ABC is excited to join forces with the City of Sydney and the Sydney Opera House to welcome the start of the twenty twenties. With a fantastic concert and fireworks spectacular live from the Boardwalk of the Sydney Opera House, this NYE is set to be the Party of the Decades!
Join us to celebrate the most memorable songs from recent decades. From the rock-n ’roll classics of the 60s, to the high tempo disco hits of the 80s and present day classics – the hits will keep coming.
Hosts Zan Rowe and Charlie Pickering will be joined by some of Australia’s biggest and brightest singers. Songstress Kate Miller-Heidke, vocal inspirations Vika and Linda Bull, Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson, pop singer Angie Hart, musician Mojo Juju, soulful rap artist Adrian Eagle and the powerhouse that is Casey Donovan, have all signed up to perform.
With even more performers still to be announced, this New Year’s Eve – ABC’s Party of the Decades is one not to be missed! The live concert will be broadcast to Australia via ABC TV, iview, ABC Radio and to the world via ABC Australia and ABC Online.
For your chance to get tickets to join ABC’s star-studded concert and celebrate the new year, apply at the Sydney Opera House website at the link below.
I appreciate the calls people have been making to cancel our New Year’s Eve fireworks and donate those funds too.
With just six weeks till New Year’s Eve, much of the funding for the event has already been spent. But it’s not that simple.
Sydney New Year’s Eve is one of the world’s biggest public events. It attracts more than one million people to the harbour foreshore, is watched by a billion more worldwide, and it injects $130 million into the NSW economy.
Locals, visitors and businesses plan their Sydney New Year’s Eve experience years in advance. It’s an event that unites people from all over the world, with a message of hope for the year to come.
We can’t cancel it, but we can harness the enormous power of the event to raise more money for drought and fire affected communities.
Right now, our staff are considering how to drive donations to relevant charities through our event website, media outreach and on the night. We did this after the Boxing Day Tsunami – quickly mobilising to ensure those reading about, watching or attending the event were reminded to donate to disaster relief.
I believe we have a responsibility to support our regional communities in their time of need. Our cash donations and commitment to using New Year’s Eve to promote further fundraising will provide much-needed financial support and help relieve some of the devastating effects caused by the bushfires and the drought.
It’s expected the bushfire & drought donation appeal & how it will operate will be formally announced at the media launch in early to mid December (most likely early December).
As referred to in her statement, an appeal would be similar to the appeal they did in 2004 for the Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami. That one raised AUS$1.2 million in 3 days with the City Of Sydney starting with a $50,000 donation. Unlike in 2004 though, which was mainly a domestic appeal done by the official NYE charity partner, Oxfam, on the official television broadcast, it’s expected this one would be international due to the Internet broadcasts now occurring and will last not just 3 days but up to a month. It could raise millions of dollars (at least half the cost of the event) if each viewer/consumer/spectator only donated at least $1.
This year’s official charity partner is Refugee Council Of Australia. It is unclear whether Refugee Council Of Australia would receive donations too as they are this year’s official charity partner. However, it’s possible their 3 year contract could be extended for a year to make up for the shift in donation priorities.
If you consider today as the start of the appeal (rather than most likely media launch day), the City Of Sydney have started it with a $620,000 donation.
In 2004, it was current Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s first year in office & she said this of the appeal:
NYE is a time for celebration and reflection and this year we want all those people that get to enjoy the event to have a great night and at the same time think about those less fortunate who are affected by the tsunami tragedy and do what they can by giving generously to the fund
And in the annual Lord Mayor’s NYE Message (since discontinued):
This year our traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations have been overshadowed by the tsunami disaster.
As the full extent of the tragedy has started to emerge in recent days it has shocked and saddened us all.
I know that as a community, and as good neighbours, Australians feel the need to acknowledge the devastation, pay our respects to those who lost their lives, and offer to help in any way we can.
Coming together tonight to mark the passing of the old year and the beginning of the new gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect.
As a community, we can express our condolences for those who lost their lives, homes and loved ones so suddenly and without warning.
We can also reflect on the help that is needed right now and well into the future, and the part we – as a nation, and as individuals – can contribute.
The commencement of the new year will mark the beginning of a new relationship with our Asian neighbours – a new level of engagement, with a shared understanding of our common humanity, and our common frailty.
Founded on a shared compassion and a collective commitment to help those affected by this disaster.
As a country we experience bushfires, droughts and floods. We know that troubled times often bring out the best in people and create close bonds as we pull together to help one another.
As the year 2005 commences it is time to extend the hand of friendship and assist our Asian neighbours in their time of need.
An official New Years Eve fundraising appeal has been set up tonight with Oxfam collection points around the city until 9pm. Television viewers can make a donation by calling 1800 034 034.
Rather than a carefree “happy new year” it may be more appropriate to wish one another a compassionate New Year for 2005.
New Years Eve is traditionally a time when we greet the new year with hope and optimism for the future. Let’s express this tonight by giving generously.
Thank you.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, MP
However, with global warming increasing and worsening bushfires, scenarios like this week for Sydney NYE are to become more likely and frequent.
The possibility of cancellation would increase year after year and given a special appeal has been announced for the 1st time in 13 years suggests it has already escalated.
While the Lord Mayor writes “We can’t cancel it”, it theoretically is still possible. The Midnight Fireworks can be cancelled if the wind is too fast, for example. However, cancellation of anything won’t recover most of the costs to move it to bushfire/drought relief as like she says, it has already been spent. Most of the costs (about 2/3)are not even to do with the fireworks anyway. Also, event management is a stressful occupation and to suddenly cancel an event when it most likely could do more good than bad regarding disasters would annoy event managers who worked 15 months for it.Things would have to be really bad for it to be cancelled and we don’t want that.
Update (02/12/2019): The Australian Red Cross confirmed its partnership to 7NEWS.com.au, with a spokesman saying it was “delighted” to have been chosen by the City of Sydney for the venture.
Whilst Huffington Post Australia made it’s view known (and the potential for future wider media support for a Sydney NYE cancellation) by writing a sensationalised article about 1 tweeter who disliked Sydney NYE being promoted on Twitter in the middle of the bushfire emergency, it seems community sediment is growing for cancellation with a Change.org petition appearing 5 days ago (before Wednesday night’s controversy) but it has since grown to nearly 10,000 signatures. The petition’s statement and title is below:
Giving NYE firework funds to Aussie farmers and those affected by fire
With Australia facing drought and now catastrophic fires, decimating towns as it tears across our country, the thought of spending MILLIONS of dollars on a firework display when it could be used to support and rebuild our country instead is infuriating.
Join me in petitioning that the funds for the 2019/2020 New Years Firework display in Sydney are instead allocated to the Aussie farmers affected by drought and the Aussie citzens affected by the fires.
It’s times like these when we as a nation need to look at our priorities and I believe the new year should be welcomed in in the aussie way; by giving our fellow Australians a helping hand!
X Kayla
Another petition has about 3500 signatures at the time of this article’s initial publication. It said:
Say NO to FIREWORKS NYE 2019 give the money to farmers and firefighters
Linda McCormick started this petition to PM Scott Morrison (PM office AUSTRALIA)
2019 has been a catastrophic year in Australia for Floods and Fires. Give the money we spend on FIREWORKS New Years Eve to farmers and Firefighters and Animal Carers. Save AUSTRALIA’s Wildlife.
5.8 MILLION $$ was spent in Sydney alone for fireworks last year. All states should say NO to FIREWORKS. This may traumatise some people as there is enough smoke in the air.
The event does costs around $6 million.
However, the fireworks, to the best of our knowledge, make up about 1/3 of that cost. It varies between 1 to 2.4 million dollars. Other costs (the other 2/3) would include marketing, lighting, projections, broadcasting, road closures, marine management, logistics etc.
The event also contributes $133 million to the ‘local’ economy.
The 2nd petitioner also added:
Thoughts and Thankyou’s
Linda McCormick
Townsville, Australia
NOV 14, 2019 — Latest thoughts not only stop the fireworks NYE 2019 but 1 min silence at 11.45pm NEW YEARS EVE for all the people around the world who have been effected by catastrophic weather events. To show respect for mankind.
