Sydney’s back in the culture club: Feeling the buzz of the city as it prepares to welcome guests at its biggest attraction since the Opera House opened nearly 50 years ago
- The Sydney Modern Project is a 183,000 sq ft expansion of the Art Gallery of New South Wales
- It will double the exhibition space with huge glass pavilions to give visitors views over Sydney Harbour
- Claudia Joseph writes: ‘It looks certain to become a must-see for all visitors to Australia’
After more than a decade in the making, Sydney is unveiling a cultural attraction that’s every bit as epic as the Opera House and which looks certain to become a must-see for all visitors to Australia.
Indeed, the significance of the Sydney Modern Project on the country’s tourist industry is being compared to when the late Queen Elizabeth opened the iconic Opera House in 1973, one of the most distinctive buildings in the world which now attracts up to 11 million visitors a year.
The Sydney Modern Project is a 183,000 sq ft expansion of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which cost £192 million and opens on Saturday, virtually doubling its already impressive exhibition space with huge glass pavilions to give visitors stunning views over Sydney Harbour.
And as the city opens up after the chaos wreaked by Covid, brilliant new hotels and restaurants are making their mark. From February, prepare to battle to get a table at Petermen on Lower North Shore, run by acclaimed local seafood chef Josh Niland, while standout places to stay include the Oxford House boutique hotel in Paddington and The Porter House Hotel in the Central Business District. And by the spring, the Capella Sydney is due to open in the iconic, heritage-listed Department of Education building along with the company’s signature Brasserie 1930 restaurant and Auriga Spa.
The Sydney Modern Project is a 183,000 sq ft expansion of the Art Gallery of New South Wales (artist’s impression above). Claudia Joseph was given a private viewing – and had her breath taken away
I checked in to boutique hotel A by Adina, where my suite had spectacular views over the Central Business District. It’s also home to Sydney’s newest cocktail bar, Dean & Nancy, which is inspired by the swinging bars of the 1950s.
This buzz all comes ahead of an anticipated invasion of tourists when Sydney hosts two major international events. On February 24, Australian singer Kylie Minogue will open the 17-day WorldPride event, the first time it has been held in the southern hemisphere, and in July the Women’s World Cup. The tournament is the country’s biggest sporting event since the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
But back at Sydney Modern Project, I’m lucky to be given a private viewing, and walking down its wide spiral stairway I catch my breath at the vast Second World War naval oil tank now transformed into a modern art pavilion. Miranda Carroll, the British director of public engagement, tells me: ‘It’ll be similar to the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern – an industrial space for major commissions.’
Claudia says that the Sydney Modern Project will be ‘every bit as epic as the Opera House’ (pictured)
Claudia stayed at the A By Adina hotel, where her suite had spectacular views over Sydney’s Central Business District
Two other galleries at Sydney Modern Project include a huge white cube space for major touring exhibitions and an area for its collection exhibitions. One of its centrepieces will be a huge 62ft by 16ft screen overlooking the central atrium featuring a moving-image work by artist Lisa Reihana, a Maori New Zealander who has exhibited at Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Arts.
Gallery director Dr Michael Brand says: ‘Great cultural developments like the Sydney Modern Project enhance the global perceptions of cities, states, and nations. Our transformed home for art will provide visitors with exceptional experiences only possible in Sydney.’
So with a flourishing cultural scene, a wealth of museums and galleries and amazing new places to book in and dine out, a holiday Down Under is certainly worth the long haul.
- Claudia Joseph was a guest of A By Adina. Rooms cost from £130 a night (abyadina.com).
FROM MAD MAX TO THE HEROES OF SPORT, AUSTRALIA’S TOP DRAWS
If you are exploring Australia and in search of an experience with a touch of the educational, here are my must-sees…
The Powerhouse Ultimo, Sydney
Housed in a former electric tram power station, this museum focuses on technology, science and innovation. As you walk in, you are greeted by the Whitbread Engine, the oldest working rotative steam engine in the world. Designed by Scottish engineer James Watt, it was installed at London’s Whitbread Brewery in 1785 and remained there for 102 years before being restored for the museum’s opening at the current site in 1988 (maas.museum).
Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Above is a memorial wall at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The Duke of Edinburgh opened two of its wings in 1971
Cultural mix: The White Rabbit Gallery in Sydney (pictured) showcases contemporary Chinese art
This site covers the continent’s involvement in war from the first settlement at Sydney Cove to UN peacekeeping roles. The Royal Family has strong links to the place: Prince Harry, son of King George V and Queen Mary, planted a Lone Pine in 1934, and the Duke of Edinburgh opened two of its wings in 1971 (awm.gov.au).
The White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney
This little gem opened in 2009, in a former Rolls-Royce service depot, to showcase contemporary Chinese art. Owner Judith Neilson was inspired to create the collection after visiting Beijing in the 1990s and now has more than 2,000 works by almost 700 artists (whiterabbitcollection.org).
The Norman Lindsay Gallery, Sydney
One of the most beautiful buildings in the Blue Mountains, this gallery in Faulconbridge is the former home of artist Norman Lindsay, whose bucolic lifestyle was portrayed by Sam Neill in the 1994 film Sirens. The sandstone house showcases Lindsay’s bohemian paintings as well as characters from his children’s classic The Magic Pudding, published in 1918 (nationaltrust.org.au/places/norman-lindsay-gallery).
National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra
Enthusiasts can discover more than three million works including movies, TV programmes and records at the archive. Memorabilia includes scripts, costumes and props from films such as 1986 action-comedy Crocodile Dundee, Moulin Rouge and Muriel’s Wedding (nfsa.gov.au).
The National Arboretum, Canberra
There are an astonishing 44,000 rare trees spread across 617 acres in this place of beauty and recreation. It also contains bike trails and horse tracks. The site was put on the map in 2014 when the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge planted an English oak tree (nationalarboretum.act.gov.au).
National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
Opened in 1999 in the Old Parliament House with just 28 pieces of art, the National Portrait Gallery now encompasses its own purpose-built building, where the works honour ‘highly significant’ Australian citizens. The collection covers four centuries and contains photographs, prints, collages and caricatures of people from all walks of life, including Clifton Pugh’s 1958 portrait of Barry Humphries (portrait.gov.au).
Questacon, Canberra
Want to feel the force of an earthquake? Head to the National Science and Technology Centre where galleries include Australia in Space, investigating space technology; Awesome Earth, where you can experience seismic forces; and a Mini Q lab where little scientists can experiment (questacon.edu.au).
The Mad Max 2 Museum houses a collection of memorabilia from George Miller’s 1981 movie
The Mad Max 2 Museum, Sydney
British couple Adrian and Linda Bennett moved to the Outback to create this museum dedicated to George Miller’s 1981 movie. Located in Silverton, where the film was shot, it houses a collection of memorabilia from the movie – including original and replica vehicles (silverton.org.au/experience/attractions/mad-max-museum).
Australian Sports Museum, Melbourne
Sports fans will be bowled over by this site within the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground celebrating the country’s rich sporting history. An interactive gallery allows you to take part in cycling, archery, shooting a netball and beating the goalie. It also includes an avatar of the late Shane Warne (australiansportsmuseum.org.au).
Museum of Old and New Art, Tasmania
The largest privately funded museum in the southern hemisphere, ‘Mona’ has been dubbed the ‘museum of sex and death’. Owner David Walsh opts for fun art to grab your attention under these themes, rather than the work of famous artists. To get the full experience, travel there by ferry in the Posh Pit for $60 – a 25-minute trip from Hobart in a private lounge (mona.net.au).
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