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Your summer events guide to Australia’s cultural capitals

Lee Mylne Lee Mylne
Explore the best that Sydney and Melbourne offer over summer, when busy event-packed days stretch into fun-filled nights.

As summer unfolds, Sydney and Melbourne are at the forefront of the most exciting events in Australia. Whether your tastes run to culture, sport, shopping or dining, both offer a host of things to do and places to stay. Discover the best Accor hotels to explore from and how to spend your days to make the most of the warmer months in Australia’s vibrant capitals.

Sydney

Where to stay

suite at Manly Pacific – MGallery Hotel Collection
Relax beachside at Manly Pacific. (Image: Manly Pacific)

Sydney has no shortage of fabulous hotels to choose from when attending events in the city, often within reach of either the harbour or the beach.

The glamour and European style of Sofitel Sydney Wentworth is hard to beat, whether for a romantic getaway or a family holiday. It’s within walking distance to the Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay, The Rocks and Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, so everything the city offers is at your feet.

Pullman Sydney Quay Grand is equally central and offers luxury apartment-style accommodation, featuring fully equipped kitchens and laundries. It’s ideal for family stays. Also in the CBD, Swissôtel Sydney gives easy access to some of the city’s top shopping, including the historic Queen Victoria Building.

For beachside vibes, head to Manly or Brighton, where there’s something for everyone. Manly Pacific – MGallery Hotel Collection is all about coastal elegance, ocean views and fresh seafood. Hit the rooftop pool or the beach to cool off, or go snorkelling at nearby Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve. Take the Manly ferry for a scenic trip to the city.

Peppers Manly Beach offers stylish accommodation literally across the road from famous Manly Beach. Grab a free e-bike, take a surfing lesson, walk the foreshore or browse the surf shops, boutiques, galleries and cafes.

For a luxury stay that’s closer to both the city and airport, choose The Brighton Hotel Sydney – MGallery Hotel Collection . Hugging the shore of Botany Bay, the hotel is just 20 minutes by train to the CBD, and a 10-minute drive from Sydney airport. Soak up the sea air, or dive into the outdoor pool or the adults-only indoor pool.

Events and sightseeing

two people at Sydney Festival
Time your Sydney trip to visit the Sydney Festival. (Image: Destination NSW)

Sydney loves a party and there are few bigger than Sydney Festival , which has been entertaining locals and visitors alike for 50 years. Running from 8–25 January in 2026, it’s a city-wide celebration of culture and creativity encompassing music, dance, comedy, visual art and edgy experimental performances.

Westpac OpenAir Cinema opens for the summer season on 20 January. Set on the waterfront at Mrs Macquaries Point, with a backdrop of the harbour and city skyline, it features classics and new movies. Grandstand seating (BYO cushion) provides perfect viewing.

A cool oasis of green in the heart of the city, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney offers much more than just plants and flowers. Escape the heat with a stroll through themed areas, including the romantic Palace Rose Garden and lush Palm Grove, and stop at the Cadi Jam Ora – First Encounters Garden to learn the story of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. Best of all, it’s all free.

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Where to eat and drink

Arches on Market bar in Accor SwissôtelSydney
Stop for drinks at Arches on Market. (Image: Steven Woodburn)

Fancy a taste of Italy? Flaminia is the new restaurant coming to the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour in November 2025, and it’ll make you feel as though you could be in Portofino – but with the freshest of Sydney’s produce.

Arches , at Swissotel Sydney, is the perfect spot for a classic martini. Head there for afternoon tea or pre- and post-theatre dining delivered with old-school charm. You can even let the bartenders choose your drink for you, based on your mood.

With a $20 lunch menu and a leafy covered terrace, Wentworth Bar , on level five of Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, delivers a sophisticated escape from the hustle of the city. An extensive champagne list and Vietnamese-inspired bar menu complete the stylish scene.

Melbourne

Where to stay

view from Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers by accor
Enjoy a luxurious stay at Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers.

Sofitel Melbourne on Collins is the epitome of style, elegance and luxury. Appropriately at the ‘Paris end’ of Collins Street in the CBD, the Sofitel combines French flair with Australian hospitality.

Like many of the best discoveries in Melbourne, Pullman Melbourne City Centre is tucked away in a laneway. Five-star luxury is the hallmark here; enjoy stylish rooms, a rooftop bar, and the city’s best food and fashion finds just steps away.