This idea isn’t a bad one. It has been done before in 2004 for the Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami (death toll: 227,898) right before the 10 second countdown to the 9pm Family Fireworks. On an equivalent scale for local bushfires, sadly, it would be have to be worse (approximately 280 deaths) in NSW than the Black Saturday bushfires of Victoria in 2009 (death toll: 176), which has double the death toll of the 2nd worst recorded bushfire in Australian history. We don’t that to happen again. This year’s bushfire season death toll is 6 nationally.
In any case, if you are cancelling the fireworks as well, it would be (no offense) pointless to have a minute’s silence by the Harbour as there is no reason to hold it at 11:45pm at night if there is no one there to acknowledge it (unless everyone is still celebrating NYE, right?). No one will go to the Harbour if there are no fireworks or light shows. They would head to the nightclubs or possibly still on their cruises to celebrate at private rather than public functions (with huge discounts hopefully) unless they are boycotting celebrating NYE out of respect for the firefighters and victims of the bushfires. Holding a minute’s silence in the daytime at a national service not on NYE or New Year’s Day would be more appropriate in such a case.
There are a few other faults with these petitions though.
Firstly, it is addressed to the Prime Minister Of Australia.
The Prime Minister Of Australia is not involved with Sydney NYE. The closest you can get is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the official television and Internet broadcaster and the major sponsor of the event.
However, if they don’t remove their sponsorship to cripple the event, the best the ABC can do in protest is to not broadcast or stream the event.
Secondly, most of the funds are already spent.
Planning begins usually in October the previous year so 13 months ago. The show’s soundtrack has been made, the fireworks programmed. The fireworks are probably being made right now.
Thirdly, it is a City Of Sydney event.
Unless Sydneysiders are definitely wanting to cancel the event, then the event will likely proceed assuming the bushfire conditions aren’t worse than Black Christmas.
However, the NSW Government can overrule them. If NSW wants the event cancelled, the NSW Government could withdraw support & their financial contributions (such as, most notably, not letting Foti International Fireworks use the Sydney Harbour Bridge). It would contravene a memorandum of understanding signed every 5 years with the City Of Sydney but that is not a legally binding contract.
Whilst momentum is building, the key times to watch are the 24 hours after the media launch and shortly before Christmas Day. If bushfire conditions deteriorate, public pressure may be very strong particularly after Wednesday night’s controversial fireworks display & these growing petitions. However, precedent was set in 2001 – the bushfires would have to be worse than Black Christmas for cancellation to be possible. With forecasts also being made for a horror bushfire season, a cancellation is not too far a stretch of the imagination. Outside of the annual threat of strong winds, air quality would be the biggest threat in the event of extreme bushfires.
No one wants this to happen but in regards to fatalities, the death toll would have to be the worst ever for a disaster in Australia – 280+ or (slightly higher than 0.003% of the NSW population) – to go higher than the Sydney NYE precedent set by the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami, which shocked humanity (Death toll there was 0.003% of the human population or 227,898 lives). Sydney NYE went ahead after that devastating international event.
If bushfires are near or on the date of the media launch, given the recent controversies, we’d assume it would be postponed to after the bushfires have been extinguished or burnt out, assuming there is enough time left to do a media launch (and if they are going to do one. We’d assume so as they’ve done it every year).
If every petitioner was from the City Of Sydney local government area (can’t be guaranteed), their anger would be noticeable so 10,000 petitioners is a significant number. It just depends on their location. Outside of the City Of Sydney, the anger currently might not be noticeable. If they are all from the City Of Sydney, it is currently enough to give concern to holding the event.
The best we can hope for right now is for the City Of Sydney to consider the possibility of setting up a bushfire/drought appeal running from the media launch in early to mid December until Midnight on NYE. Donations could be taken throughout the night on the ground, via the ABC, via social media.
The total amount raised could be revealed on the pylons during the Midnight Fireworks too or the Sydney Opera House could be turned into a unique ‘fundraiser thermometer’ with throughout the night the amount being donated continuously updating or a representation of how much towards a target has been achieved (though the latter is riskier in case the target was too ambitious or unexpectedly not many people donated)
However, this idea would conflict with this year’s Sydney NYE charity partner, Refugee Council Of Australia. It could though provide an educational opportunity for the charity partner to emphasise the potential migration of refugees from global warming events such as more frequent and intense bushfires.
An appeal though would be similar to the appeal they did in 2004 for the Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami. That one raised AUS$1.2 million in 3 days with the City Of Sydney starting with a $50,000 donation. Unlike in 2004 though, which was mainly a domestic appeal done by the official NYE charity partner, Oxfam, on the official television broadcast, this one would be international due to the Internet broadcasts now occurring. Even a donation appeal to help koalas in bushfire areas would go great around the world. It could raise millions of dollars (at least half the cost of the event) if each viewer/spectator only donated at least $1.
At the time it was current Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s first year in office, she said this of the appeal:
NYE is a time for celebration and reflection and this year we want all those people that get to enjoy the event to have a great night and at the same time think about those less fortunate who are affected by the tsunami tragedy and do what they can by giving generously to the fund
And in the annual Lord Mayor’s NYE Message (since discontinued):
This year our traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations have been overshadowed by the tsunami disaster.
As the full extent of the tragedy has started to emerge in recent days it has shocked and saddened us all.
I know that as a community, and as good neighbours, Australians feel the need to acknowledge the devastation, pay our respects to those who lost their lives, and offer to help in any way we can.
Coming together tonight to mark the passing of the old year and the beginning of the new gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect.
As a community, we can express our condolences for those who lost their lives, homes and loved ones so suddenly and without warning.
We can also reflect on the help that is needed right now and well into the future, and the part we – as a nation, and as individuals – can contribute.
The commencement of the new year will mark the beginning of a new relationship with our Asian neighbours – a new level of engagement, with a shared understanding of our common humanity, and our common frailty.
Founded on a shared compassion and a collective commitment to help those affected by this disaster.
As a country we experience bushfires, droughts and floods. We know that troubled times often bring out the best in people and create close bonds as we pull together to help one another.
As the year 2005 commences it is time to extend the hand of friendship and assist our Asian neighbours in their time of need.
An official New Years Eve fundraising appeal has been set up tonight with Oxfam collection points around the city until 9pm. Television viewers can make a donation by calling 1800 034 034.
Rather than a carefree “happy new year” it may be more appropriate to wish one another a compassionate New Year for 2005.
New Years Eve is traditionally a time when we greet the new year with hope and optimism for the future. Let’s express this tonight by giving generously.
UPDATE (14/11/2019): The Australian reports Transport for NSW has temporarily banned on-water fireworks while the week-long state of emergency remains in place. Transport for NSW said the granting of licences for on-water fireworks displays will be reviewed again on Monday.
A fireworks display held last night for Daikan, an air conditioning company, on Sydney Harbour has stirred controversy in Sydneysiders due to an exemption given despite a total fire ban in force for Sydney and a state of emergency declared for New South Wales.
The display, 8 minutes in duration and held by Howards Fireworks, was labelled “one of the best fireworks displays of the year” by Twitter user Sydney Fireworks, who follows all Sydney fireworks displays (not just the major ones like us).
Worse of all (no offense Sydney Fireworks), it coincidentally seems to be the most praised non-Spectacular fireworks display on Sydney Harbour that Sydney Fireworks has ever reviewed.
9 News reports the display was booked by Daikin, an air conditioning company. Ironically, most air conditioning can contribute to global warming and thus add to further and more intense bushfires.
Clearly, this fireworks display could have been revoked out of respect. It was just a corporate function.
7 News also reported NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey said the timing of the display was questionable.
“It shows a little bit of a lack of respect for our country folk who are going through hell on earth at this time,” she said.
A NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) spokesperson told 10 daily it’s likely the NSW Government applied to the NSW RFS Commissioner for an exemption to proceed with the fireworks.
The exemption was given in the event weather conditions had improved even though the total fire ban lasted until Midnight and high fire danger warnings were issued.
Sydney Harbour is also surrounded by bushland. The city itself is surrounded by bushland. Sydney, as recent as 1994, has been at risk of being surrounded by bushfires, leaving the city isolated from the rest of the world.
