Yayoi Kusama's Flowers that Bloom in the Cosmos at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Photo / Art Gallery of New South Wales, Zan Wimberley
Yayoi Kusama's Flowers that Bloom in the Cosmos at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Photo / Art Gallery of New South Wales, Zan Wimberley
Former Sydney local Megan Wilson uncovers a new side to the city on a short break filled with big hits
In a city of more than five million people, finding a reprieve from the hustle and bustle can be difficult. But from the moment you step into Sydney’s Capella hotel, an oasis of calm and greenery is before you.
After seven years of renovation, and far removed from its former use as a government office building, the five-star Capella hotel opened in March.
The luxury begins as soon as you arrive - from luggage being whisked away discreetly, to the hotel’s signature scent of bergamot, white tea and peonies, which permeates the hallways.
Front office manager Samuel Hatten shows me to my skyline king room and explains its unique features. But I struggle to pay attention as I am in awe of its modern architecture and size. I notice a king bed, a bathroom with two basins, a waterfall shower and a standalone bath. On the coffee table is a sizeable piece of rocky road, made in-house with ingredients sourced from the Hunter Valley; it’s the perfect sugar-hit to help fuel my next three days of adventures.
The premier king room at the Capella Sydney. Photo / Timothy Kaye
It’s been a year since my last visit to Sydney. I also lived here in my early 20s, working as a travel agent and living by the beach in a flat-share, my spare time spent at nightclubs and practising yoga. I was fairly oblivious to the arts, culture and sports scene. But now I’m back for a packed short break schedule, so Capella is the perfect base. It’s just a 10-minute walk or taxi ride away from most major venues.
Inside is MOD. Dining by Clayton Wells where you can enjoy brunch, lunch or nibbles. Their freshly shucked oysters are exquisite, served with a cabernet merlot mignonette. The seaweed and rice crackers with whipped trout roe come a close second.
After lunch, gallery guide Felipe Barreto takes me on a tour of the A$250 million newly constructed north building, which opened in December 2022 after its 152-year-old south building needed to expand.
The new building, designed by Japanese-based architecture firm SANAA, is the first public museum in Australia to have received a six-star green certification for sustainability and design from the Green Building Council of Australia. Solar panels generate 10 to 20 per cent of its energy and a rain catcher stores water for the gardens.
Portuguese limestone defines the three major exhibition spaces in the gallery, with the Yiribana Gallery dedicated exclusively to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Outside sits Yayoi Kusama’s Flowers that Bloom in the Cosmos - an installation of brightly painted stainless steel flowers covered with polka dots.
DINNER AND A SHOW
Later, after a rest and refresh back at Capella, I head out for dinner - a two-course pre-theatre menu at The Charle. The menu changes seasonally and I opt for the winter salad with celeriac, chickpeas and sauce gribiche and the seared swordfish with lobster butter and zucchini flower farci. I can’t quite finish my main but when I see a selection of sweets on the dessert trolley, I know I have room for a strawberry macaron.
Tina Turner The Musical is currently playing at the Theatre Royal Sydney. Photo / Manuel Harlan
A five-minute walk takes me to the Theatre Royal Sydney forTina Turner: The Musical. Oblivious to Tina’s story and only knowing one song, I wasn’t sure what to expect. By the end, I was in tears.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy, who delivers a raw, addictive performance as Tina Turner. The musical shows how Turner’s talent was discovered and how she overcame challenges linked to gender, race, age and domestic violence. It’s an emotional portrayal of how Turner beat the patriarchy to become a global phenomenon, and becomes even more poignant in the wake of her recent death.
PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
The next morning,
I meet my Dreamtime Southern X walking tour guide Amanda Bond at the Rocks. She acknowledges we are standing on Gadigal land before explaining how Mother Earth and Father Sky danced everything into creation - animals and nature - before reaching into their dilly bags (a traditional woven plant fibre bag) of 72 colours and adding colour to them.
Standing on the waterfront opposite the Opera House, Amanda piles different shells on top of each other. Aboriginal people only fished what was in season, she explains. By leaving remnants of what was taken - scallop shells, oyster shells, fish bones - in middens, the next family knew what they needed to gather so as not to overfish - a fascinating and perfect example of living sustainably.
Midden by Mark Olive is a restaurant at the Opera House, which opened at the start of July. Sitting in the sunshine, our outdoor table has the perfect view of the Harbour Bridge. My companions and I order damper infused with native herbs and eucalyptus whipped butter - more oysters and a grazing plate of NSW regional cheeses, olives, smoked kangaroo, emu and crocodile. With a bottle of Tumblong Hills rose, our lunch leaves us nicely full and relaxed.
My trip coincides with the opening night of the Fifa Women’s World Cup, so I head to the fan festival zone at Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour. New Zealand is playing Norway, so I watch the game on a big screen, sitting on a picnic table and eating one of Josh Niland’s signature tuna cheeseburgers. As a pescetarian, I haven’t eaten a cheeseburger in three and a half years. And despite it sounding bizarre, the tuna pattie served with tomato sauce, mustard and pickles is hugely satisfying.
I’m not the biggest sports fan, nor an Australian, but it’s thrilling to be alongside 75,000 other people at Stadium Australia, watching Australia beat the Irish on home soil and supporting women’s sports.
ONE FOR THE ‘GRAM
On our final day, I have brunch at one of the most Instagrammed locations in Sydney - The Grounds of Alexandria. You can either head to your table indoors or take a walk outside, where bright, exuberant and oversized Candyland installations of doughnuts and ice cream float above me. But after an indulgent few days, I opt for the green, healthy options of the garden brekkie salad and an immune booster juice, as there’s still another event for which I need to keep my energy levels up.
The Grounds of Alexandria. Photo / Destination NSW
Seeing lines of families and young girls wearing fairytale-like dresses, I know I’ve arrived at the right place - Capitol Theatre to see Beauty and the Beast.
Much to my companion’s surprise, I hadn’t read the classic story or seen either of the Disney movie versions. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the live orchestra and the colourful sets and costumes.
After a jam-packed, whirlwind three days in Sydney, I’m pleased to have discovered there’s always something new to see. But for my next trip, a visit to my old neighbourhood Coogee will be on the list to satisfy my nostalgia. I’m sure I’ll discover new and exciting things there, too.
Air New Zealand and Qantas fly direct from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to Sydney. Air Asia, Jetstar and LATAM also fly from Auckland, while Emirates flies from Christchurch.
