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Hey everyone! Sean here. So my sister went to an underground rave in Sydney recently and I decided to let her write a guest post about it!
Let me know in the comments below what you think about these type of posts!
Sydney has a reputation for having horrible nightlife… You often hear young people say:
- “Go to Melbourne”
- “The Lock Out Laws Ruined Everything”
- “Kings Cross is nothing like it used to be”.
It’s true to an extent — on a Friday or Saturday night, Sydney’s city business district (CBD) can feel surprisingly quiet. However, beneath the surface, a thriving underground rave scene is alive and well. If you’re into techno music — from drum and bass, trance, and experimental, to hardstyle, funk, and synth — Sydney offers a hidden world of music, energy, and late nights.
🎉Key Details
📍 Location: The location drops on the night! Once you buy a ticket, the organisers of the event will message you the secret location.
🚗 Getting There: This particular rave was in Kensington. Uber was the primary form of transport.
🎟️ Ticket Price: $15 – Tickets can be purchased online or on the night at the door.
🥤Drinks: BRING YOUR OWN (BYO). There were no options to purchase drinks.
📲 How to find an underground rave
I find all my raves on Instagram: This particular rave was hosted by an account called “Altera” and their Instagram handle is altera.____
🔊 The Rave
It took me approximately 5 to 10 minutes to walk down to the rave. Due to its secret location, the venue was slightly hard to find and required me getting out my iphone torch and bush bashing through some shrubs. Once I arrived there, the organisers had my name ready and I entered!
Upon entering, I discovered multiple rooms and different spaces to hang out.
There were empty saunas where you could relax away from the music, and unused spas where you could sit and chat with friends.
💃🏻 The Dance Floor and the Music
The dance floor was set up inside an emptied-out pool, with people dancing both in and around it. I was at the rave from 11:30 pm until 3:00 am and saw three different DJs perform. The music leaned towards experimental techno — definitely on the more hardcore side.
For context, I’m not a huge techno fan. I don’t usually listen to that style of music in my day-to-day life; my playlists are mostly filled with pop and R&B. But here’s the thing — you don’t need to love techno to have a good time. I was still able to dance, vibe with the beat, and enjoy the night with friends.
Despite not being into the music itself, I genuinely have a great time at raves and it’s a great opportunity to make new friends and to create unique and long lasting memories.
🦺 Safety Concerns
One criticism I had was that the venue was very dark, which made it feel somewhat unsafe — especially for anyone under the influence. I’m on a keto diet due to being prone to diabetes, so I don’t drink much alcohol. I made sure to use my iPhone torch and stay alert, which helped me move through the space safely.
The organisers were very attentive and quick to respond when needed. For example, my friend accidentally broke a wine bottle, and the organisers immediately cleaned up the area to make sure no one stepped on broken glass.
As for the venue itself, there was no running water — though they did provide plenty of drinking water stations. There wasn’t water available for the toilets or for washing hands, but they were upfront about that when we purchased tickets. I came prepared with hand sanitiser and tissues. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by the toilet situation. They had installed new toilets, provided toilet paper, and despite the grungy exterior, the facilities were impressively clean.
🎇 Final Thoughts
Overall, this rave was a genuinely fun and memorable night out with friends — and at just $15 a ticket, it was absolutely worth it for the price point.
One of the best parts? You save so much money by bringing your own drinks. With a relaxed BYO policy, we were able to carry in everything we needed without hassle.
Despite a few drawbacks like low lighting and no running water, the atmosphere, the energy, and the uniqueness of the venue more than made up for it. Whether you’re a die-hard techno fan or just someone looking for a different kind of night out, this event was a glimpse into what Sydney’s underground rave scene has to offer.
I’ll definitely be going to more raves in the future — and leave a comment below if you are interested in a full guide for Sydney’s rave scene.