Hi Adam,
Wouldn't you want to house share? Then you can make friends too. Just look on flatmate finders and gumtree. Sydney isn't that big so if you're in the eastern suburbs you have bondi beach close by (plus bronte and coogee) and also go out in surry hills, the cross, darlinghurst and CBD. Where are you staying when you get here? Once you start looking around the city you will get an idea. My recommendation is bondi beach or the bondi junction.