The NSW government attempted to get a little more money flowing through the state throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by giving residents a handful of Dine and Discover vouchers to spend.
Originally, the promotion was set to close on June 30, 2021, but as a result of *gestures at everything* that has changed a few times over now. The current deadline to use your Dine and Discover vouchers – you would have received six in total – is June 30, 2022.
Back when NSW extended the deadline, treasurer for NSW Matt Kean shared in a statement that:
“We experienced the success of the Dine & Discover program when we reopened last time, which is why we are doubling down efforts with an additional two $25 vouchers – one for Dine and one for Discover venues,” Mr Kean said.
“We are backing our businesses and helping hip pockets by expanding the program, in addition to extending existing vouchers until the end of June 2022.”
These vouchers are split into two categories: dining; valid for restaurants cafés, bars, wineries, pubs or clubs, and entertainment and recreation; including cultural institutions, live music, and arts venues.
When and where can I use my Dine and Discover vouchers?
These vouchers are available to be used in a long list of venues. The conditions, as listed on the NSW government website are that the vouchers:
- can be used 7 days a week, including public holidays
- can be used at participating NSW businesses that are registered as COVID Safe
There is a registry that lists every participating business online here – but you’ll likely notice that a bunch of venues will have Dine and Discover posters displayed in their windows, too.
Where can I use vouchers last-minute?
If you’ve found yourself with a number of vouchers and nowhere to spend them before June 30, here are some ways you can put them to good use.
Donate to charity
If you don’t have any plans to use your Dine & Discovers or want to pay it forward, there’s a way to donate them to charities. Many businesses are advertising that they will accept Dine & Discover vouchers as donations and then use them for worthy causes.
Symbio Wildlife Park, Australian Reptile Park and Oakvale Wildlife Park are offering passes to children in need from participating charities.
Ngalaya Indigenous Corporation is also accepting Dine & Discover vouchers which will go towards providing free tickets to Indigenous community members and law students to attend the Ngalaya ball.
Make a booking in advance
Many businesses are honouring vouchers for bookings made after June 30, provided you make the booking prior to the expiry date.
This means if you want to book in for a movie, escape room, the zoo or other activity that takes Dine & Discover vouchers as payment, you can do that.
Gift vouchers
Some businesses are also offering gift vouchers in exchange for Dine & Discover payments. This means you can use up your D&D vouchers and then hold on to your new gift card until you’re ready to use it, even if it’s after June 30.
Check at your local cinema, bowling alley, wildlife park or adventure tour company (just to name a few) to see whether they’re offering gift vouchers.
How can I apply for vouchers?
If you’re wondering how to find your Dine and Discover vouchers, they should be sitting in your ServiceNSW app. NSW residents aged 18 and over can apply for Dine and Discover vouchers here.
Service NSW has shared a guide on applying for and using the vouchers on its website. It simply states that you should:
- Select the ‘Apply online’ button.
- Log in, or create your MyServiceNSW Account.
- Follow the prompts to apply for the Dine and Discover vouchers.
If successful, you’ll:
- find the vouchers under the ‘Vouchers’ section of the Service NSW App within an hour.
- receive an email from Service NSW with the vouchers available to download and print.
From cinemas to local cafes, you’re certainly not short on choice here. So be sure to put these freebies to good use, folks.
Products featured are independently and objectively selected by our editors. From time to time, things you buy through our links may earn us an affiliate commission.Remember those Dine & Discover NSW vouchers the state government gave us back in 2020 to help get people out and about again? Well, if you haven’t used the vouchers yet, they’re about to expire. The government’s given us five in total (each worth $25), and they all expire on Thursday, June 30.
If you haven’t accessed your vouchers yet, you can apply for them through the Service NSW app. You’ll need to have some documentation handy, like your Medicare care and driver’s license or Australian passport. Then you’ll follow the prompts, enter in your details and voilà — you should soon be able to see them in the ‘Vouchers’ section of the app.
So where should you use them? While most dining venues take the Dine NSW vouchers, it’s a bit harder to find businesses — or experiences we want to try — where we can use our Discover NSW vouchers. To give you some inspo and help you maximise their value, we’ve done the digging and highlighted five of our favourite experiences to use the vouchers on here.
Seaplane to Jonah’s Restaurant for Lunch
For a special occasion, book this RedBalloon Seaplane to Jonah’s Restaurant for Lunch. Fly over Sydney’s iconic sights and the Northern Beaches before landing on Pittwater at Palm Beach. Enjoy three-courses at the one-hatted Jonah’s before flying back to Rose Bay.
Other RedBalloon experiences you can put your vouchers towards include Hot Air Ballooning Over The Hunter Valley, F1 Style Race Car Driving Experience and Skydive Over Wollongong Beach.
Sip and Sculpt Class
Pottery can be a great way to help focus your mind, so try it in a Sip and Sculpt Clay Class at either studio ClayGround in Roseberry or Bondi Clay in Bondi.
Guided by a pottery professional, and with a BYO drink-in-hand, you’ll get a taste of ceramics and learn a range of techniques. And, for an extra $20 per piece, take home what you create. Use your Discover NSW voucher to knock $25 off the $69 ticket.
Champainting
Prefer painting? Book a studio session at Champainting in Darlinghurst or Crows Nest. Over BYO drinks and nibbles, paint a masterpiece. Paint night themes include ‘Paint Your Mate’, ‘Starry Paris’ and ‘Sexy Back Female’. Put your Discover NSW voucher towards the $60 price tag.
Kimpton Margot Sydney x Moulin Rouge Experience
If you’re in the mood to splash out and want to shave $25 off the bill, book Kimpton Margot Sydney’s Moulin Rouge package, which starts at $995 a night and includes overnight accommodation at Kimpton Margot, pre-theatre dinner at the restaurant’s swanky eatery Luke’s Kitchen and tickets to the Baz Luhrmann production at nearby Capitol Theatre.
Holey Moley Mini Golf Session
Holey Moley is a twist on traditional putt putt, with hole themes inspired the ‘80s and ‘90s pop culture and a bar called The Caddyshack serving drinks and cocktails. They’ve got seven venues around NSW, so book a session at one near you and, with your Discover NSW voucher, get $25 off.
Hoyts Cinema Tickets
Conveniently, HOYTS Cinemas has three special $25 deals so you can use the Discover NSW voucher up in its entirety. Choose from two movie tickets, a movie ticket and popcorn combo or a HOYTS LUX single ticket. Also, if you don’t need to book the movie right away, you can use the tickets anytime within the next three years.