Andrew Howard, director of Howard Fireworks told Sydney Spectaculars that exemptions are quite common with hundreds issued during the fire season if it is deemed safe to do so. He also told AAP it wasn’t his call to proceed with Wednesday’s event.
“It wasn’t my decision to proceed. I was contracted to provide the services for the event”
Mr Howard said he would not have gone ahead with the display if it was up to him, knowing the “effect on the entire community” the bushfires had.
“It certainly could’ve been (deemed insensitive) to people who feel that it was. I totally respect their position on it,” he said.
But he reiterated Wednesday’s pyrotechnics were lawful, having been granted an exemption from the total fire ban.
To clarify Fireworks Display Licenses, Permits, Notifications and Total Fire Ban Exemptions were in place for the 8 minute fireworks display that was safely presented on Sydney Harbour at 9.45pm on Wednesday 13th November 2019. pic.twitter.com/fOdmpQrT3F
RFS and Fire & Rescue NSW both confirmed to 9News the exemption had been granted for the event after risk assessments.
Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers from @NSWRFS explains why a twenty minute firework display was allowed to be held in Sydney Harbour during a total fire ban. pic.twitter.com/JcvO0lYwZf
The fact it was a Sydney Harbour display at a time when fire warnings & bans were issued for Sydney itself should have been a sign of impending controversy, especially given the scale & tragedy of recent fires, which is deserving of not applying the exemption even if weather conditions were fine.
The last major exemption given was for Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2001 – ‘Of Beauty Rich & Rare: Australia – The Land’, which was held in the middle of Black Christmas & a total fire ban. The theme that year was, coincidentally, suitable as it was an outback/country theme. It highlighted a reminder of the lives of those suffering from bushfires.
However, it’s international status didn’t stop controversy breaking out. With increasing risk of worse bushfires due to global warming, a forecast predicting one of NSW’s worst bushfire seasons to continue and one of the largest bushfires burning since the 1980’s, controversy breaking out on a regular fireworks display on Sydney Harbour provokes questions on how large a future controversy will be.
Sydney NYE1993, 1997 – ‘Masquarade’ & 2005 – ‘Heart Of The Harbour’ were also held during a total fire ban. However, there was no major NSW bushfires burning at those times (apart from 1993 as you can tell above), which is a critical difference to the current situation. We don’t know if there were any total fire bans before NYE1993. It should be noted Sydney NYE1993 & 1997 – ‘Masquarade’ were not when Sydney’s fireworks were internationally renowned. However, they are internationally renowed now so 2001’s Sydney NYE edition is the benchmark for fire conditions. However, the 1993 bushfires were about twice as worse as 2001.
The decision to provide an exemption for this display was accidentally careless in not considering the implications of a controversy on the major fireworks displays of Sydney NYE & Australia Day Live, both held in peak bushfire season. Though it is understandable that future major events are not the fire services’ main concern, it could have been revoked out of concern for controversy in light of the recent bushfires.
Theming cannot be used as a justification for Sydney NYE being held this time as this year’s event and for the next 2 years has no theme. It essentially is a ‘party’ theme and partying while the world burns around you would be considered highly distasteful.
Given last night’s controversy, if bushfire conditions are similar or worse to Black Christmas in the week leading up to Sydney NYE, public pressure could grow larger than anticipated due to today’s controversy.
In the event public pressure is too great, it is expected the Midnight Fireworks would be cancelled outright while one or both 9pm & Midnight displays (though now joined) would be postponed to Australia Day. The 9pm Family Fireworks display may be postponed on the night to a time no later than 10:30pm. The fire tug display, which also opens this year’s edition at 6:50pm, may also be cancelled if it is needed for firefighting purposes. It usually sprays water too during this display, which might be consider distasteful given any firefighting efforts, the drought & water restrictions. The aerial display by Matt Hall could be cancelled too if there is high air pollution from smoke, reducing visibility.
The only times Sydney NYE has been cancelled out right was in 1987 & 1988 due to a mass murder in 1986 after a decade of escalating violence, which they spent the 7 years prior trying to resolve.
In 2002, the 9pm Family Fireworks were cancelled due to 90km/h+ winds.
It is possible a charity fund could be set up as part of the live media broadcasts as a trade off. It was last done for NYE2004 – ‘Reflections On Australiana’ for victims of the Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami. However, it would conflict with this year’s charity partner, Refugee Council Of Australia. It could though provide an educational opportunity for the charity partner to emphasise the potential migration of refugees from global warming events such as more frequent and intense bushfires.
In the 2004 edition, a minute’s silence, which was also broadcast, was held prior to the start of the 9pm Family Fireworks’ 10 second countdown. While 6 people have already died from this year’s bushfires, we hope the death toll doesn’t increase further closer to NYE, necessitating a minute’s silence. The Black Christmas bushfires had zero deaths.
It should be noted Sydney New Year’s Eve is a carbon neutral event.
A City Of Sydney spokesman declined to comment on hypothetical situations. However, we believe it is highly likely they have a plan in place. Sydney NYE is known to have fireworks displays planned to be postponed or cancelled (Midnight) if winds are too high. Also, good event management means planning for every scenario including total fire bans, media controversies, bushfires on Sydney Harbour foreshore land, fire danger warnings etc. particularly given the event is essentially a fireworks event.
The City Of Sydney spokesman though did say:
We’ve all been deeply saddened by the destructive bushfires ravaging NSW and Queensland.
The City of Sydney extends its sympathy to those affected and also acknowledges the hard work of the NSW Rural Fire Service and all emergency service responders who have saved countless lives and homes.
Sydney New Year’s Eve is one of the world’s biggest public events.
The event attracts more than one million people to the harbour foreshore, more than one billion global viewers and generates more than $130 million into the NSW economy annually.
The event unites people from all over Australia and the world, with a message of hope, happiness and celebration.
A large proportion of the New Year’s Eve budget is spent on crowd safety measures.
The City donated more than $200,000 to drought affected communities in 2018.
On Monday night Council will consider a Lord Mayoral Minute that if approved will see the City donate $300,000 to the Country Women’s Association of NSW Drought Aid appeal, $300,000 to the NSW Rural Fire Services, and $20,000 to WIRES to assist wildlife recovery and rehoming.
The Minute will also see the City match staff donations to bushfire and drought appeals dollar for dollar, and offer in-kind support to firefighting efforts, bushfire relief, and post-emergency clean-up, such as water trucks, other council service vehicles and staff.
Australia Day In Sydney fireworks in 2003, which were the postponed Sydney NYE2002 – ‘The World’s Celebration In Union’ 9pm Family Fireworks, were cancelled due to a total fire ban andout of respect for firefighters, on Government orders.
We would advise people who have brought tickets for Sydney NYE or Australia Day events to check their refund policies in the event the iconic fireworks are cancelled or postponed to Australia Day as the City Of Sydney is the official organiser providing the fireworks for free. Tickets are usually only refunded if the actual function you are attending is cancelled or below par – not if the fireworks are cancelled or below par.Pirrama Park Wharf is probably the only exception to this so far. People who have bought tickets in National Park areas especially should be cautious. Keep an eye on the news in the week before NYE for any bushfire-related updates.
Sydney Fireworks reports that a Sydney Harbour display for tomorrow night has been postponed for 13 days while Darling Harbour’s weekly fireworks have been cancelled:
This Saturday’s fireworks at Darling Harbour is cancelled. (Screenshot from the Darling Harbour website) pic.twitter.com/Lm6sCtpk4t
Australia Day In Sydney & the Rural Fire Service have been contacted for enquiries.
Disclaimer: Sydney Spectaculars is not associated with Sydney New Year’s Eve organisers, the City Of Sydney, nor Australia Day In Sydney organisers, NSW Government Department Of Premier & Cabinet. As of writing, the fireworks are still planned to go ahead. This is just an opinion article warning of the risks the bushfires may bring plus stating our opinion that last night’s fireworks display causing controversy did not help.
The Sydney Morning Herald has confirmed that the Sydney Harbour Bridge southern pylons will be used as a one-off on Tuesday night for the announcement of the result of the Barrier Draw for The Everest horse race.
