Boxing Day 2026 is a Saturday, and Sydney fills it with three traditions: the 1 pm start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on the harbour, the Boxing Day sales in the city centre and Boxing Day Raceday at Royal Randwick. This guide covers all three, the free vantage points you can reach by train and ferry, and where to stay: Marco Polo Motor Inn Sydney in Summer Hill, with free secured parking and rooms from $140.
Boxing Day 2026 in Sydney
Boxing Day, 26 December, is a public holiday in New South Wales, and because it falls on a Saturday in 2026, Monday 28 December is an additional public holiday, giving Sydney a four-day Christmas weekend.
Trains, ferries and light rail run to public holiday timetables. From Summer Hill station, 400 m from the motel, the city is about 15 to 20 minutes away.
The Sydney to Hobart start, 1 pm on the harbour
The 81st Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts at 1 pm on Saturday 26 December 2026 from start lines off Nielsen Park, with more than 100 yachts on the 628 nautical mile course to Hobart. The fleet runs east down the harbour, turns at the Heads and heads south along the coast, so the best free views are from the headlands on the eastern harbour and at the harbour entrance. Transport for NSW keeps an exclusion zone on the water for boats from 12 pm to 2.20 pm.
Arrive by late morning, bring a hat, sunscreen and a picnic, and stay an hour after the gun to watch the fleet clear the Heads under spinnaker.
- South Head and The Gap, Watsons Bay: ferry from Circular Quay to Watsons Bay, then a short walk
- Nielsen Park, Vaucluse Point and Steele Point: beside the start lines, on the Watsons Bay side of the harbour
- Bradleys Head: ferry from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo wharf, then about 1.4 km along the foreshore track
- Chowder Bay, Georges Heights and Middle Head: the north shore headlands listed by Transport for NSW as vantage points
- North Head: ferry to Manly, then up to the headland lookouts for the fleet turning south
- Mrs Macquaries Point and the Royal Botanic Garden foreshore: the fleet in its first minutes after the gun, with the Opera House in the frame
Boxing Day sales in the city
Boxing Day is the one restricted trading day on which all NSW shops may open, and the city centre makes the most of it. Pitt Street Mall, Westfield Sydney, the Queen Victoria Building and the Strand Arcade open for extended hours, in recent years from around 8.30 am until 9 pm, with the Christmas lights still up overhead.
Take the train to Town Hall for the QVB and Pitt Street Mall, or St James and Martin Place for the northern end of the mall.
Boxing Day Raceday at Royal Randwick and the cricket
The Australian Turf Club's calendar lists Boxing Day Races at Royal Randwick on Saturday 26 December 2026, with gates opening around midday and racing through the afternoon. The ATC describes it as one of the biggest days on the Randwick calendar, with DJs and live entertainment around the course. From the motel, take the train to Central and the L2 light rail towards Randwick, which stops beside the racecourse.
Sydney's Test match comes a little later: the Sydney Test, Australia v New Zealand, runs from Monday 4 to Friday 8 January 2027 at the SCG, with play from 10.30 am each day.
Getting there and back from Summer Hill
Summer Hill station is a four to five minute walk from the motel on the T2 Inner West & Leppington line. Trains reach Central in about 15 minutes and Town Hall, Martin Place, Wynyard and Circular Quay in about 15 to 20 minutes on the public holiday timetable. Circular Quay is the ferry hub for Watsons Bay, Taronga Zoo and Manly.
Ferries fill quickly before the start, so aim to be at Circular Quay by 11 am. Leave the car in the motel's free secured car park; parking at the headlands is paid.
Where to stay for Boxing Day 2026
Marco Polo Motor Inn Sydney is an independent 3.5-star motel at 42-44 Parramatta Road, Summer Hill, about 6.5 km west of the city centre. Every booking includes one free secured undercover parking spot, free unlimited Wi-Fi and free Purezza premium water refills. Reception is open 24 hours a day, check-in is from 2 pm and check-out by 10 am. Rooms range from single and queen to deluxe and family rooms sleeping up to five, each with a fridge, microwave, kettle and toaster.
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (24, 25 and 26 December 2026) are from $225 a night. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, plus public holidays such as Monday 28 December, are from $200, Monday to Thursday nights are from $140 and New Year's Eve is from $300. There is no restaurant on site; Summer Hill's cafes and restaurants are a short walk away. Booking direct on the website or by phone on 02 8880 8320 gets the best rate with no booking fees.
Why guests choose us
Boxing Day from Summer Hill
- Sydney to Hobart start at 1 pm, free from the headlands
- Ferries from Circular Quay to Watsons Bay, Taronga and Manly
- Boxing Day sales at Pitt Street Mall and the QVB
- Boxing Day Raceday at Royal Randwick
- One free secured undercover parking spot per booking
- Boxing Day night from $225, 28 December from $200
Gallery
A look around & nearby
Photos: Sydney-Hobart by Paul Balfe, CC BY 2.0; Randwick Racecourse Track by J Bar, CC BY-SA 3.0; Queen Elizabeth II Grandstand, Royal Randwick Racecourse by Simon_sees, CC BY 2.0
Coming up over Christmas and New Year
- Rise Against1 Dec 2026 · Sydney Opera House - Forecourt
- James Blake2 Dec 2026 · Sydney Opera House - Forecourt
- FORMA pres. SIX60 & SUB-TRIBE - Darling Harbour, Tumbalong Park4 Dec 2026 · Tumbalong Park
- Randwick Twilight Christmas Festival4 Dec 2026 · Royal Randwick Racecourse
- Wolf Alice | Australian Tour 20264 Dec 2026 · Sydney Opera House - Forecourt
- 2026/27 WS Wanderers A League Season (v Perth Glory)5 Dec 2026 · CommBank Stadium
- FORMA pres. Hoodoo Gurus 'Rewind' Tour - Darling Harbour, Tumbalong Park5 Dec 2026 · Tumbalong Park
- Ministry of Sound Summer Dance Festival - Sydney5 Dec 2026 · The Domain
Frequently asked questions
What time does the Sydney to Hobart start on Boxing Day 2026?
The race starts at 1 pm on Saturday 26 December 2026 from start lines off Nielsen Park on Sydney Harbour, and an exclusion zone for boats applies from 12 pm to 2.20 pm.
Where can I watch the Sydney to Hobart start for free?
South Head and The Gap at Watsons Bay, Nielsen Park, Bradleys Head, Chowder Bay, Middle Head and North Head are the headland vantage points, all free and reachable by ferry from Circular Quay plus a walk.
Are shops open on Boxing Day in Sydney?
Yes. Boxing Day is the restricted trading day on which all NSW shops may open, and Pitt Street Mall, Westfield Sydney, the QVB and the Strand Arcade run extended sale hours, in recent years from around 8.30 am to 9 pm.
Is there racing at Randwick on Boxing Day 2026?
Yes. The Australian Turf Club lists Boxing Day Races at Royal Randwick on Saturday 26 December 2026, with gates around midday and racing through the afternoon.
How much is the motel on Boxing Day 2026?
Boxing Day, along with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, is from $225 a night with one free secured parking spot included. Monday 28 December is a public holiday night from $200, and Monday to Thursday nights are from $140.
Book online here
Book your Boxing Day in Sydney
Rooms from $225 on Boxing Day with free secured parking, 24-hour reception and trains to the harbour, the sales and the races.