PRIDE of Place - Celebrating Taylor Square

Queers in Property (QIP) in partnership with Tract Consultants (Tract) and Qtopia Sydney present our first event of 2026, to lead into the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras festival season. 

Taylor Square in Darlinghurst has long been a focal point for Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community and a key venue for major events such as the Sydney Mardi Gras. Its location at the intersection of Oxford and Flinders Streets makes it a critical gateway between the CBD and the eastern suburbs.

Tract was appointed in July 2001 as the principal consultant for the comprehensive redevelopment of Taylor Square. The project aimed to transform the square into a vibrant, people-friendly hub that reflects the cultural and social identity of the area while improving functionality and safety.

Tract’s design was formally adopted by Council and embraced by the community. Construction was completed in December 2003, with the revitalised Taylor Square now serving as a dynamic public space that celebrates diversity and supports local businesses.

Together, we will celebrate the significance of Taylor Square as an iconic public place that is also Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ heart, while also building awareness regarding the need for safer and more inclusive public spaces, and strengthening existing Queer places across Sydney.

QIP is excited to partner with Tract and Qtopia Sydney to share more about the history embedded into the design of this well-known queer hub through an optional pre-event site tour and panel discussion. This event will be held in Sydney’s home of queer history and culture at the Loading Dock Theatre, Qtopia Sydney. 

Speakers:

• Julie Lee (she/her), Director of Landscape Architecture, Tract and Adjunct Associate Professor at UNSW

• Greg Fisher (he/him), CEO of Qtopia Sydney

• Lorraine Lock (she/her), Rainbow Precinct District Coordinator

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, 4th February 2026

• Time: 5.30pm – 8.30pm

• Location: The Loading Dock Theatre @Qtopia Sydney, 301 Forbes Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010

• Format: Presentation by Julie Lee (Tract), followed by a Panel Discussion (optional pre-event Taylor Square tour to commence at 5pm)

• Cost: $15

Proceeds from the tickets to this event will support Qtopia Sydney, to further their commitment to protecting, educating and enriching the history of LGBTQIA+ individuals

We look forward to seeing you there! QIP NSW x 

Acknowledgement of Country

We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land upon which the event will be held, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and their Elders past and present. We honour any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people in attendance and pay our respects to them.

Queers in Property

Queers in Property is a movement for change in the industry and hopes to create significant improvement in property and construction for LGBTQIA+ people.

Tract

Tract is a national planning and design practice specialising in town planning, urban design, landscape architecture and associated digital media.

Filming and Photography

By attending, you consent to being filmed or photographed for archival and promotional purposes. Should there be any sensitivities around this, please email hi@queersinproperty.com.au prior to the event so we can try to accommodate your privacy requirements.

Photography Credit: Brett Cornish