It is expected a light show on the arch using the Vivid Sydney lights will occur as well as a one-off generic light show on the north-east pylon will occur too.
The projection show though will be held at 7pm, most likely at the south-east pylon only, with the barrier draw conducted in secret earlier after betting on the race is halted at 5pm for about 2 hours. After the barrier draw is done, the projections will be finalised for display. This happened last year, though in different circumstances.
Racing NSW Chief Executive Officer, Peter V’landys told the Sydney Morning Herald that the Barrier Draw reveal on the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be a one-off as it was on the Sydney Opera House a year ago.
This would be of comfort to some people, who were against last year’s projection show due to horse racing’s gambling & animal rights issues.
However, what is more surprising is his revealing of plans to rotate the projection show annually to new locations.
“There are so many great places in Sydney that would make a spectacular backdrop for The Everest barrier draw, we will move it again next year,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“This race is innovative and fresh and we want to keep it that way. It’s why we have done barrier draws at places that haven’t been used before”
“The draw will be memorable I’m sure on Tuesday night and go around the world again.”
Many places are used in Sydney for projections for various events, most notably for Vivid Sydney. This would mean the Barrier Draw projection show could become an annual event for another decade, assuming The Everest is still held.
Unless a new location is used, the most likely location for next year’s Barrier Draw would be the Museum Of Contemporary Art. It’s the next largest projection site in Sydney. Other possible locations in future years include:
Customs House
Cadman’s Cottage
Australian National Maritime Museum
Taronga Zoo’s Main Entrance
MLC Centre in Martin Place
The Concourse at Chatswood
Carlton & United Brewery at Central Park
Central Station Clock Tower
Coney Island (Luna Park Sydney)
St Mary’s Cathedral
Sydney Town Hall
Argyle Cut
We hope Racing NSW uses the Randwick Racecourse grandstand before any of the other locations due to the recent controversy. The Randwick Racecourse grandstand has never been used for projections as far as we are aware.
Unlike the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons and to an extent, the Sydney Opera House, most of the locations listed above have been used only for artistic purposes as part of Vivid Sydney and not for non-artistic events or promotions.
Exceptions include Customs House in 2013 featuring a one-night Doctor Who 50th Anniversary projection show, Argyle Cut this year featured a Pixar-themed projection show at Vivid Sydney, the Australian National Maritime Museum permanently has maritime-themed projections except on special occasions & St Mary’s Cathedral and Sydney Town Hall have been used for annual Christmas-themed projections.
Last year, when the Sydney Opera House refused permission for ‘The Everest’ to hold it’s barrier draw through projections on the iconic sails, mainly due to a clear advertisement at the projection show’s conclusion:
‘The Everest’ 2018 Proposed Sydney Opera House Projection Show Conclusion Image: Fairfax Media
However, while the projection show was amended, it was preceded by a fiery media ‘interview’ between radio host Alan Jones and Sydney Opera House Trust CEO Louise Herron:
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It concluded with Alan Jones saying “I will be speaking to Gladys Berejiklian in about 5, 3 minutes”. Gladys Berejiklian, Premier Of NSW, hastingly got the projection show to be approved 9 hours later through Ministerial discretion.
This, as well as the general content of the show, sparked massive protests and petitions and worldwide headlines.
One was for the Rugby League World Cup 9’s, which was government-approved and one was for the re-release of Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire. The latter we can’t confirm if it was government-approved though we expect it was highly likely a form of guerrilla marketing (even though it was on the Bridge for a minimum of 26 minutes).
We expect Tuesday night at 7pm will have some sort of protest as it will no doubt draw the ire of some people though we expect it won’t be on the scale of last year. However, the news of making the projection show an annual feature rotating to a different landmark each year may ignite protests again.
We expect The Everest Barrier Draw will be broadcast live again this year on the Sky Racing Thoroughbred Central channel.
We also expect a function will be held simultaneous to the projection show at the nearby Overseas Passenger Terminal, which hosted last year’s barrier draw and the recent Dally M Awards, that were simultaneously projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge south-east pylon. It should be noted the Dally M Awards are the National Rugby League (NRL)’s award nights, the NRL is linked to the Australian Rugby League Commission, where Peter V’landys is also currently Chairman-elect.
Racing NSW had already been contacted for comment prior to this news breaking as part of our following of this story. They are yet to respond.
We have also asked most of the possible future projection sites for comment.
It was done as part of a social media campaign where the fictitious Death Eaters’ Dark Mark appears on Australian landmarks as part of a promotion for a re-release of Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire. The book was first released in 2000, 19 years ago.
We can confirm through webcam images of the Sydney Harbour Bridge that the projections were done for at least 25 minutes. It may have been even longer as the webcam stopped at 11pm at night.
This most likely is a form of guerrilla marketing but in the end, why did they choose to do this in what most likely will be a controversy-ridden week about the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons & the concept of advertising?
We can’t confirm whether approval was given by the NSW Government for this projection.
Last year, in the midst of The Everest controversy, The Chaser, a satirical comedy group well known for their APEC Summit – Sydney 2007 motorcade stunt did something similar by promoting ‘advertiser’ (actually, radio host) Alan Jones’ phone number by projecting it onto buildings such as the Sydney Opera House, NSW Parliament and even Alan Jones’ own home (which is located in a well-known Sydney building). However, that was clearly for satirical comedy purposes.
Protests banner’s have often gone up on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, even this week, clearly without approval. However, it is a form of protest, not a commercial advertisement though they were fined for putting an advertisment up, which in some respect it was. It’s not even a form of Government-approved advertisement on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for an organisation of a currently-being-protested cause. So protests aren’t of great concern for the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s integrity though sometimes those protests can be a huge inconvenience when not government-approved.
Bloomsbury’s projections are clearly a commercial advertisement, guerrilla or not and is using the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons as a billboard regardless if approval was given or not.
Bloomsbury should have know better given the current climate for this sort of activity.
For the past 8 nights, the NRL Grand Final Week has been celebrated on the Sydney Harbour Bridge more than ever before.
The NRL has done projection mapping on both pylons for NRL Grand Final Week between 2011 & 2014 and only on the south-east pylon in 2010 & 2019. Mostly, these just consisted of celebratory images of the season past or of current players from the Grand Final teams.
Unexpectedly after a 4 year absence, these projections returned for 2019. The 2019 edition was larger than ever before incorporating the lighting used on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during Vivid Sydney with additional lighting used on the north-east pylon, which was also inadvertently beamed onto the roadway below the pylon for about half the past week.
After the Grand Final teams were announced on Tuesday, that night’s projections featured each player in both the NRL and NRLW Grand Final teams as announced.
Wednesday night saw a real-time unveiling of the 2019 Dally M winners being projected. This was just simultaneous to the actual announcement.
Saturday night, after the Grand Final’s conclusion saw a projection of the Sydney Roosters lifting the Provan-Summons Trophy (obviously from last year’s win) on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, indicating to Sydney who won the match. The Bridge was lit in the team’s colours too.
Sunday night, however, saw 4 different projections used on rotation. Projections were on rotation for most of the past week, mainly of NRL players, moments and celebratory messages. We can confirm one last night was of the Rugby League World Cup 9’s logo, which was posted on Twitter by a user:
Sydney Harbour Bridge on night of October 7 with ‘Rugby League World Cup 9’s’ projection on the south-east pylon. Photo: Twitter user
The logo seems to have the event’s sponsor removed from the projection, which would have been inside the ‘9’ at the top. 3 words underneath ‘World Cup 9’s’ can’t be interpreted but the actual logo only has 2 words ‘Sydney 2019’.
The Rugby League World Cup 9’s is an event unrelated to the current event being held, NRL Grand Final Week. The only relation is that it is the same sport. The tournament does not begin for 10 days, indicating this was acting as a promotion for a future event – the purpose of an advertisement. It is also the 1st edition of the event ever, so there is no chance this is of being city/state/national/global significance, apart from having hosting rights and the fact NSW is a rugby league fanbase.
2 other projections shown last night we believe celebrated the recent Grand Finals and the Sydney Roosters’ win. The other projection we can’t confirm the content of (If you know, please contact us).