On the historic South Wharf promenade, Novotel Melbourne South Wharf is a contemporary beacon that opens up to everything the precinct has to offer – shopping, dining, entertainment and the arts.

Pullman Melbourne on the Park , on the city’s threshold at East Melbourne, is a ball toss from the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Rod Laver Arena and Melbourne and Olympic Parks. Naturally a favourite with sports fans, it’s only minutes from the CBD by tram and right next door to the cool of Fitzroy Gardens.

The spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments of Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers offer stunning views and easy access to the city and Southbank’s dining and shopping district. Head to the rooftop garden or relax in the outdoor heated pool.

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Events and sightseeing

spectators watching Melbourne Cricket Ground
Cheer on your team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. (Image: Visit Victoria)

As the ‘sporting capital of Australia’, Melbourne is the place to catch the best of your favourite game. Whether it’s the Boxing Day test cricket or all the action of the Australian Open tennis in January, book tickets early to ensure the best vantage points.

Find the Summer Night Market, a feast for both the body and the senses, in the Queen Victoria Market on Wednesday nights in the warmer months. Savour street food from 30 stalls and shop for locally made fashion, jewellery, art and homewares, and pause to watch performances by talented buskers.

The work of two of the most influential fashion designers in history – Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo – are on show at the National Gallery of Victoria  over summer. You can also wander through free exhibitions of First Nations art, colonial paintings and European masters.

Where to eat and drink

Melbourne’s laneway culture and rooftop bar scene set it apart from others. Where better to enjoy extended twilight hours or cheeky cocktails atop one of the city’s tall buildings, or while away long summer evenings in a cosy bar tucked far from the crowds in a hidden alley.

Head to Cleo on the rooftop at Hyde Melbourne from December 2025. Enjoy a cocktail with sweeping views of the skyline, and choose nibbles from a Mediterranean-inspired menu.

Under a 15-floor mirrored canopy at The Atrium on 35 , in the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, sip cocktails in an intimate but playful setting. This is the place for l’aperitif hour before or after a night out at the theatre.

Start planning your summer getaway of events, culture and food with at ALL.com.

Lee Mylne
Lee Mylne is an award-winning Brisbane-based freelance travel writer who has visited more than 60 countries, but still loves writing about the places closest to her. She has a strong interest in people, history, culture and nature and will go anywhere for a good story.
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Unforgettable First Peoples tours and experiences in Victoria

    Angela Saurine Angela Saurine
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    From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet. 

    Victoria’s sweeping landscapes hold stories far older than any road map can trace – stories etched into stone, sung through generations and woven into every bend of river and rise of hill. From the lava flows of Budj Bim to the ancient middens of Moyjil/Point Ritchie and the volcanic crater of Tower Hill, the state is home to some of the most significant First Peoples cultural sites in Australia. These places, along with other immersive experiences, offer not only a window into a 60,000-year legacy, but a profound way of understanding Country itself. As more travellers seek connection over checklists, guided tours by Traditional Owners offer respectful, unforgettable insights into a living culture that continues to shape the land and the people who walk it. 

    Budj Bim cultural landscape  

    Budj Bim Cultural Landscape
    Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is on Gunditjmara Country. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Venture beyond the surf and sand of the Great Ocean Road to discover a deeper story etched into the volcanic landscape. At Budj Bim , ancient aquaculture channels built by the Gunditjmara people to trap, store and harvest kooyang (short-finned eel) reveal one of the world’s oldest living cultures. While you’re in the area, head over to the state-of-the-art Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, where you can observe the eels in a special tank, wander the shores of Tae Rak (Lake Condah), and enjoy a bite at the Bush Tucker Cafe. Also nearby is Tower Hill, a dormant volcano reborn as a wildlife reserve, offering trails through bushland teeming with emus and koalas. 

    eel tank
    The kooyang (eel) tank at Tae Rak. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Dumawul Kooyoora Walking Tour 

    Dumawul walkingtour
    Guests are guided through Kooyoora State Park on the Dumawul walking tour. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Step into a timeless landscape with Dumawul’s guided tour through Kooyoora State Park, around an hour’s drive west of Bendigo in north-central Victoria. Led by Djaara guides, this immersive half-day journey breathes life into Country, weaving together stories, bush tucker and ancient rock art. Known to the Dja Dja Wurrung people as Guyura – the ‘mountain of light’ – this dramatic granite range is rich with cultural and spiritual significance.  The adventure begins with a meet-up at the Bridgewater Hotel on the banks of the Loddon River, before guests are welcomed onto Country with a traditional Smoking Ceremony – a powerful ritual that honours ancestors and cleanses those who walk the land. From there, it’s a gentle wander through rugged outcrops and open bushland, with sweeping vistas unfolding at every turn. Along the way, guides share their knowledge of how the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples have cared for and adapted with this land for generations, offering a rare and moving window into an ancient way of life that continues to thrive today.  

