By Marium Tariq

Scavenger Hunts in Sydney

Sydney is considered one of the most fascinating and lovely cities around the world. A gorgeous city with a blend of cultures, full of tourism hot spots and must-see places, and so much more to offer such as the spectacular harbour bridge, famous beaches, world-class theatres, museums, art galleries, great shopping, and restaurants featuring amazing cuisines from around the world. When it comes to visiting Sydney it can be a little overwhelming trying to narrow down the sights to see and attractions to visit. It’s a a city of iconic landmarks and stunning beaches but also a full of hidden gems that even locals don’t know about.

In this article we’ll explore the best Scavenger Hunts you can choose to play in Sydney. Get ready to explore Sydney Botanic Garden’s beauty and history, or crack cryptic clues to uncover Bondi Beach’s secrets and hidden gems. 

Dive into Newtown’s vibrant street art scene, or become a secret agent and navigate Sydney’s hidden laneways.  

Or you can also help save rare plants from the Mad Botanist at the Botanic Gardens, and take a journey back to the roaring 20s in King’s Cross. 

Which adventure will you choose? Let’s find out more…

Bloomin’ Botanic Gardens Sydney 

Ready to leave the city behind? Explore the spectacular Sydney Botanic Garden and its untold stories. This self-guided cryptic adventure meanders through the gardens and lets you look past its apparent beauty. 

Sydney Botanic Garen was opened in 1816, which makes it the oldest scientific institution in Australia. Initially, it started as a garden area near Hyde Park in Sydney, but now it has become an archive of threatened and rare species in Australia. Next to the Botanic Garden, you can find the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney central business district, it also gives a beautiful panoramic view of the city skyline and Sydney Harbour. 

But the Garden offers more than just flowers! It’s also a place to learn about Aboriginal heritage. The “Cadi Jam Ora” exhibit showcases the deep connection Aboriginal people have with this land. The Garden is split into four sections, each with its special charm: the lower gardens, the middle gardens, and more!

Bondi Beauty 

Surf’s officially up as we bring you an exciting adventure around the famous Bondi Beach. Our team brings you the inside scoop on the what’s what and who’s who of Bondi Beach. Can you solve the 14 clues? 

Our Bondi Beach experts will lead you on a secret adventure. Solve clues, walk the coast with crashing waves, and find hidden art, Aboriginal carvings, and the perfect coffee spot with a view. See real Bondi life skaters, surfers, and beachside workouts. 

Explore Bondi’s streets for delicious eats and trendy drinks. No swimsuit is needed, just your brainpower. Grab your friends, protect yourselves from the sun, and get ready for a Bondi adventure.   

Newtown – Adventure Into The Alternative 

Prepare yourself for an adventure in Sydney’s coolest borough. Uncover the coolest spots in town as you meander along King Street and then off the hidden path to explore funky street artworks and areas you never knew existed. 

What’s special about Newtown? Newtown is famous for its murals. It all started in the 1980s when two artists painted a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. mural without permission.  Everyone loved it, and it became Australia’s most photographed street art.

Surprisingly, the town council loved it too, so they started a program to connect property owners with artists to create more murals.  Pretty cool, right? 

Secret Sydney – Explore Sydney’s Hidden Laneways 

Assigned as private detectives, your mission is to try and solve the 14 clues to discover Sydney’s hidden streets. Taking you past secret speakeasies and street art vibes… this is not your average treasure hunt!

This challenge is no cakewalk!  You’ll discover the history hiding in Sydney’s oldest alleyways, built around a forgotten stream.

Locals are even surprised by these hidden gems! Can you crack the code and reach the finish line? We’ll show you your detective stats and explain all the cool sights you found.

Ready for a secret Sydney adventure? Accept the mission!

The Mad Botanist – Botanic Gardens Trail For Kids 

Clue hunters, we need you! The Mad Botanist has just escaped from his secret laboratory nearby. He needs one final ingredient to create a deadly plant species never seen before on Earth. Can you stop him? 

Professor Whiz needs YOU to find the missing piece and stop the Mad Botanist! Solve clues on a tricky adventure through the Botanic Gardens.

It’ll be a fun challenge for the whole family! Learn cool facts and enjoy a scenic walk – what are you waiting for?

The X – Fierce Nights & Neon Lights 

Time travel back to the underworld of the 1920’s and 30’, a time when the rebellious crime lords and ladies ran King’s Cross. By solving the 13 cryptic clues in this area, you’ll follow in the footsteps of Kate and Tilly Devine. 

But it’s not all danger!  Get lost in the trendy bohemian scene, admire Victorian houses, and grab a bite on a hidden foodie path.

End your adventure in a dimly-lit speakeasy (we recommend one!).  Fancy a martini and a taste of history?  Grab your best flapper dress or fedora and get ready for an unforgettable (or maybe forgettable?) adventure!

Unlock The Rocks – Discover Australia’s Most Historic Area

The colorful characters of The Rocks’ past come alive on this trail of discovery as they challenge you to uncover the interesting backstories of this important area. Your mission is to solve the 13 cryptic clues.

