Living in Sydney

Sydney is a truly international city with a diverse culture. As a medical student in this bustling but friendly city, you will have plenty of avenues for escape and relaxation.

Fesitvals

There is nothing that Sydneysiders enjoy more than a good festival. Every year the Sydney Festival is held, running for a month over summer. It includes theatre, shows, opera, concerts, exhibitions and plenty more. A highlight of the year is the annual short film festival, Tropfest, an outdoor screening of entrants in a short film competition that draws tens of thousands. There is also a general Sydney Film Festival every year. Most inner city suburbs host their own festivals, with Newtown, Glebe and Leichhardt being local notables.



Food

Sydney's propensity for eating shines through with various food festivals, including Good Food Month. Newtown, a suburb that borders the uni, is home to many restaurants, from Macrobiotic non-smoking, non-drinking temples of purity to homely chicken shops. Thai, Vietnamese, Greek, Italian, African, Chinese, Japanese, Modern Australian, Seafood, Mediterranean and everything in between can be had for very little expense. Glebe Point Road in Glebe, on the other side of the university, is another street that food-loving students have called home for many years.

Night life

As a large multicultural city, Sydney prides itself on nightlife unparalleled in Australia. Whether clubbing, pubbing or raving is your scene, we have it all. Popular nightspots include those located around Oxford Street, King Street Wharf, Cockle Bay, Kings Cross and the City centre. The arts and theatre are also central to Sydney life, so be sure to visit the Sydney Opera House. A comprehensive events guide can be found at Sydney Citysearch.

The great outdoors

Of course Sydney is known for its Harbour and the best way to appreciate it is to get out on the water. A cheap way to achieve this is to buy a ferry ticket and cruise over to Manly from the city. If you want to get your feet wet there are plenty of beaches to explore – the world famous Bondi, Manly and Palm Beaches are a must. National Parks border the city on all sides, the Blue Mountains in the west are able to be reached by train, as is the Royal National Park in the south.

Getting around

Sydney is well served by public transport. For route details, see University of Sydney Public Transport Guide - PDF. Ferries service various parts of the Harbour, from Manly on the coast, inland to Parramatta. The University of Sydney is well located to take advantage of buses and is also reached by train. If you fancy a little jaunt out of the city you can catch trains and buses to the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast or the South Coast.