It should be noted Peter V’Landys, CEO of Racing NSW (and at the time of The Everest Barrier Draw projection show last year), recently became Chairman-elect of the Australian Rugby League Commission and these NRL Grand Final Week projections are being done in conjunction with Destination NSW, who also did the recent Greater Western Sydney Giants lighting, though for some reason, did not add projections for that occasion.
Destination NSW has been contacted for comment. We would contact the NRL too for comment but we can’t find a contact. Stay tuned to this post in case we receive a comment.
Todd Greenburg, in a press conference after the projections were turned on for the 1st time last Monday night, referring to Cooper Cronk’s image being projected, said how that player’s “brand is sitting on the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge” and that “it demonstrates, again, the power of the game. It demonstrates the power our players have”.
We can’t confirm whether the Rugby League World Cup 9’s projection was announced in that press conference – the NRL/NRL W team line-up projections were, the Dally M projections were, the Grand Final winning team one wasn’t (though it was very likely given those other 2 announced).
Strangely, in Monday’s media release, NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said:
This is something we have never done before over the entire week
As we pointed out at the article’s start, they have – numerous times. We wonder why he said that?
These NRL Grand Final Week 2019 projections are done similar to the proposed The Everest Barrier Draw projection show next week. The only difference so far is the north-eastern pylon is being lit but we expect The Everest Barrier Draw will incorporate that too.
The special usages of the south-east pylon done this year for NRL Grand Final Week that we mentioned such as the Dally M winner projections, NRL Grand Final winning team projections and NRL/NRLW Grand Final teams line-up projections are also all similar to The Everest Barrier Draw concept (particularly the Dally M projections).
All this could be to justify the upcoming The Everest Barrier Draw projection show being done.
While some may consider The Everest Barrier Draw projection shows to also be an advertisement, whilst it does promote the event to a degree, it is being used for an active event that is being held at the time of the projection show.
We pointed out last week that logos have been used before on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, mainly to show they are sponsors of Sydney NYE on the night of the event:
Channel 9 Sydney Harbour Bridge South-Eastern Pylon Corporate Branding at Sydney NYE2002 – ‘The World’s Celebration In Union’ Photograph: City Of Sydney
Sydney NYE does do projections on the pylons other than of sponsors on that night – there is the countdown, community messages, safety messages as well as occasional event theming. So there is a precedent for logos being used. However, the Rugby League World 9’s is not a sponsor of NRL Grand Final Week or it’s projections.
The Rugby League World Cup 9’s projection seems intended as an advertisement hidden amongst the other NRL Grand Final Week projections. We can’t recall any similar projections being done (heaps of projections have been done but due to poor notification of them, our history of them is a bit scattered all over the place) apart from the Sydney NYE corporate branding but given the context of Sydney NYE, that seems fine particularly as it allows that event to be held. The Rugby League World Cup 9’s projection does not seem to match that context or any other previous projection show that we can recall (though we are happy to be corrected if someone can recall a similarly done projection show in the past 11 years – projection mapping on the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons began in 2008).
This all comes about 1 year after The Everest Barrier Draw caused controversy when news reports appeared that Racing NSW were displeased at the Sydney Opera House Trust’s decision to reject a projection show for a barrier draw, particularly when it concluded in a clear advertisement:
‘The Everest’ 2018 Proposed Sydney Opera House Projection Show Conclusion Image: Fairfax Media
The advertisement was later removed and the projection show amended. However, a fiery ‘interview’ between broadcaster Alan Jones and the Sydney Opera House Trust CEO caused headlines particularly when it concluded with Alan Jones saying he will speak to Gladys Berejiklian, Premier Of NSW, in “5, 3 minutes”. Her decision to proceed with the projection show amended was hastenily made 9 hours later. This, along with the general content of the projection show, caused protests and petitions and generated worldwide headlines along with a warning from UNESCO that it puts the Opera House’s Word Heritage status at risk.
With an announcement of a similar show but a Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon due to be made sometime this week (with the show being held next Tuesday night), there is an expectation protests may arise again though the scale and controversy may not be as large as last year.
As with the proposed The Everest Barrier Draw projection show, the NRL Grand Final Week projections would have needed approval from Roads & Maritime Services as well as Heritage NSW. We now wonder, with the latter, how did the Rugby League World Cup 9’s projection get approval?
So, what do you think? Is the Rugby League World Cup 9’s projection image on the Sydney Harbour Bridge south-east pylon an advertisement? Tell us what you think in our polls below:
Note: Updated on 8th October to point out Peter V’landys is Chairman-elect of the Australian Rugby League Commission. He becomes Chairman on October 30.
Last year’s The Everest Barrier Draw projections on the Sydney Opera House made worldwide headlines and sparked a massive petition and protest. And rightly so. Even though the projection show was amended, the whole sequence of events showed a disconnect between community & politicians but a deep, strong influential connection between media & politicians.
10Daily reported that Senior Federal Labor MP Tanya Plibersek commented that she thought the idea was “tacky” and not a “great look”.
“I think advertising anything on the Harbour Bridge or the Opera House is pretty tacky,” she told reporters.
“I’ve got nothing against racing, but I just question the tastefulness of this sort of advertising.”
But unlike the Sydney Opera House projection show, there are a few things that you can’t argue as ‘precedent setting’ with this year’s proposed Sydney Harbour Bridge southern pylon show as they have been done before.
Firstly, before we go into detail, Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projections are unnoticeable when they happen. They have been used over the past decade to promote events, causes and companies but the audience they have reached is insignificant.
The audience around the Harbour is pretty low for most of these (the exception being on NYE where reach is between half to 2 million & depending on distance from pylons) but the social media value is a lot larger as it gives the impression that this is something important – of national significance – to those who see such a social media post and this is where the core of the issue lies.
It implies an endorsement of something on behalf of the city, state or country as global landmarks like the Sydney Harbour Bridge are representative of these (Sydney or NSW or Australia). However, most Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projection shows are not even noticed or remembered so if reducing publicity of the event is an aim of a future protest, it will likely increase publicity of the projections thus defeating the protest’s aim. It’s like a climate change activist burning a pro-coal banner. The fire contributes to climate change – the thing they are trying to prevent. Media analysts found the controversies, petitions & protests gave The Everest $21 million in free global publicity. However, not protesting implies an endorsement. Expressing that you don’t endorse something is a great way to protest if it doesn’t help your ‘opponent’ for lack of a better word. Last year’s projection show caused such a storm that it was going to get publicity anyway when it happened.
As we’ve pointed out before, messaging combined with events spells disaster. This is something that is slowly appearing in Sydney’s major events & projection shows and definitely will at this year’s Sydney NYE. The Remain-themed (Brexit) London NYE2018 is a good recent example of what negative consequences it brings. Whilst mostly London did vote Remain, the city represents the whole UK to the world and with the nation split on that issue, it was no surprise that Leave supporters were angry that the world got the impression that all of the UK is wanting to remain in the EU. We believe this won’t affect London NYE much as most attendees were Londoners probably. However, TV audiences & domestic tourists of the event may be affected later this year.
This is also why last year’s The Everest projection show made people upset. The Sydney Opera House represents Australia to the world so Australia may be divided on things like gambling, horse racing or animal rights. Sydneysiders mostly attended the protest so it could just be a city vs state issue as well particularly after the (at the time) relatively recent NSW decision to ban greyhound racing. Due to regional citizens not happy with the ban, it was overturned in the midst of The Everest projection anger.
Outside of Vivid Sydney, most Sydney Opera House projection shows are also unnoticable or forgettable. However, last year’s The Everest projection show was to be the 1st featuring a clear ‘billboard’ advertisement, breaking UNESCO rules & Sydney Opera House Trust policies and only got attention when the Sydney Opera House Trust refused to host the projection show.
One main reason the Sydney Opera House Trust rejected it is because there was no associated event held at the Sydney Opera House itself on the night – instead it was to be held across the Harbour at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, where the projectors are housed sometimes. As far as we are aware, no similar rule applies to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Everest Barrier Draw 2019 proposal for the Sydney Harbour Bridge though involves lighting up the Sydney Harbour Bridge like they do during Vivid Sydney except the projection show on the south-eastern pylon will be similar in design to last year’s Sydney Opera House projection show and as far as we are aware, on both southern pylons (though we expect the south-east pylon will only be used).
