Rooms and whole venues to take over

Sails can be taken whole — 92 seated, 120 for a cocktail party — on the Lavender Bay foreshore, with the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge across the water. Seasonal Australian menus, and a considered wine list.

One side of the restaurant can be reserved on its own for 35, which keeps the main room's buzz next door. The private dining room is smaller again: 20 seated, 30 standing, with the water still in view.

The whole of Akti holds 220 seated or 300 standing, which makes it one of the largest rooms in the group and the natural choice for a party that needs room.

Half the venue can be taken instead, for 100 seated or 120 standing. The private dining room seats 28 under high ceilings, with ceramic work across the walls.

The James seats 114 with the dining room entirely yours — dark, warm, and set up so the room does most of the work. The team runs the evening from start to finish.

Short of that, the north section seats 54 and the south section, with its wicker chairs, seats 40; both stay connected to the rhythm of the room. The private dining room seats 20 and is properly separate, which suits an executive lunch or a table that needs to talk.

Exclusive hire at Chowder Bay takes 100 seated or 200 standing, in the old marine depot at Clifton Gardens with the harbour a few metres off the deck.

The AquaMine Room seats 50 or holds 100 and keeps its heritage bones on show. The White Room seats 12 — small, private, and full of the building's character.

The Gallery sits on the first floor of the 1880s boat store, seating 50 or holding 60 standing, with the current exhibition on the sandstone walls and a view that runs from Barangaroo across to the Harbour Bridge.

The light moves across the stone through the afternoon, a good reason to start early.

Ripples Watsons Bay opens in early 2027 inside the heritage-listed Dunbar House, and is taking event enquiries ahead of that. The whole top floor can be hired exclusively, with a balcony running along the harbour side.

Capacities are 110 seated, 150 for a cocktail party, 80 theatre-style or 40 in a U-shape.

Exclusive hire at Little Manly takes 60 seated or 70 standing, on the sand with the harbour in front of you. It is about as close to barefoot as an event gets in Sydney.

A section can be reserved on its own for 20, which suits a smaller group that still wants the beach.

Summer Salt takes 190 seated or 220 standing above Elouera Beach, with the ocean filling the windows and a seafood-led menu underneath it.

It also divides: the north half of the dining room seats 48, the south half 76, the bar holds 60 for a cocktail party, and the private dining room seats 14.