    Kooyoora walking tour
    Knowledge of the Dja Dja Wurrung is shared on the trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Kingfisher Cruises  

    Kingfisher Cruises
    Cruising the Murray with Kingfisher Cruises. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Glide quietly through the Barmah-Millewa forest – the nation’s largest river red gum ecosystem – on a scenic journey along the Murray River and into the Barmah Lakes with Kingfisher Cruises . Led by passionate guides who share stories of the cultural significance of this ancient landscape, these cruises reveal the stories, totems and traditional knowledge of the Yorta Yorta people. As you navigate narrow waterways and spot native birds, you’ll gain a richer understanding of how First Peoples have lived in harmony with this floodplain for tens of thousands of years. It’s a gentle, immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression – one where every bend in the river carries echoes of culture, connection and Country.  

    wawa biik 

    Taungurung leaders
    Exploring Nagambie with Taungurung leaders. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Translating to ‘hello, Country’ in the language of the First Nations People and Custodians of the rivers and mountains of Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, wawa biik guides a range of authentic and deeply immersive experiences. Leaving from either Nagambie or Euroa, the tours are woven with ancient stories of the Taungurung, telling how a sustained connection and responsibility ensures the continued health of biik – benefitting the people, animals and plants that live in and around the Goulburn River. During the wawa Nagambie experience, guests participate in a Welcome Smoking Ceremony, and enjoy lunch and conversation with two Taungurung leaders as they cruise through the wetlands of tabilk-tabilk (place of many waterholes). The 4.5-hour tour begins at Tahbilk Winery, which is set in the wetlands of Nagambie on Taungurung Country and collaborates with Taungurung Elders to share knowledge of biik. 

    Bataluk Cultural Trail  

    Bataluk Trail
    Cape Conran on the Bataluk Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    The Bataluk Cultural Trail winds through East Gippsland like a thread stitching past to present, tracing the deep connection between the Gunaikurnai people and their land. Starting at the Knob Reserve in Stratford, visitors walk among scarred trees and ancient stone tools once used for survival and ceremony. At the Den of Nargun near Mitchell River, the earth holds stories of women’s sacred spaces, cloaked in myth and legend. Further along, Legend Rock at Metung tells of greed and consequence, its surface etched with ancient lore. At Cape Conran, shell middens lie scattered like breadcrumbs of history – 10,000 years of gatherings, stories and saltwater songs still echoing in the wind.  

    Healesville Sanctuary  

    echidna at Healesville Sanctuary
    Get up close with a resident echidna at Healesville Sanctuary. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Set on the historic grounds of Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, Healesville Sanctuary honours the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation through immersive storytelling and connection to Country. Along Wurundjeri Walk, visitors are invited to reflect on the land’s rich First Peoples history, with native plants revealing their traditional uses. Wurundjeri Elder and educator Murrundindi shares culture in-person with the Wominjeka Aboriginal Cultural Experience every Sunday, and most days during Victorian school holidays. Murrundindi’s smoking ceremonies, storytelling and bush tucker knowledge reveal the sacred relationship between people, animals and the environment. Bird-lovers can’t miss the incredible Spirits of the Sky show featuring native birds daily at 12pm and 3pm. 

    The Grampians 

    Rock art at Bunjil Shelter in The Grampians
    Rock art at Bunjil Shelter in The Grampians. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Known as Gariwerd to Traditional Owners, the Grampians is a place of immense cultural and spiritual significance. This rugged landscape holds more than 80 per cent of Victoria’s known First Peoples rock art, offering a powerful window into the region’s deep heritage. Visitors can respectfully explore five remarkable rock art sites: Billimina and Ngamadjidj in the Wartook Valley, Manja Shelter near Hamilton, Gulgurn Manja shelter near Laharum, and the Bunjil Shelter near Stawell, where the creator spirit is depicted. Each site tells a unique story of connection to Country, shared through ancient handprints, dancing figures and Dreaming narratives etched into stone.