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Celebrating 60 Years

The Wentworth Legacy

Six Decades of Stories, One Enduring Legacy

As The Wentworth celebrates its 60th anniversary, we honour the stories that have shaped its legacy. For six decades, generations of guests, leaders, artists, travellers and Sydneysiders have passed through its doors, leaving behind stories, memories and moments that have become part of its remarkable history.

A Sydney Icon Since 1966

In 1966, Qantas opened The Wentworth as Australia’s first international luxury hotel, marking a new chapter for Sydney and introducing a new standard of hospitality to the city, From its earliest days, The Wentworth became a meeting place for Sydney society and an international destination in its own right. Its ballroom welcomed grand celebrations, significant occasions and some of the world’s most recognised figures. Six decades later, The Wentworth continues to evolve, preserving the traditions that matter while creating new experiences for the generations to come.

 

Now, as The Wentworth celebrates 60 years, we look back at the people, traditions and experiences that have shaped this iconic Sydney address while looking ahead to the next chapter of its story.

The Wentworth Cheesecake

Not every recipe carries a legacy like this.
 

Dating back to 1966, the Wentworth Cheesecake has remained closely tied to the story of The Wentworth. Its secret recipe was carefully preserved and passed on through the years, becoming part of the traditions that have endured alongside the hotel itself.
 

Today, Pastry Chef Ashleigh Otto brings the recipe back to life as part of The Wentworth’s 60th anniversary celebrations, retracing the story behind its return and the craftsmanship required to recreate a recipe with six decades of history behind it.
 

Its revival is more than a tribute to the past. It speaks to the details, rituals and memories that give a place its character, and to the importance of preserving the traditions that continue to connect one generation of The Wentworth to the next.
 

For those who remember it, the cheesecake offers a familiar taste of the hotel’s past. For those experiencing it for the first time, it is an opportunity to become part of a story that began in 1966 and continues today.
 

From 1 September, this much-loved classic returns to Tilda, inviting a new generation to experience a small but enduring piece of its legacy.

Hotel of the Arts

For decades, The Wentworth has shared a deep connection with Sydney’s arts and cultural community, reflecting a belief that great hospitality can bring people closer to the creativity, stories and experiences that shape a city.
 

That connection has taken many forms over the years, from theatre and opera to live performance and the visual arts. Among these is a partnership with the Art Gallery of New South Wales that has grown over more than two decades. Over the years, this partnership has created opportunities to celebrate artists, exhibitions and cultural moments in new and meaningful ways.
 

Most recently, the partnership was celebrated at One-Hatted Tilda through an immersive Paint & Sip experience. The evening offered a rare opportunity to hear from Wayne Tunnicliffe, Director of Collections at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, alongside first-time Archibald Prize finalist Camille Olsen-Ormandy. Guided by Gallery educators, attendees were invited to create their own portraits and immerse themselves in the artistic process. It was a reminder of what makes experiences like these so meaningful: bringing people closer to art, encouraging conversation and creating connections that extend beyond the Gallery walls.

 

Together, these cultural connections have helped shape The Wentworth’s identity as Hotel of the Arts. That identity continues through the experiences we support today, from major exhibitions and artist collaborations to opera, theatre and orchestral performances across Sydney.

 

More than a title, it represents an enduring part of The Wentworth’s legacy and a commitment to continuing its connection with the arts for generations to come.