Taylor Swift’s sightseeing tour in Australia’s famous harbour city
Taylor Swift’s getting to know the harbour city, twice visiting Sydney Zoo in the city’s west and dining in popular hotspots after her boyfriend Travis Kelce jetted in to see the sights by her side
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Singing megastar Taylor Swift has hit the harbour city* in style – making the most of all Sydney has to offer with her entourage*, including two trips to the zoo and dinner at a luxe* Crown Towers* restaurant.
Taylor’s NFL Super Bowl champion* boyfriend, Travis Kelce, landed in Sydney on Thursday to join his mega popstar girlfriend for the final leg of her Australian tour. The American sportsman, 34, boarded a private jet on Wednesday and travelled from Los Angeles to Hawaii before continuing to Sydney.
Swift then visited Sydney Zoo in western Sydney for the second time in as many days, returning with Kelce just hours after he touched down.
Swift was seen wearing a pink top and blue denim shorts while walking hand-in-hand with her boyfriend around the zoo in Eastern Creek.
The power couple were seen leaving Crown in Barangaroo in a Lamborghini behind three black Range Rovers, just before 5pm on a beautiful sunny Thursday afternoon, with the temperature hitting 30 degrees.
On Wednesday, Taylor and her entourage boarded a cavalcade* of black SUVs* to drive out to Accor Stadium for a soundcheck* during one of her days off.
After an hour, the convoy* returned to Crown, where she is staying in the $38,000-a-night Presidential Villa* on the 88th floor.
Taylor also made her first visit to Sydney Zoo on Wednesday evening, with her entourage and dancers. Swift was seen walking through the Australia zone of the zoo and peering into the Tasmanian devil enclosure* before spotting other native animals, snapping a photo of one of her companions posing in front of the exhibit.
But a trip to see some of Australia’s native fauna wasn’t the end of Swift’s itinerary on Wednesday.
The Karma singer and her pals were also seen arriving at top Japanese restaurant Nobu, inside Crown Towers Sydney.
On Tuesday night, she also stunned fans with dinner at Surry Hills Italian restaurant Pellegrino 2000 with fellow singer Sabrina Carpenter.
Her visit is expected to generate an extra $130 million for the NSW economy and ensure Pellegrino 2000 will be booked out by Swifties for 18th and 21st birthdays at “Taylor’s table” for the next decade.
Taylor Swift fever has well and truly taken over Sydney Olympic Park ahead of the pop star’s weekend shows, with thousands of fans rushing to snap up official concert merchandise*.
Queues lasting several hours formed at Accor Stadium on Wednesday as Eras Tour merchandise officially went on sale.
Fifteen-year-old sisters Abbey and Lucy Grey, from Waverley, snagged a hoodie and t-shirt each.
“We lined up for about two-and-a-half hours and got exactly what we wanted ... and would do it again without hesitation,” Lucy said.
Taylor Swift fans are anticipated to spend an average of $1300, covering expenses like tickets, travel, accommodation and merchandise, academics have estimated.
Black and Beige T-shirts sell for $65, with hoodies selling for a whopping $120. The popular tour tote bag retails for $50, and a bracelet also costs $50.
POLL
GLOSSARY
- harbour city: a city located near a harbour, often used to refer to Sydney
- entourage: a group of people who accompany and support someone, such as friends, assistants, or bodyguards
- luxe: luxurious or high-end
- Crown Towers: a luxury hotel and resort brand
- Super Bowl champion: a player who has won the championship game in American football
- convoy: a group of vehicles travelling together, especially for protection
- SUV: abbreviation for "sport utility vehicle", a type of car designed for off-road travel
- soundcheck: a rehearsal or test of audio equipment and sound levels before a performance
- cavalcade: a formal procession or parade
- presidential villa: a luxurious accommodation typically reserved for heads of state or VIP guests
- footage: recorded video material
- enclosure: an area that is closed off or surrounded by barriers
- merchandise: goods or products that are bought and sold, often related to a particular brand or event
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QUICK QUIZ
- Where is Taylor Swift staying in Sydney?
- Where did Taylor and her entourage go during their visit to Sydney?
- What kind of clothing did Taylor wear during her visit to the zoo?
- What type of merchandise was available for sale at the Eras Tour concert?
- How much money are Taylor Swift fans expected to spend on average during her concert tour?
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Are you serious?
"A pop star’s visit to Sydney is not a serious news story." Do you agree with this statement? Write paragraphs that explain your opinion and are convincing.
Time: allow at least 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Economics
2. Extension
Think about all of the different jobs that are needed to make a concert tour like Taylor Swift’s happen. Don’t just think about the performers, think about everything that needs to be done to create the spectacular shows, move everything, look after everyone, make sure everything works and happens on time - from staging, transport, even the business side! Write a list of as many jobs as you can think of.
Time: allow at least 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Careers
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.