About Sydney Gems

If you're planning to visit Sydney for a few days, unfortunately, this website is not for you. This is not a tourist guide. The City of Sydney website will probably do a far better job than I would.

This website is for all those lucky people who call Sydney home.

Sydney Gems is about the mostly unknown treasures found in this beautiful city. It's also about enjoying the better things in life, but not having to pay the world for it.

And for those new to the city, it's hopefully like a good friend who have lived in the city for a longer time telling you where the best things can be found.

About me

I first moved to Australia from Singapore in 2000 to pursue a BA in Communication. My uni was located in a small town called Cooranbong (population: 5000), which was quite a shock to the system for a girl who grew up in a big city (population: four million).

During my uni years, I would make infrequent trips to Sydney, which mostly reminded me of home, only prettier. A few years later, I thankfully survived the culture shock, gleefully graduated and promptly moved to the United Kingdom.

To cut a long story short, I returned to Australia in 2005, but planted roots in Sydney instead. There weren't going to be any more small towns for this city girl. When I'm not working in my day job in publishing, I like to explore the city. I enjoy new experiences, I like finding Sydney's hidden nooks but most of all, I like finding a great bargain.

And after having relocated several times, I know what it's like to feel completely lost in a new city. So while part of the adventure of moving to a new place is about discovering new things, having a friend point you in the right direction is always appreciated.

So I hope Sydney Gems will help newcomers settle right into this amazing city and for those of you who have been living here for a while, perhaps it will help you uncover something you never knew about!

Enjoy.

Melody

PS: If you have a gem you want others to know about, email me!