This adventure brings The Rocks’ incredible history to life.  Stroll hidden alleys, mysterious courtyards, and even Sydney’s shortest street!  Just watch out for the mischievous Rocks Push gang.

We’ll also point you to 3 great spots for refreshments along the way.  Crack the code, reach the finish, and get your detective stats and a history lesson all in one! Ready to unlock The Rocks’ secrets?  Take the challenge! 

Adventure Clues for Team Building Activities

Office Events, Friend Hangouts, Parties, And Dates: There’s something for everyone…

Mates, dates, or work colleagues… scavenger hunts are fun for every occasion. Here are just a few possibilities where you can turn an ordinary experience into an out-of-this-world one:

Corporate Team Building Ideas:

Team building activities should be fun and fulfil the purpose. What’s a better way to get your crew to work together and bond than over a team-building scavenger hunt?

Plus, with the option to customise trails and teams, you get to tailor the entire day to your needs and preferences. Add as many team members as you like, put up content of your liking, use videos and photos from your colleagues or superiors, and solve riddles in a location of your choosing.

Sydney team building doesn’t get any more fun than this! 

Parties:

Whether it’s a bucks and hens or a birthday bash, parties are more fun when they are spent searching for clues together. 

And the best part is: the riddles are just the right level of difficulty that they are suitable for people of all ages!

PR event:

Wanna get the word out about your business? Let’s have the media personnel hunt clues and solve riddles together so they won’t stop talking about your event for ages!

Kids’ day-out:

Turn a day of teaching into a fun one! The exciting riddles and fun clues mix Sydney’s history lessons and adventure to make many memories.

How does our Scavenger hunt of Sydney work?

Explore Syndey like never before when you play detectives among its lesser-known spots. Here’s how you can expect your Sydney scavenger hunt to go by:

• Book a trail: Choose from the multiple exciting locations available on our website. Or you could go PRO and make your own trail!

• Check your emails: Team captains receive details, instructions, and links for each player. They’ll forward these details to their team members.

• Get to the location: On D-Day, reach the starting spot as communicated to you earlier. On your mobile app, press “Play” to start the hunt.

• Solve clues: You’ll get clues for each location you reach that you can solve using your surroundings. If a riddle gets too tricky, you can always use a hint at the expense of some points off your scoreboard.

• Keep scores: It’s time to get a little competitive! With a scoreboard and game rules, you can crown a winner in the end. You can even compare your live score with other teams in a head-to-head leaderboard.

• Learn while you explore: With multiple fun facts and interesting backstories, you can learn about each spot’s history, significance, and other unmissable details… while having the time of your life! 

A Sneak peek into what you can expect to see

Here is a round-up of some of the most exciting places you can expect to see on your scavenger hunt:

• I have a dream mural – Newtown

Newtown Street is famous for its artworks and murals by various artists. I Have A Dream mural by Aiken and Pryor is the most photographed artwork in the lane and features Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, the famous American civil rights activist. 

• Royal Botanic Garden Sydney – Bloomin’ Botanic and Mad Botanist

The Royal Botanic Garden or RGB is more of a wonder than a garden. With an iconic location beside the Sydney Harbour and Sydney Opera House, this 74-acre garden offers the perfect amalgamation of native and overseas flora and fauna. 

• Forgotten Songs – Secret Sydney

Discover what it “heard” like to live in Sydney before the Europeans arrived. With this permanent artwork in Angel’s Place, you get to be bewitched by 180 empty birdcages and a soundtrack paying homage to Australia’s ancestral birds.

FAQ’s

How do I book?

1. Choose Your Adventure
2. Select the add to cart button at the right of page. 
3. Fill in your details on the checkout page. 
4. Click place order and enter your payment details. Voila!

How long is the play link valid for?

The trail link is valid for 6 months from the day of purchase.

How do I start the trail?

We send the team captain an email. This includes you and your team members unique play links along with instructions. Make sure to forward the email to all team members. Click on the link and the game opens in your browser immediately. No downloads required.

Can I book and play the same day?

You can take extra breaks or come back to your route at anytime. Just continue from where you left off at your own convenience. Handy if the heaven’s decide to open! Your team clock will still be ticking, but not everything’s a race! You can take extra breaks or come back to your route at anytime. Just continue from where you left off at your own convenience. Handy if the heaven’s decide to open! Your team clock will still be ticking, but not everything’s a race!

Can we take part as separate teams?

Yes, this is one of the best ways to enjoy Adventure Clues and challenge your friends. Select add another team at checkout. To best enjoy we recommend a maximum of four players per team and that you stagger your start time by 5-10 minutes so you don’t overlap. Of course, you can organise to all meet up halfway at the rest break location for a drink.

Do I need to bring anything?

Bring along a pen and paper as it can be useful to solve some of the anagram clues. We also recommend you bring some water on hot days.

Does receiving the clues cost money?

It won’t cost you any more than it normally does to use your mobile phone data 🙂

Can you play on two phones?

Yes, you will need to add an additional team at checkout with their team name and mobile number.

What if the app isn’t working?

Just in case, you can give us a call or send us an email to support@adventureclues.com