Parramatta climbs towards the luxury market with its first five-star hotel (and there’s more to come)

Marriott Parramatta

We’ve known that the ever-reliable QT Hotels & Resorts have earmarked their third Sydney property for the Second CBD of Parramatta for years now. And that’s still well underway. Plus, IHG hotels recently revealed plans for an InterContinental. Now another major brand is racing for Parramatta’s rising profile, with Marriott planning to open the 279-bed,

A $1.4 million adult playground has opened in Parramatta

Parramatta playground

Underneath one of Sydney’s major motorways now lies an urban park, with space to play table tennis and basketball, dance, skate and even do parkour. Junction Street Plaza officially opened on April 10, transforming 1,000 square metres of underused space under the M4 motorway. The exciting thing about this playground? It’s not aimed at children.

Sydney Comedy Festival is pulling no punches for its 20th anniversary

Sydney Comedy Festival's Gala Night

The Sydney Comedy Festival has been one of the city’s most beloved annual events since 2005, pulling over 120,000 attendees into the city’s best theatres to witness some of the world’s greatest comedians constantly rethinking the art of standup and showcasing new material. Festival director Jorge Menidis is pulling no punches for its 20th anniversary

Western Sydney set to get a $700 million snowsports resort

Winter Sports World

Work has started on an ambitious new sports centre – not any kind of sports centre but one for snow lovers. Construction has started on a huge new indoor snowsports facility which is on track to open in Penrith in 2028. The proposal to build the Winter Sports World in Sydney’s Western Suburbs was granted

Kylie Kwong to cook up a storm in Western Sydney

Kylie Kwong

After the closure of her South Eveleigh’s Lucky Kwong in June, acclaimed Australian-Chinese chef Kylie Kwong will begin her next chapter in the depths of Western Sydney. She will be co-hosting a series of six bi-monthly dinners to showcase the “deeply delicious” Indian cuisine of Harris Park. Kwong has also been brought on the board