Welcome, listeners, to Things to Do in Sydney with your globe-trotting sports nut Oly Bennett, broadcasting from the Harbour City on Thursday 18 December 2025. Sydney’s rolling into the day warm, sunny, and buzzing with pre-Christmas energy – beaches are already filling, the CBD is sparkling with lights, and the city feels like it’s sprinting toward the holidays with a cheeky grin.
Let’s kick off with what’s on today. The Australian Ballet is wrapping up its spectacular season of The Sleeping Beauty at the Sydney Opera House, a perfect pick if you like your evenings dramatic, elegant, and very Instagrammable, according to the Australian Ballet’s own program. Over at St Mary’s Cathedral, Christmas at the Cathedral and Carols at the Cathedral are lighting up the forecourt with projections, music, and a big dose of community spirit, as covered by The Catholic Weekly and Sydney Arts Guide. Down by the water, various December events and parties are popping up around Darling Harbour and The Rocks, with guides like My Guide Sydney flagging everything from festive pop-ups to waterfront drinks.
Sydney’s mood today is a mix of celebration and reflection. Local outlets like Vatican News and NPR report that memorials and tributes continue for victims of the recent Bondi Beach mass shooting, and the city is responding with tighter proposed hate laws and visible acts of solidarity. It means some gatherings tonight, especially faith and community events, are carrying a more thoughtful, united tone than your usual silly-season chaos.
On the city updates front, Time Out Sydney is already hyping big 2026 openings, including the new Sydney Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay and major events like Tropfest and SailGP, so you may spot construction and banners around the harbour precinct and Pyrmont as the city gears up for a huge year.
Now, Oly’s playbook for your day in Sydney. Warm up with a harbour walk from Circular Quay to Barangaroo, then grab lunch at Barangaroo’s waterfront eateries. Hit Bondi or Coogee for an afternoon swim, or take the coastal walk between the two if you’re feeling sporty. Tonight, you could go classy with ballet at the Opera House, carols and light shows at St Mary’s, or something more low-key at a small bar in Surry Hills or Newtown – think craft beer, live tunes, and locals arguing about which café does the best flat white.
Local tip from your roaming sports nut: Sydneysiders treat the Opal card and contactless tap-on like a golden ticket. Tap on and off on buses, trains, light rail, and ferries, and aim for off-peak times – late morning or early afternoon – for fewer crowds and better harbour views from the ferry deck.
Before I dash off to my next weird sport obsession, a quick tease for tomorrow: more Christmas events ramping up, peak beach energy, and some seriously fun nights out as the weekend creeps closer. Join me tomorrow for more Things to Do in Sydney and maybe a surprise shout-out to one of the city’s strangest sporting pastimes.
Thanks for listening, please subscribe, and remember—this episode was brought to you by Quiet Please podcast networks. For more content like this, please go to Quiet Please dot Ai.
For more check out https://www.quietperiodplease.com/
and make sure to jump on these great deals https://amzn.to/3V0gjPt
For more on Oly check out https://www.instagram.com/olybennet/
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
