Sydney Writers’ Festival's main precinct is at Walsh Bay. This comprises venues at Pier 4/5, Pier 2/3 and the Roslyn Packer Theatre at Walsh Bay.
Events are also held at venues throughout the city, and in suburban Sydney and regional NSW.
Detailed information on how to get to venues is available from individual event pages.
Visit transportnsw.info to plan your trip to our venues.
Walsh Bay Festival Precinct
TRAVELLING TO WALSH BAY
TRAIN AND FERRY
The closest train station and ferry terminal is Circular Quay, about a 15-minute walk from the Walsh Bay precinct. From Circular Quay, walk down George Street and turn right on Hickson Road. Follow Hickson Road under the Harbour Bridge and around past the Pier One Sydney Harbour hotel to the Festival precinct.
BUS
The 311 bus stops at Towns Place and Hickson Road, Walsh Bay. The 324 and 325 buses terminate in Hickson Road, Walsh Bay.
SYDNEY WRITERS’ FESTIVAL SHUTTLE BUS
PLEASE NOTE: Due to George Street and Vivid Sydney road closures, the Sydney Writers’ Festival shuttle bus will depart from Wynyard only in 2017, not from Circular Quay as in previous years.
From Thursday May 25 –Sunday May 28, the Sydney Writers’ Festival shuttle bus will run a return service from Wynyard Station to the Festival precinct at Walsh Bay. Look out for one of our friendly Volunteers (with a Sydney Writers’ Festival banner) on York Street, who will direct you to the nearby pick-up point.
Buses are wheelchair accessible and depart approximately every 15 minutes between 9am and 6.15pm from York Street outside Wynyard Station. The first stop is opposite Roslyn Packer Theatre, and the second stop is outside Pier 4/5. Buses then return directly to Wynyard Station. The last scheduled service returning to Wynyard Station departs from Walsh Bay at 6.15pm. The cost is $1 one way on the SWF shuttle bus. As this is a charter service, Opal Cards are not accepted.
BICYCLES
Bicycle parking is provided under the awning on Pier 2.
PARKING
While on-street metered parking is available in Walsh Bay, we recommend parking at Bond Store One (26 Hickson Road); Barangaroo Point Car Park (entry via Hickson Rd); or Barangaroo Reserve Car Park (entry via Towns Place).
ROAD CLOSURES
The light rail construction scheme along George Street will impact journeys to the Sydney CBD and Walsh Bay. Please visit mysydney.nsw.gov.au for the latest information and to plan your trip.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPTIONS
There are many food options in the Walsh Bay Precinct from May 25 - May 28, from the Walsh Bay Kitchen at the Roslyn Packer Theatre to our hosted pop-up food options in the Pier 2/3 foyer between Main Stage and Club Stage. At 5.30pm each night the Pier 2/3 Curiosity Stage evolves into The Hemingway Bar, home to our late night sessions, Talking ’Til Late and Netflix and Chill.
Walsh Bay Venues
Roslyn Packer Theatre
22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
Roslyn Packer Theatre
Richard Wherrett Studio
Pier 4/5
Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
Bangarra Studio Theatre
Sydney Dance 1
Sydney Dance 2
Sydney Dance Viewing Lounge
Sydney Dance Lounge
Philharmonia Studio
The Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf
Wharf 2
Theatre Pier 2/3
Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
Main Stage
Club Stage
The Loft
Curiosity Stage
The Hemingway Bar
Other City Venues
ABC TV Studios
700 Harris Street, Ultimo
City Recital Hall
2–12 Angel Place, Sydney
Customs House
31 Alfred Street, Sydney
Giant Dwarf
199 Cleveland St, Redfern
Knox St Bar
21 Shepherd Street, Chippendale
Museum of Contemporary Art
140 George Street, The Rocks
Science House, NYU Sydney
157–161 Gloucester Street, Sydney
State Library of NSW
Macquarie Street, Sydney
Sydney Jewish Museum
148 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst
Sydney Town Hall
483 George Street, Sydney
Suburban and Regional Venues
ASHFIELD
Ashfield Town Hall
BELROSE
Glen Street Theatre
BLACKTOWN
Blacktown City Max Webber Library
BROOKVALE
Warringah Mall Library
CAMDEN
Ferguson Gallery, Camden Civic Centre
CAMPBELLTOWN
Campbelltown HJ Daley Central Library
CASTLE HILL
Pioneer Room - Castle Hill Library and Community Centre
CHATSWOOD
Chatswood Library on the Concourse
The Concourse Concert Hall
DOUBLE BAY
Woollahra Library at Double Bay
GORDON
Ku-ring-gai Library (Gordon Library)
GRANVILLE
Granville Town Hall
HORNSBY
Hornsby Central Library
HURSTVILLE
Hurstville Library
KOGARAH
Kogarah Library and Cultural Centre
MANLY
Manly Library
PARRAMATTA
Parramatta Artists Studios
Riverside Theatres, Parramatta
PENRITH
Penrith City Library
RYDE
Ryde Library
WINDSOR
Hawkesbury Library
WOLLONGONG
Wollongong Art Gallery
Sydney Writers’ Festival offers dynamic access to the Festival to regional audiences by streaming in arts centres, libraries and writers' groups across the country through the Live and Local program.