What will be open, Xmas Day, in Sydney?

[Erebus]

I lived there many moons ago- but I don't recall what was open! Probably pissed at a BBQ on the beach - like you do at 25.

Anyway, a UK 50 year old workmate, her DH and DD, 13, fly into Sydney (from Perth so not real long-haul) late on Xmas Eve, stay in Sydney til I think the 27th. They investigated Xmas lunch/dinner at their hotel but it was AU$ 450 for the three of them(!) so she said they'd get a BBQ together and go down the beach. I suggested that'd be madness as there'd be no chance of finding an unused barbie, on the beach, at Xmas in Sydney! And they wouldn't have any 'kit', ^and the supermarkets would, I guess, be closed.

I believe all the eateries along the beachside, like Bondi, etc, will be open seeing as it's the height of the Xmas holidays, so they could eat at one of those, but a) will it be 'casual' or would you strongly recommend a booking? They won't necessarily be looking for Xmas food as such but probably 'something nice'.

If they don't go to the beach, where else? A walk in the Domain? Pity the Art Gallery will be closed!

Will the buses/ trains be running? 3 years ago we took the family to Oz to catch up with family (Qld) but spent 3 days in Sydney; we got a bus from Circular Quay to Coogee and walked up to Bondi, thence a bus back which was fab.

Anyway, they're 'walking the Bridge' the following day -but even so, I'd call them quite 'straight', if not a teensy bit prim, but maybe a week with his DB in Perth may have loosened them up a bit by Sydney!

Any thoughts welcome!

[Erebus]

I shall shamelessly bump cos the Aussie gels ain't yet up! !

[saffronwblue]

I would warn them off going to Bondi on Xmas day as full of drunken Brits .
Supermarkets unlike to be open but they may find an overpriced convenience store. Strongly recommend booking at a café somewhere nice - maybe Coogee beach or somewhere on the North Shore.

I think there will be very infrequent public transport.

[WhatWouldJoanDo]

Boxing Day is the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race so there will be some great sights along the harbour. Are they climbing the bridge? That'd be amazing if timed with the ships going out.

I think they'd struggle to get BBQ food but if they head into the city/ China town then lots of conviemce stores would be open if they wanted crisps and dips!

I would book a table. Coogee is a good idea. Or manly, if the ferry is running.

Will have a further think.

[Aussiemum78]

Trains will operate on public holiday timetable. Timetable can be found online. City rail sydney website.

Open - restaurants but usually with a booking. It might be expensive but if you could get a place with harbour views for Chrissy lunch would be very memorable.

Convenience stores, petrol stations, some tourist operators. In the CBD, you might find an open supermarket. Check the woolworths website, there is one near town hall train station.

Places for a picnic accessible by train...bondi is so touristy and overrated. Like a pp said, you could try coogee but I think that's a bus ride. Or cronulla in the south is on a train line.

A train ride to stanwell park is about an hour, you can google it. It's on the beach, surrounded by bush, has bbqs at the park you can use, the beach is patrolled. I'm biased because it's a place near where I live. Actually you could even do austinmer or thirroul - all on the same train line, station near the beach, but I don't recall if bbqs are at all three.

[Aussiemum78]

Oh but you would want to buy a picnic in Sydney, no big shops in the stanwell park area. It's very quiet.

[Aussiemum78]

www.sydney100.com/whats-open-christmas-day-sydney.htm

The zoo is open, you could do that (catch a ferry across), then head to manly for lunch. Maybe a swim at manly beach.

[SurfsUp1]

There really is very little open. Certainly worth booking $450 for 3 people for a Christmas lunch doesn't seem too bad really, so long as it's somewhere reasonably nice.
If they are staying at a good hotel maybe they could ask the hotel to arrange a picnic basket for them as an alternative?
Bondi will have the traditional orphan's christmas going on and they really don't sound like they'd fit in!!
Parsley Bay or Neilsen Park might be more up their alley?

This www.au.timeout.com/sydney/restaurants/features/12933/christmas-day-lunchesLIST of restaurants might help.

The Boathouse at Blackwattle would be a great choice if they are interested in doing a real Aussie seafood Christmas?

[Sceptimum]

Bondi will be black with drunken backpackers but most of Chinatown will be open for business as usual and Darling Harbour is a nice walk that day - lots of decorations and stuff to see without travelling too much. We had dumplings for Christmas lunch last year, cost 20 for the two of us and tasted fab.

[PossumPoo]

Scepti what does "black with drunken backpackers" even mean?!