Unlike last year’s, it mostly won’t be precedent setting. This article details the history and similar examples of what is proposed for a few weeks time.
But first, it would be good to point out key differences to last year’s show. The first thing that got people angry last year was the advertising.
No Actual Advertising This Year
In all the anger last year, the actual projection that caused all the events was rarely shown. This was it:
‘The Everest’ 2018 Proposed Sydney Opera House Projection Show Conclusion Image: Fairfax Media
As you can see, it features the logo, date & location of the event – all hallmarks of a clear ‘billboard’ advertisement. This part of the show (as well as all features of the logo) were removed in the final show. There was no actual advertising in the final show. In the end, both the proposed and final projection show were probably the worst designed projection shows ever done on the Sydney Opera House because they gave no context to the Harbour audience (plus the proposed one featured a clear advertisement).
The final projection show (minus The Everest trophy) is proposed to be recreated on the Sydney Harbour Bridge southern pylons this year so this means there is also no actual advertising too this year.
It should be noted that last year the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons were Racing NSW’s original idea before the NSW Government ruled it out (who knows why) and suggested the Sydney Opera House instead. Nevertheless, if Racing NSW’s original idea went ahead, if a similar projection show conclusion happened, it may have ignited a storm too. The logo wouldn’t have been a problem (as many logos have featured in similar projection shows as you will see below) but the date & location would have. A better conclusion would have been ‘See you in X days at Royal Randwick!’ thus addressing the audience & wider Harbour with a conclusion instead of putting up what is akin to a Times Square digital billboard targeted to anyone who happens to see it.
No Media-Politics Links
Now with that actual advertisement in the originally proposed show last year, the Sydney Opera House Trust stood firm for changes and always did. But then the head of the Trust, Louise Herron, did an ‘interview’ with Alan Jones. You all heard the audio. If you didn’t, it is here:
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Whilst the ‘interview’ was one of the most horrendous ever, it concluded with these words from host Alan Jones:
…I will be speaking to Gladys Berejiklian in about 5, 3 minutes…
Gladys Berejiklian was at the time and currently is Premier of New South Wales. 9 hours later, reports were coming in that the NSW Government would use the Minister’s discretion to force the Sydney Opera House to hold an amended projection show – a request made by the Premier. This was despite reports the Minister was personally being conflicted with the Premier’s request & the clear anger in the community building throughout the day, not just of the interview and advertisement proposal (which had since been cancelled) but of the links between media personalities & politicians particularly after the recent Federal Liberal Parliamentary Party leadership spill. Their influence was seen as strong while the community mostly ignored. By the time the projection show was held, a light-based protest was organised and a giant online-based petition featuring hundreds of thousands of digital signatures was printed and sent to the NSW Parliament.
So far this time, there has been no media personalities influencing politicians.
This means the only points of anger now left are related to gambling, horse racing & animal rights. This is where we will begin to examine the history.
The History
The pylons were first used in the 1980’s for an artwork. It was a lit-up Southern Cross attached to the south-eastern pylon. But it’s first major usage and now most prominent, is for Sydney New Year’s Eve. It began in 1998 when laser projections were introduced for the event in 1998. They were replaced by light projections in 2000 and projection mapping was introduced in 2009. The western pylons were first used in 2015. As of today, they are still used for Sydney NYE sponsors’ branding.
Channel 9 Sydney Harbour Bridge South-Eastern Pylon Corporate Branding at Sydney NYE2002 – ‘The World’s Celebration In Union’ Photograph: City Of SydneySydney Harbour Bridge Foreshore Authority Sydney Harbour Bridge Southern Pylons Corporate Branding – Sydney NYE2009 – ‘Awaken The Spirit’ Photograph: The Electric Canvas
If corporate branding for Sydney NYE is a problem, this will affect the sponsorship of Sydney NYE as it will affect the reach sponsors can get out of the 1 million people around the Harbour and could speed up the decline of the event.
Projection mapping on the Sydney Harbour Bridge south-eastern pylon was introduced for Vivid Sydney in 2013. However, it is not used for corporate purposes but for artistic purposes. It forms Bangarra Dance Theatre’s annual projection show:
Before projection mapping was used at Sydney NYE & Vivid Sydney, it was introduced in general in 2008 for World Youth Day. It has been used ever since for major events & causes though many don’t realise it as it has low reach. Here are some from over the years, some promoting active events, some not:
World Youth Day – Sydney 2008 Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Projection Photograph: The Electric CanvasWorld Youth Day – Sydney 2008 & Pope Benedict Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Projections Photograph: The Electric Canvas
Harry Kewell projection for the FIFA Congress – Sydney 2009 Photograph: The Electric Canvas
The light show to be used in this year’s Barrier Draw was introduced at Vivid Sydney in 2013 on the western side but was switched to the eastern side in 2015 and still exists.
In recent years, the light show has also been used for other events most notably World Road Safety Week & Australia Day In Sydney. It also occasionally has been used for State Of Origin (when NSW does well – especially 2014, which is below):
This year’s The Everest Barrier Draw proposal seems to confirm the Vivid Sydney light show is now permanently installed on the Bridge but used for only a few weeks each year.
Other Sporting Events
‘Sydney Welcomes Tottenham Hotspur’ During Vivid Sydney 2015 Photograph: Eliot Cohen- Zeitgeist Photography
Over the past decade, the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons have been used for sporting event projections.
The Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) are Australia’s 2 most attended sporting leagues and have used the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons before – mostly NRL.
Todd Greenburg, in a press conference, referring to Cooper Cronk’s image being projected, said how that player’s “brand is sitting on the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge” and that “it demonstrates, again, the power of the game. It demonstrates the power our players have”.
These NRL Grand Final Week 2019 projections are done similar to the proposed The Everest Barrier Draw projection show later this month. The only difference is the north-eastern pylon is being lit (and badly too – it is shining the powerful lights onto the roadway below the pylon).
It should be noted Peter V’Landys, CEO of Racing NSW (and at the time of The Everest projection show last year), recently became Chairman-elect of the Australian Rugby League Commission and these NRL Grand Final Week projections are being done in conjunction with Destination NSW, who also did the recent Greater Western Sydney Giants lighting, though for some reason, did not add projections for that occasion.
Strangely, in today’s media release, NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said:
This is something we have never done before over the entire week
They have – numerous times. We wonder why he said that?
It could be to justify the upcoming The Everest Barrier Draw projection show being done.
‘NRL Grand Final Week’ Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Projections 2011 Photograph: The Courier-Mail‘NRL Grand Final Week’ Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Projections 2013 Photograph: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
‘NRL Grand Final Week’ Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Projections 2014 Photograph: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
‘NRL Grand Final Week’ Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Projections 2014 Photograph: South Sydney Rabbitohs
NRL & AFL are well known for their connections to gambling organisations and have endured over the years numerous relevant scandals involving their players. The NRL’s corporate partner is Sportsbet while the AFL’s is Bet Easy. TV networks that broadcast their sports to a community audience bombard that audience with many gambling ads from many gambling companies whose advertisements normalise gambling by promoting it like a business or profession.
It could be fair to say NRL & AFL indirectly do more to promote gambling than horse racing does (though most people know horse racing does more to directly promote gambling than NRL & AFL does).
Using the Sydney Harbour Bridge to celebrate a sporting event whether it is gambling-focused or not is not unusual. The proposed The Everest projection show this year is no different.
The only argument against the above paragraph is that The Everest is not as big as the Melbourne Cup yet. The Melbourne Cup mainly became ‘The Race That Stops The Nation’ because an interstate Melbourne Cup rivalry between Victoria & NSW developed. The Everest has only beaten the Melbourne Cup in the prize money stakes and no rivalry of similar nature has developed with that race particularly when lots of international horses are in it. Melbourne Cup‘s attendance is also more than double that of The Everest. The Melbourne Cup‘s TV ratings are sky high too in comparison.
While The Everest projection show this year is intended to promote the event through celebration just like NRL & AFL, the projection show is not an advertisement or celebration itself. Rather than just as a promotion or celebration, projections done for The Everest have always been intended as part of their Barrier Draw, which can be considered as part of the sporting event itself.
