Oxford Street in Sydney

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Oxford Street in Sydney is located at the south east side of the CBD.

It runs from Whitlam Square in Hyde Park, through eastern city suburbs that include Darlinghurst, Paddington and Woollahra.

Oxford Street is also a major road leading to Bondi Junction and Bondi Beach.

The street is one of Sydney's nightlife strips, and is the city’s gay and lesbian capital. One of the areas major draw cards is its use as the centrepiece for the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.

Fashion shops are located along the entire length of the street, with label fashion shops located along the entire strip, and high end and label fashion shops found east of Hyde Park Barracks in Paddington.

Some boutique shops can also be found on streets leading off Oxford Street.

The area is currently going through some tough economic times.

The many cafes, restaurants and shops, which have traditionally been a feature of the area, have been closing down. Fast food shops and eateries have been replacing them, and are trying to appeal to the late night punter looking for a quick bite.

Some believe that this is the result of the Westfield Shopping complex built in Bondi Junction. Others feel that the area was overt populated with shops and restaurants, and with the economic times, something had to give.

Locals and the government realise that the area is currently undergoing change. People are grouping together and are attempting to keep the area alive and vibrant.

It will be interesting to see what happens to Oxford Street over the next few years.

How to get to Oxford Street in Sydney

Oxford Street is easily accessed from the CBD:

• Walk - It takes no more than 5 to 20 minutes depending on your starting location
• Train - Museum and St James City Rail train stations are located in Hyde Park, and are a five minute walk from Oxford Street
• Bus - Regular Sydney buses services run along Oxford Street from the city to eastern suburbs and eastern suburbs.

The Oxford Street Vibe

In the daytime Oxford Street is a cosmopolitan area, with people busy shopping, eating, drinking and generally mooching about. If you’re lucky you may see some pretty interesting characters.

When evening arrives, people are still eating, drinking and mooching. Some shops remain open late hoping to catch a few more sales.

Later in the evening nightclubs open, sex shop lights light up, and the punters come out. The bars fill up, night clubbers are looking for a place to get down, more of those mind-broadening characters come out to play, the roads are busy and police sirens are not generally too far away.

It's all good though, just keep a positive attitude out there, and all should be okay.

Points of Interest and Annual Events

Points of Interest

Taylor Square marks the middle of Oxford Street. It is where two major roads converge.

Famous pubs and clubs surround the square including Arq, Kinselas and The Courthouse.

Victoria Barracks is a Regency-styled army base in Sydney where the Headquarters Land Command and Headquarters Training Command of the Australian Army is located. The Army Museum of NSW is open Thursday from 10am to 12.30pm and Sunday from 10.00am to 3.30pm.

Centennial Park is located at the eastern end and signifies the end of Oxford Street. Located in the suburb of Randwick, the park is a massive public space and draws the community for all types of outdoor activities.

Paddington Reservoir Gardens is where you can find a restored Victorian reservoir that is now a sunken garden and rooftop reserve. The eastern chamber has been left empty for the wall art projects.

Annual Events

The biggest event on the Oxford Street calendar is the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Taking place every March the parade runs the length of Oxford Street with gay and lesbian feature floats, and parade goers of any sexuality, celebrating sexual orientation, and the issues and challenges surrounding such things.

Centennial Park is a location for annual and special events including music and sporting festivals, charity events and an open-air summer time theatre.

Click here for more information about Sydney Parks

Oxford Street Cinemas

Two Palace Cinemas operate on Oxford Street. The Verona Cinema and Bar and the Chauvel Cinema and Bar.

The Ford Moonlight Open Aired Cinema runs from November to February at the Belvedere Amphitheatre in Centennial Park.

Click here for more information about Sydney cinema

Oxford Street Shops

Oxford Street has an abundance of shops selling everything from music, fashion, home wares, and adult shops.

Paddington Market takes place every Saturday, and is focused with selling goods from Australia.

Click here for more information about Sydney markets

Oxford Street Nightlife

Oxford Street is home to many popular bar and nightclubs, many of which have become synonymous with the area.

Pubs and Bars

Popular pubs located closer to the CBD include The Burdekin Hotel, Exchange Hotel and Beauchamp Hotel.

The Fringe Bar and Q Bar are also popular bars that have been operating in the area for as long as I can remember.

Nightclubs on Oxford Street

The most popular nightclubs along Oxford Street include the gay and mixed clubs: Columbian, Stonewall Hotel and Arq.

Kinselas is a bar/pub/nightclub with a few levels that has been part of the scene for many years.

And Slide Cabaret and Bar offers something a little different, with cabaret shows.

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