Sydney Queer Walking Tour
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 3 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
You'll learn about the city's rich and varied queer histories and hear the stories of prominent queer citizens of the city, as well as important parts of the cultural scene, including the internationally renowned Mardi Gras parade. Given the often hidden nature of queer history, this tour will provide a picture of what we know about indigenous Australia's view on diverse sexual orientation and gender, as well as the circumstances and stories of our queer forebears during the colonial period and into the early 20th century. We will then bring into focus the period of social upheaval reforms that burst into the mainstream from the 1970's onwards, including the significance of the first Mardi Gras in 1978 and the following decades of protest, partying, and dealing with the HIV epidemic.
Inclusions
What's included
- Coffee and/or Tea
Itinerary
You’ll see hidden histories from colonial times into the 1970sWe’ll start at the Archibald fountain, a location which symbolises the hidden queer histories of the city. We’ll cast our minds back to what we know about Indigenous Australia’s attitude to queerness, prior to the arrival of British colonisation. We’ll then look at how colonial Australia from 1788 treated LGBT people, and how despite the often hostile environment, queer people lived and loved.
At Whitlam Square, we’ll explore how the period of 1970s was the beginning of the gay rights era making claims for fairness and equality. We’ll discuss the role the media played, as well as how the different parts of Australia responded to these claims
We’ll wind our way through the backstreets of Darlinghurst with a coffee/tea stop along the way at a cute local café to Green Park. Here we’ll have the opportunity to consider how Sydney handled the HIV epidemic in the early 1980s, including many successes along with ongoing challenges in the face of homophobia and transphobia into the 1990s and 2000s.
We’ll reach Taylors Square, the last stop, and discuss what happened in June 1978 at the first Mardi Gras at that very spot and why it is still a powerful calling to Queer Sydney today. We’ll discuss how it’s changed over the years, from the general public initially being very wary of it to today, where there is a strong community embracing it in the identity of the city.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 510
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Ratings come from 10 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- We meet at 184 Phillip Street, which is the Supreme Court of NSW, at the corner with King Street.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 12 travellers
- Operated by
- Queer Sydney Walking Tour
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Sydney
- Its from-price is 69% below the median of the 1000 experiences we list in Sydney.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 363 of 1000.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Sydney
Sydney wraps around a glittering natural harbour, with a famous sail-roofed opera house, golden surf beaches and an easygoing outdoor life.
The Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge face each other across Circular Quay, where ferries come and go. The Rocks, the old colonial quarter, has sandstone pubs and weekend markets, and the Royal Botanic Garden curves around Farm Cove to Mrs Macquarie's Chair for the classic view of both landmarks.
Top-ranked sights in Sydney: Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour.
Special offers in Sydney
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
10% offFree cancellation
8% offFree cancellation