There is a precedent for incorporating (or at least, proposing to incorporate) the Sydney Harbour Bridge in projections/lights as part of a sporting event (and not just for promotional/celebratory purposes). It never happened though due to cost and possibly because the technology wasn’t quite there. It was a half a decade ahead of it’s time…
The Rugby World Cup 2003 Final was proposed to have the most extravagant Bridge Effect ever.
The Rugby World Cup Trophy was to be the Bridge Effect with multiple miniature Bridge Effects of a rugby ball running along the arch. Players would be projected onto the pylons ‘kicking’ the ball back and forth along the Bridge’s arch when a try/goal happened during the game. The score of each team would be shown on each pylon as fireworks erupted from the pylon’s top.
But due to cost & technological limitations, in the end, just a rugby ball became the Bridge Effect. In hindsight, that was probably wise as the Rugby World Cup Bridge Effect & opening/closing Harbour fireworks displays are the most forgotten displays of all time. Barely any footage exists apart from this short video:
Conclusion
In the end, the only arguments against the proposed The Everest Barrier Draw projection show that have no precedent involve horse racing or barrier draws. This will be the 1st horse racing or barrier draw projection show on the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons. Gambling alone doesn’t cut it as an argument when many other gambling-rich sports have been projected on the pylons in the past & even this year. And so far, for this year’s Barrier Draw, there are no ‘billboard’ advertisement designs proposed nor any media figures personally saying they will ring the Premier to ensure it happens. It is only precedent setting and the only reason to protest this year without any fault in argument is in regards to horse racing or barrier draws.
By all means, if you feel you need to protest it due to the gambling links & the promotional/celebratory purposes, feel free to. We are not stopping you nor trying to discourage you but you might as well protest nearly all the other ones including the NRL one currently happening.
Note: Article updated on the 1st of October to include the Dally M Medal award projections and updated on the 5th of October to include details on last year’s publicity figures & to correct details about this year’s projection show – it won’t feature ‘The Everest’ trophy, which it did last year. Updated on 8th October to point out Peter V’landys is Chairman-elect of the Australian Rugby League Commission. He becomes Chairman on October 30.
This article or previous versions does and did not imply that Sydney Spectaculars endorses horse racing or gambling etc. This article & it's earlier versions are only to show how similar projections have been done before with no protests.
THIS ARTICLE HAS SINCE BEEN UPDATED (4:30PM 03/09/2019 AEST) FOLLOWING INITIAL PUBLICATION AT 8PM 02/09/2019.
That’s right – this is a big call.
For those who remember it, the Millennium was a moment of global unity.
While Rio De Janerio brang the biggest crowds (and they still do), 2 other cities rang in the new Millennium with what were called the best fireworks displays of the night (or the last Millennium). These cities were Sydney and Paris.
Paris was ranked 2nd on the night. The display was done by Groupe F and the countdown of the display replicated a rocket launch with the rocket (or Tower) lifting off at Midnight, taking Paris into the new Millennium (Video below does not feature the fireworks soundtrack):
Sydney’s though will be remembered for an Eternity.
Sydney’s display featured the Sydney Harbour Bridge & Opera House, city buildings, pontoons in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and 4 barges along the Harbour, 2 in the west and 2 in the east. That display was mostly done by Syd Howard Fireworks though the western barges were coordinated by Foti International Fireworks, who have done every Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) since.
The display, 25 minutes long, double the length of post-2005 displays, celebrated 2 themes – time and Sydney – in a phrase Sydney’s Millennium. It celebrated humanity’s history, beginning with a big bang of sorts and after the traditional Auld Lang Syne, launched into a History Of Pop, featuring 60 significant songs of the 20th century (in roughly chronological order) as well as moments of Australian & international importance like The Dismissal & Apollo 11. After then, it celebrated Australia with a remix of Down Under and Yothu Yindi songs. Encapsulting the universality of the moment, which is best represented by the iconic ‘Smiley Face’ Bridge Effect, which was used in most of the show, What A Wonderful World was then played. The rest of the songs represented modern music (Itacycoo Park), time (One Of These Days & History Repeating) & the best fireworks finale ever (Let’s Go Crazy).
Swan Lake then launched the finale. The finale symbolised the dramatic present (the start of a new Millennium) and the future with the iconic rainbow at the end launching the timeline of the display into an Eternity – a word written around Sydney by Arthur Stace from the 1930’s. Bells then rang from St Andrew’s & Mary’s Cathedrals for the 1st time ever on NYE celebrating the new Millennium.
No doubt Sydney’s millennium display was iconic not just for the scale of the fireworks but it’s theming & musical choice.
The Millennium formula, which was tested for nearly 3 years prior, was set in stone and remained how Sydney NYE was done until 2014. In 2015, the iconic Bridge Effect, which had since 1997 taken many forms, disappeared for various reasons. Since then, a light show has taken it’s place, which has been a suitable replacement though it doesn’t have the same anticipation about it.
Efforts to make a theme without a Bridge Effect were made by finding a local artist to do an artwork based around a theme, which was successful and have turned the artworks themselves into something that is deserving & worthy of anticipation.
However, today’s revealing of the updated Sydney NYE website for the 2019 edition revealed an artwork by Garbett Design to be used for the next 3 years. The artwork we can say looks amazing and stunning.
You can expect possibly slight changes in the artwork each year depending on circumstances/outcomes of previous editions with the artwork but most of the artwork will be the same for the next 3 years.
Sydney NYE2019 Artwork Artwork: City Of Sydney/Garbett Design
Sadly, the updated website today confirmed that Sydney NYE is now no longer doing themes – a critical aspect of the event. This is the 1st time this has happened since 1995. The website said this:
Artwork
The spontaneous energy of Sydney and its people inspires the event artwork.
Sydney New Year’s Eve is vibrant, raw and energetic. The spirit of the city is demonstrated in the bright, colourful, flexible and optimistic artwork developed by globally awarded, Sydney-based studio Garbett Design.
Inclusive, celebratory and safe
New Year’s Eve marks endings and anticipates new beginnings. Say goodbye to the old and hello to the new at this festive party for everyone.
The City of Sydney’s gift to the people, Sydney New Year’s Eve is a safe, sustainable event, celebrating local artists before the eyes of the world. Everyone can take part in this uniquely Sydney celebration.
While early December used to be the most likely day to reveal the theme, it seems very unlikely now that a theme will be announced in early December as recent years have had the theme revealed on the website a lot earlier.
It is now essentially just a fireworks display for at least 3 years as the light show & same artwork is being used for the next 3 years, the 2020 & 2021 editions have nothing to anticipate for apart from the fireworks soundtrack. The fireworks soundtrack will never go as modern technology ensures it is to stay plus nearly all fireworks displays nowadays have soundtracks. But the theming, which is decided by humans alone, will no longer be. It seems Sydney NYE has moved from being a creative celebration to a government marketing promotion for Sydney and this spells trouble. Events known for their creativity and moving towards a marketing or messaging approach are destined for failure. Like we have mentioned many times before, just look at the Closing Ceremony of the XXIst Commonwealth Games – Gold Coast 2018.
Back to Paris. The Eiffel Tower has remained unused on NYE ever since, though since 2018, the Arc De Triumphe has been used for projections and fireworks. However, that will never beat Sydney. In 2009, to celebrate the Eiffel Tower’s 120th anniversary, the Eiffel Tower was used as part of Paris’s Bastille Day celebrations. They added projections to the show this time and included a little reference to the Millennium display:
The only fault with the display was the Eiffel Tower’s reintroduction was not emotionally powerful. It wasn’t the best display but it utilized Sydney’s strengths as well as the emerging technology of projection mapping, which at this time was making it’s Sydney Opera House debut at the 1st Vivid Sydney. Notable is the strong usage of theming – the display told the history of the Eiffel Tower from 1885 – the year the concept plans of the Eiffel Tower were presented to the Society of Civil Engineers.
