Mixed reactions over American TikToker’s ‘utopia’ Sydney review

There were mixed feelings over the American TikToker’s video in which she praised Sydney for its “insane” dating scene and bustling city life.

An American TikToker and traveller has roused a mixed reaction online after giving Sydney a perfect travel rating, drawing criticism that she hadn’t gone “further west than Central Station”.

Maddie Cleary, a self-described wellness and lifestyle influencer, has nearly 840,000 followers on TikTok, garnering 1.2 million views on her Sydney travel video this month.

“Guys, this place was a utopia,” Cleary began.

“You could not be bored here unless you really tried.”

The American influencer raved about Sydney’s mountains, beaches and city life and said the food was comparable to that in the US.

Interestingly, the TikToker said her dating life while in the city was “insane”.

The TikToker said the city was a 'utopia'. Picture: TikTok

She said you couldn't be bored in Sydney 'unless you really tried'. Picture: TikTok

“Everyone there is attractive, beautiful, they surf in the mornings before their 9 to 5s,” she said.

The TikToker also praised the city for its cleanliness and absence of “crackheads”.

“The city was so clean, you didn’t need a car, you could just take the metro anywhere,” she said.

“And there were no crackheads or middle schoolers fighting on the metro.

“10 out of 10.”

Opinions were more mixed in the video’s comments section, however, with many questioning whether they had lived in the “same Sydney”.

“I don’t think you actually went to Sydney,” one person said.

The TikToker said there were was an absence of 'crackheads' and 'middle schoolers fighting on the metro'. Picture: TikTok

The city received a score of 10/10. Picture: TikTok

“So you’re telling me you didn’t bump into eshays fighting on public transport?”

“Girl you obviously didn’t go further west than Central Station.”

Other users joined the debate as to whether the influencer had spent any time outside “Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte”, while others drew the dating pool into question.

“Lived there for three years, haven’t seen those attractive boys,” one person wrote.

“Is the ‘Sydney’ in question in the room with us?”

Some travellers and locals, however, came to the city’s defence, speculating bad attitudes and jealousy were behind the backlash.

“Land of dreams,” one person said.

“Lived there for almost two years and loved it,” said another.

Last year, the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global 2022 Liveability Index ranked Sydney as the world’s 13th most liveable city, making it Australia’s second most liveable city.