inspiration of what urban living is in Sydney, added with mesmerizing decorations such as plants, figurines, wall arts, and chandeliers.
To secure a room in this hotel, you better book an early reservation. As it is a famous one, this is the best choice you have to make.
Moving on, let’s have saunas for those who are looking forward to having a relaxing and refreshing stay in Sydney!
First on the list, we have the Sydney Sauna, which is located right at Oxford Street- the gay village in Sydney. It is a modern-era-inspired sauna with eighteen lockable sauna rooms, a steam room, a dry sauna, a large cinema room, a café bar, a large Jacuzzi maze, and an extremely fast internet connection. The massage services are also available in this sauna, so you can completely have a relaxing stay.
For its convenience, this sauna is surrounded by countless restaurants and shops that can be accessed all the time. Here, you will never worry about getting food, leisure activities, and anything else as everything is easy to reach.
Although this sauna was reported to close, it is still a good place to stay. It is located on Taylor Street and is a popular place for its 4-floors sauna rooms. Bodyline has a large Romanesque Jacuzzi, steam room, large cabins, video room, sun deck, maze, cinema room, and a cedar-wood dry sauna which you can enjoy throughout your stay. It also has a coffee lounge where you can have a refreshing cup of authentic Sydney coffee while having a good time with yourself, friends, family, or company.
Moreover, it is owned by a gay and started to provide services in 1991. Although it is a bit old, this sauna still has a lot to offer as it was able to maintain its facilities properly. There have also been several renovations and upgrades done to this sauna to make sure that it comes after the latest trends that are looked for by gay visitors.
For a fun and memorable time, you should visit gay bars and clubs in the gay-scene of Sydney. Here are some of those!
This hotel is also a gay bar and dance club as it is considered the premier establishment for gays and lesbians plus, it is located in the gay village of Sydney- Oxford Street. Here, you can find numerous gays having good times. Both local and international, they’re all here!
The venue operates entertaining pieces every day of the week. There are drag queens, DJs, special guests, live performances, dancers, and so much more. People party all night and have fun with anyone they want. Lastly, it is a safe village as gays are warmly appreciated by the people of Sydney. So, never worry about safety. After all, Australia as a whole is a safe and progressive country!
Overall, gay travel to Melbourne and Sydney is such a dream come true. Visit the mentioned destinations for gays, and you will have such great moments in life as you’ll ever have. After all, there’s no place like Australia!
