Australia's best nightlife

Discover a secret bar

Some of the best bars in Sydney and Melbourne are hidden in plain sight. Open an unmarked door in Melbourne’s Malthouse Lane to find Eau de Vie, where cocktails are chilled with liquid nitrogen or served under smoke-filled glass domes. Alternatively, walk into the Boston Sub sandwich shop on Chapel Street, Windsor, and pull open what appears to be a fridge door to find the secret entrance to Jungle Boy, one of Melbourne’s best tiki bars. In the middle of Sydney city, an unmarked entrance on Kent Street leads to Lobo Plantation, which stocks 150 types of artisan rum. Or head down a Darlinghurst alley to find Shady Pines Saloon, a popular laid back drinking den featuring stuffed buffalo heads and cowhide rugs.

Enjoy cinema under the stars

What better way to spend a balmy night than watching a movie in the great outdoors? From December to March, Moonlight Cinema pops up in parks around the country including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. At Sydney’s St George Open Air Cinema, you get spectacular harbour views thrown in for free, while Melbourne’s skyscrapers provide an eye-catching backdrop for Rooftop Cinema. More outdoor films are on offer at Perth’s Rooftop Movies and Luna Palace, while Hobart hosts the State Rooftop Cinema. Up north, Darwin’s Deckchair Cinema runs from April to November, while Port Douglas’ Moonlight Cinema takes place from June to October.

Raise a glass in a wine bar

Ready to discover a new Aussie wine – perhaps a rich Barossa shiraz, an aromatic Tasmanian riesling or a Hunter Valley semillon? A range of inviting wine bars across Australia is the perfect place to acquaint yourself with the nation’s top drops; as a bonus, most of them also serve excellent food. In Melbourne, head for the elegant Embla or Bar Liberty, known for its selection of orange and natural wines. In Sydney, Monopole and 10 William Street are go-to options, while Brisbane’s La Lune Wine Co is one of the city’s best. In Hobart, Franklin is a great place to enjoy a glass or two, while Adelaide’s Apothecary 1878 steals the show with its cellar of 1200 wines.

Take in a show

No prizes for guessing that you can catch an opera performance at the Sydney Opera House. But did you know that the Opera House also hosts cabaret, ballet performances, gigs, festivals and comedy? (Oprah even once hosted her show here.) The nearby Walsh Bay neighbourhood is home to the indigenous Bangarra Dance Theatre and the Sydney Theatre Company; alternatively catch cutting-edge acts at Carriageworks. In Melbourne, the Arts Centre Melbourne is the place to see ballet, theatre or opera performances, while Her Majesty’s Theatreand the Princess Theatre host blockbuster musicals. Brisbane has the Queensland Performing Arts Centreand the Brisbane Powerhouse, while the Adelaide Festival Centre always has an exciting program, especially during the Adelaide Festival and the Fringe Festival.

Be dazzled by lights

Summer in Sydney may be beautiful but winter is dazzling, thanks to the Vivid Sydney festival. For three weeks in June it literally lights up the city with a collection of light sculptures, installations and super-sized projections. In Alice Springs each October, the Parrtjima Festival sets the desert glowing with lightworks. From Alice Springs, head to Uluru to admire the striking Field of Light, on display until December 2020. The colourful installation by artist Bruce Munro, covering the same area as seven football fields, features 50,000 stems of light that are swept by waves of contrasting colours.