The Australian habit that surprises tourists

October 13, 2026 — 4:00am

I didn’t have a term for it until this week, but I’ve discovered I’m a “First Light” person.

That means I’m awake and moving around when light first breaks in the sky, when the sun is still below the horizon.

Now that we’re in daylight saving time, that means I’m up before 6am; in winter, it can be closer to 5am. It’s not intentional – I’d rather linger in a warm bed for a while – but that’s the way my body clock works.

The best part of the day is the early morning. I don’t know how people can miss it.

Recently, I was chatting to an overseas visitor who commented on how early people in Sydney get up, spend time exercising, then stop by cafes for a quick double-shot latte before they go to work.

I think this is true of most of the east coast, certainly places with a warmer climate (I’m not sure it’s a Hobart thing). This tourist was astounded by it, especially the activity at all the cafes so early in the day.

It’s something I’d noticed about Los Angeles over the years, which has become almost a cliche: fitness- and body-obsessed people up at the crack of dawn, out and about in the fresh air, jogging, lifting weights and doing gymnastics.

But I’d never noticed it about my own city. I think, to a certain degree, it’s a recent phenomenon, as people have become more educated about wellness and the importance of moving. While the fitness fanatics always got up early and went for a run or to the gym, other mortals eased their exercise into their week, if at all.

These days, scientific evidence couldn’t be clearer about the benefits of regular exercise, so people are counting their steps and lifting weights. The advantages of doing it outside in fresh air include not having to pay for gym membership, and the advantage of doing it early means you can start the day feeling virtuous.

I live on a big city park, so when I have my first coffee, I’m watching streams of people, even on weekdays, jogging past my window for their morning run. During COVID, so many people took on dogs for company that the morning dog walk has become its own phenomenon.

I hear miniature schnauzers yapping the same time the cockatoos start screeching. It’s pretty wonderful, in fact.

Our tourist authorities have taken notice. Sally Loane, the chair of Destination NSW, says the early morning exercise rush in Sydney is “massive”.

“We call it First Light because Sydney is actually the first city in the world to get the sunrise. Don’t tell Auckland,” she says. Early light occurs in Brisbane too, which generally gets light a few minutes before Sydney. (Melbourne, being further west, is slightly behind.)

But Sydney’s dense coastal population, combined with a moderate climate throughout the year and our coffee obsession, means First Light energy is most noticeably a cultural Sydney thing.

“We have a huge cohort of early morning run clubs that just sprung out of nowhere,” Loane says. “Thousands of people are now running on Bondi, around Bondi. In London, we all know you can’t get a cup of coffee before 10am. But in Sydney, we’re up, we’re spending money, and a lot of tourists enjoy that.”

It’s a very bankable concept for tourism and fits into the narrative of Australia being a foodie and sporty destination. Loane says that the Rugby World Cup, scheduled for October next year, will bring about 240,000 visitors to Australia.

“Rugby tourists will pay anything for a great experience, particularly food and drink, and they travel in the regions as well,” she says.

At the other end of the day, we’re eating earlier too, at least in my observation when I travel. Australians are now like Americans, arriving at restaurants and cruise ship buffets at 6pm, looking to be fed. Cruise ships cater to this; Italian and Spanish restaurants, not so much.

I think this is also part of our awareness about health. Dietitians advise us to eat dinner no later than three hours before going to bed to allow our gut time to digest. Travellers who are concerned about longevity and wellness have driven this recalibration of our dining habits.

There’s only one downside to Sydney’s First Light phenomenon: try to get a cup of coffee after 3pm. In my very densely populated neighbourhood, it’s almost impossible.