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Budget-friendly ways to spend this mid-semester break

Make the most of your break without breaking the bank

While it’s important to use this time to catch up on some study, make sure you also find some time to relax and recharge so you’re ready to tackle the rest of semester. Here are some budget-friendly ideas for how you can spend your break. 

Explore Sydney on foot 

Whether you’ve just arrived in Sydney or have lived here all your life, it’s worth spending a day or two exploring the city on foot.

From harbourside walks, like the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, to heritage bushwalks like the Three Sisters walk in the Katoomba area of Blue Mountains National Park (two hours by train from our Camperdown campus) and Aboriginal Heritage walk in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, there's plenty to see and do while walking in Sydney. 

If you're keen to stay in the city, why not try one of Sydney's many self-guided walking tours, like in and around The Rocks or Chinatown & Haymarket.

Best of all, most walking locations in and around Sydney are only a bus or train-ride away. 

The three sisters in Katoomba, Blue Mountains National Park.

The Three Sisters in Katoomba, Blue Mountains National Park.

Enjoy our beautiful beaches 

Weather permitting, spending the day at one of Sydney’s many beautiful beaches is a relaxing and budget-friendly way to spend the break.

From popular surf spots like Bondi and Manly, to secluded ocean pockets like Milk Beach Vaucluse and Salmon Haul Reserve Cronulla, there’s a swim spot for just about everyone in Sydney. 

For those wanting to keep their beach day budget-friendly, it’s a good idea to pack your own lunch and snacks so you’re not tempted by the expensive café food by the water! 

Most beach locations in Sydney can be easily accessed by bus, ferry or train, and during the Easter long weekend (Friday 7 to Monday 10 April) there may be extra services to these locations

Bondi Beach looking towards North Bondi

Bondi Beach, Sydney.

Get some culture 

If the weather’s looking drab or you’re just keen to spend the day indoors, visiting one of Sydney’s many cultural museums and attractions is a great, cheap way to spend the day. 

For art-lovers, the Art Gallery of NSW (including their new wing, Sydney Modern), the Museum of Contemporary Art and our very own Sydney College of Arts (SCA), Verge and Tin Shed galleries are all free to enter and boast an array of art and sculpture collections.

The Australian MuseumPowerhouse Museum and our very own Chau Chak Wing Museum are also free to enter and feature interesting, ever-changing exhibitions. 

Students looking at the Impressions of Greece exhibition at the Chau Chak Wing Museum

Impressions of Greece exhibition at the Chau Chak Wing Museum, the University of Sydney.

Visit a market 

From food and produce to clothing and knick-knacks, there are a variety of different markets on offer across Sydney city and the suburbs. Best of all, they’re free to browse!  

The Sydney Fish Market in Pyrmont, Bondi Farmers Market and Cambridge Markets across Sydney are just some of the incredible food and produce markets on offer throughout the year in Sydney.

For those who are after vintage goods, Rozelle Collectors Markets and Paddy’s Swap & Sell Markets are great places to explore. 

People looking through clothing on racks and CDs through boxes at the Rozelle Collectors Markets

Rozelle Collectors Markets, Rozelle. Photograph: Anna Kucera. 

31 March 2023

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