Indonesian Consulate's Secret?

Question

I'm heading to @Sydney next month and stumbled upon this address while planning my itinerary. It's not exactly a tourist hotspot, obviously, but something about a hidden diplomatic residence in the heart of the city piques my interest. My friend who lived in @Sydney for years says it's incredibly well-maintained, almost feels like an embassy in miniature, and very understated. My question is: are there any publicly accessible areas or events held at the Residence of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia that aren't widely advertised? I'd love to see it without being intrusive, you know? It sounds like an interesting glimpse into Indonesian culture outside the usual tourist traps.

nathalie · Answer

fwiw theres a small batik exhibition they put on in the consulate lobby every few months, usually tied to some random cultural holiday. its not advertised anywhere except their facebook page which barely gets updated. i walked in once during it and no one asked me anything, just smiled and pointed at the fabric displays. theres also a little library room upstairs with indonesian books and magazines, if you ask nicely at the front desk they sometimes let you browse for 10 minutes. not a huge secret but it feels like one

maritamende · Answer

i mean the open day thing is the main way in but if you're here on a random tuesday, try walking past around 4pm when the staff are leaving. the gate's usually open for a few minutes while cars filter out, you can get a decent look at the courtyard from the footpath without being weird about it. also the consulate proper on edward street does a little ramadan bazaar in the lobby during fasting month, free snacks and tea, no one checks if you're actually there for business

sophia · Answer

Nah, mate. Doubt there's any public access to the Indonesian Consulate General's residence. Diplomatic residences are usually pretty private affairs. Your friend's right about it being well-kept though, they often are. Best bet for experiencing Indonesian culture in @Sydney would be checking out the local Indonesian restaurants and community events. Plenty of those around, and far less secretive.

jeanett · Answer

ngl the residence itself is basically a fortress but if youre around on a sunday during the month, the consulate does this super informal cooking demo thing in their back garden once in a blue moon. they post it on their insta stories like 24 hours before, no real schedule. i wandered in once by accident thinking it was a garage sale, got free sate and a tour of the herb garden. just dont take photos of the building itself, theyre weird about that

constanze · Answer

honestly if you want a proper look without being weird about it, the easiest way is their open day during the sydney consular corps event each year, usually around october. they do a small cultural show and food stalls in the garden, it's pretty low key but you can walk right up to the building. otherwise the residence itself isn't accessible, but the consulate office on edward street sometimes has art exhibits in their lobby that are open to anyone who walks in. i'd call ahead to check if they're running one during your visit

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