New South Wales Lights Up For ‘National Day Of Reflection’

New South Wales has lit up for the Day Of National Reflection.

Bondi Pavilion

In the background of a massive temporary floral tribute, Bondi Pavilion was illuminated with surprise projections of 2 blue Chanukiahs as beams of light shone to the sky above it from the courtyard within the Pavilion.

On the ‘Day Of National Reflection’, Sunday 21 December 2025, Bondi Pavilion with projections of 2 blue fully lit Chanukiahs on it behind the temporary floral tribute to the victims of the massacre & Jewish genocide terrorism that occurred 100 metres away just over a week prior.
Photograph: Claire via Australian Broadcasting Corporation
On the ‘Day Of National Reflection’, Sunday 21 December 2025, as a projection of a blue fully lit Chanukiah beams onto the building behind them, Bondi Beach’s Jewish community came together in front of Bondi Pavilion to commemorate the victims of the massacre & Jewish genocide terrorism that occurred 100 metres away just over a week prior.
Photograph: Claire via Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Sydney Opera House

The biggest surprise though, while not the most significant illumination this time around, was the Sydney Opera House western sails, which was illuminated with an animated waving brightly burning candle by the New South Wales Government.

In 2023, the New South Wales (NSW) Premier, Chris Minns, admitted to an NSW Legislative Council Budget Estimates hearing that he made an “error” in not providing the Sydney Opera House Southern Forecourt as a place for the Jewish community to commemorate & mourn the loss after the October 7 attacks. After which, he said the Forecourt would be reserved for the Jewish community if a similar tragedy occurred again:

…we should’ve made the Opera House Forecourt & the immediate precinct an opportunity for the Jewish community to come together. I’m admitting that & the only thing I can say is we…want to learn from it & make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Chris Minns, NSW Premier (quote from 2023)

A key difference in context to 2023 is that this projection wasn’t promoted in advance, thus discouraging possible protests as had occurred in 2023. Earlier this week, the Sydney Opera House was illuminated for Chanukah, a projection which also wasn’t promoted in advance, but a concert which was scheduled to be held in the Southern Forecourt that night & which was cancelled out of respect, would have prevented the Forecourt being reserved for the Jewish community that night anyway, as being set up for a concert, it was very likely logistically not in a position to quickly become an appropriate place of mourning for the Jewish community on that occasion.

There was no such concert yesterday evening & it is understood the Southern Forecourt was vacant this time. An NSW Premier’s Department spokesperson implied the Southern Forecourt wasn’t reserved for the Jewish community as the projection was being held simultaneous to the Night Of Unity: Light Over Darkness Menorah Lighting & Commemoration in Bondi Beach Park, which was the main commemoration being held that night:

The NSW Government has been in close consultation with the Jewish community about how to appropriately honour the victims including decisions made regarding the Day of Reflection.

There was no activation of the forecourt for this illumination, which was occurring at the same time as the Jewish community vigil at Bondi Beach.

NSW Premier’s Department spokesperson

The Night Of Unity: Light Over Darkness Menorah Lighting & Commemoration finished at 9:05pm – just under 3 hours before the Sydney Opera House projection stopped. While the NSW Premier broke a promise, it is understandable that it was likely broken because he understood the Jewish community would prefer to come together in the suburb of Bondi Beach – the location of the massacre & jewish genocide terrorism last week.

Yellow Building Illuminations

Lastly, buildings around New South Wales were also lit yellow, the colour being chosen to represent the main colour of a candle’s flame. The buildings illuminated yellow included:

  • Sydney Football Stadium
  • Sydney Cricket Ground
  • Art Gallery Of NSW
  • Australian Museum
  • Sydney Tower
  • Sydney Town Hall
  • Tumbalong Park Sound Shell
  • International Convention Centre
  • Barangaroo’s International Towers
  • Manly Town Hall
  • Sydney Olympic Park including Stadium Australia
  • Parramatta Square (building)
  • Western Sydney Stadium
  • Goulburn Visitor Centre
  • Orange Cultural Precinct
  • Wagga Wagga Civic Centre

All the above illuminations occurred from sunset (8:05pm) to Midnight.

Tumbalong Park Sound Shell illuminated yellow for the ‘Day Of National Reflection’, Sunday 21 December 2025.
Image: Property NSW
Orange Cultural Precinct illuminated yellow for the ‘Day Of National Reflection’, Sunday 21 December 2025.
Photograph: Orange City Council

Unlike the Sydney Opera House western sails projection for Chanukah, all these illuminations are in remembrance of the victims of the massacre & Jewish genocide terrorism. Sydney Spectaculars is, therefore, not considering these illuminations as a ‘Spectacular‘.

More to come.