Clearly, Paris liked the display so 4 years later, they brought back the Eiffel Tower fully back (partially & briefly for red stationary flares in 2013) and have kept it as part of the fireworks since. The 2014 display, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I, saw Groupe F produce what we think is the greatest pyrotechnic display ever done. It solved all the problems of the 2009 display and it is a display Sydney would be proud of. Sydney’s 2013 International Fleet Review Spectacular probably follows in 2nd place. Their 2014 display, titled War & Peace tells the story of France since 1914 and also features acrobatics & circus acts and brilliant cinematography from France Television:
Groupe F has since produced nearly all future Eiffel Tower displays. Some other companies have done these displays but you can tell the difference in quality. However, all years since 2013 (and maybe even some before then) have had a theme!:
2013 – Freedom, Equality, Fraternity
2014 – War & Peace*
2015 – Paris Welcomes The World*
2016 – Paris Is 1 Party*
2017 – Olympism
2018 – Love*
2019 – Federation Party
*Groupe F show
This makes every Bastille Day distinctly different! Other years are below for your viewing:
The 2018 & 2019 displays have been geoblocked to Australia so we can’t see them. The 2017 display has been made a private video too. But a documentary was made on how Groupe F produce the 2018 show:
If anyone in France is reading this and can provide us a copy of these displays and/or a full translation into English of the documentary, that would be appreciated.
The Eiffel Tower was also used for fireworks 3 times before the Millennium – for it’s 100th anniversary (1989, where it also featured lasers & acrobatics), the opening (1889) and during construction (Yes, during construction in 1887!).
Paris has never gone to the effort of trying to beat Sydney. Sydney’s local & state governments have just taken NYE for granted now. It’s all about marketing, messaging & money rather than celebration, community & creativity.
Sydney has inspired the USA, China, France & the UK to do similar displays.
In fact, New York (with the Brooklyn Bridge) in 1983 inspired Sydney to use the Sydney Harbour Bridge, who since 2014, have inspired New York to bring back the Brooklyn Bridge into fireworks displays. That’s right – if New York keeps improving their displays, their Macy’s July the 4th Fireworks, which once again feature the Brooklyn Bridge could rival Sydney but New York still needs a lot of improvement (Mind you, we’re not American so maybe their cultural preferences suit their display – It’s their national day after all).
The UK even copied Sydney’s own method of Olympic success by also using their NYE celebrations as a ‘test event’ for the Olympics. With Paris due to host the Olympics in 2024, would Paris capitalise on the Eiffel Tower’s fireworks growth and use it on NYE in a couple of years time as an annual ‘test event’ in the lead up to the Games? Maybe they would use the Eiffel Tower like Sydney used in the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the Closing Ceremony of the 2000 Olympics? If so, they will smash Sydney in NYE stakes as Paris’s annual displays looks distinctly different. Sydney isn’t so much anymore.
For the record, we are not saying Foti International Fireworks lack creativity. Unlike Paris, Sydney’s fireworks companies have always specialised in just fireworks with other creativity coming from external sources. Groupe F of Paris has expertise in not just fireworks but acrobatics, projections, lights etc. And that’s a major difference. Foti Fireworks still produce brilliant pyrotechnic displays. It’s just their appointers, the City Of Sydney & the NSW Government, are completely using Sydney NYE as a cash cow instead of a creative masterpiece. The overall event will decline in quality rapidly as a result.
Paris is on the rise, Sydney is on the decline. It isn’t Paris’s fault that Sydney isn’t as exciting as it used to be. It is purely Sydney’s own fault.
In other news from the updated website:
A disclaimer now appears upon accessing the Vantage Points webpage. No doubt to remove the City Of Sydney from any associations with commercialisation of the event.
It might be just us but the ticketed events appear first on the Vantage Points webpage. Hopefully everyone notices there are free vantage points too! (If you are also taken straight to the ticketed events, please let us know so it can be confirmed). However, this shows an increased emphasis on ticketing.
East Circular Quay is now free managed access again! YAY! Most likely due to pressure from nearby businesses.
Campbell’s Cove has gone from free ticketed to paid ticketed (AUD$10) NAY!
A special ‘Events’ webpage, as revealed last week by the City Of Sydney, shows an emphasis on private 3rd-party events to a scale never seen before. The closest was in 2011 when they did ‘After Midnight’ – a list of venues & private 3rd-party events held after the Midnight Fireworks to visit on your way home.
Pre-Show Entertainment and the whole event now starts at 6:50pm. Recent previous editions started at 6pm with an aerial display.
Most of these dot points’ show the events’ purpose is shifting from one of creativity to one of commercialisation. Some improvement, but still as dramatic a decline as last year due to North Sydney now being ticketed as confirmed last month by North Sydney Council.
What do you think? Tell us what you think in our poll. That would truly tell if Sydney has stuffed up NYE.
So we now have each year, in terms of ‘flagship Sydney Spectaculars’:
Vivid Sydney (Late May to mid-June)
Sydney New Year’s Eve (The 31st of December to the 1st of January)
Australia Day Live (The 26th of January)
That photograph above does sum up the event’s new scale but it is missing 1 new event element in the photograph – the Hercules aircraft flare dispense – which started the 1st fireworks display of the night:
Other major new event elements included:
Boats on Sydney Harbour, most likely from the Sydney New Year’s Eve 2018 – The Pulse Of Sydney: Harbour Of Light Parade, had a synchronised light show.
Overseas Passenger Terminal was used for fireworks
Sydney Harbour Bridge had an synchronised light show
Sydney Opera House was used for fireworks
If you missed ‘Australia Day Live’, the full 2 hour event can be seen below:
‘Australia Day Live’ is the concluding event of ‘Australia Day In Sydney’, which is also getting larger. But notably, the overall event will have to for ‘Australia Day Live’ to get any larger.
‘Australia Day Live’ is completely focused on Circular Quay except briefly for the Hercules aircraft flare dispense. For it to break the boundaries of Circular Quay, significant crowds would need to appear at Mrs Macquaries Point, Bradfield Park & Mary Booth Lookout. Just as importantly, more boats would need to be anchored in Farm Cove, near Fort Denision & in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
To allow for larger crowds, crowds need a reason to go there. All these locations are very far from Circular Quay – Mrs Macquaries Point is separated from Circular Quay by the Royal Botanic Gardens, which is closed at night & the other 2 foreshore vantage points are on the other side of the Harbour. People do watch ‘Australia Day Live’ from these locations already but they are not in significant numbers yet. All 3 are, after all, very far away to see anything but fireworks, which mostly happen for 15 minutes at 9:15pm (All times in this article are in Australian Eastern Daylight Time).
Unlike Sydney New Year’s Eve, despite the Sydney Opera House now featuring fireworks for ‘Australia Day Live’, there is no need yet to get there early to get a good spot. Last year’s ‘Australia Day Live’ did reach capacity in Circular Quay but that happened half-way through the concert. As far as we are aware, capacity was not reached this year.
This should signal a drop in attendance. And it is easy to see why. If there is 1 flaw with ‘Australia Day Live’, is that it is a ‘made-for-television’ event. The only good place to see ‘Australia Day Live’ is on television or at the Concert itself (so that means you need a ticket & not just be in the vicinity).
If you are around Circular Quay, most of the 2 hours is spent watching a big screen. You might as well watch it on television. The Circular Quay entertainment is split up into 6 distinct shows:
Welcome/Good Times (7:30pm to 7:39pm)
Tug & Yacht Ballet (7:55pm to 8pm)
Sunset Ceremony (8:20pm to 8:30pm)
Tribute To Opera (8:47pm to 8:50pm)
Circular Quay Party (9:08pm to (9:11pm)
Spectacular (9:15pm to 9:30pm)
That’s about 45 minutes of a 2 hour event spent with actual entertainment in front of you and that is not on a big screen.
You might say ‘What about Sydney New Year’s Eve? There is hours between entertainment for that event’.
The difference is that New Year’s Eve is focused around Midnight. Midnight is the whole point of New Year’s Eve. And since Sydney’s Midnight Fireworks are iconic and world famous, people are willing to wait for not just hours but days to see the 12 minute record-breaking fireworks display.
Australia Day is focused around a day – a whole 24 hours. Since ‘Australia Day Live’, as a Circular Quay event rather than the Concert, is promoted as ‘1 event’ rather than ‘5 separate events followed by 1 major fireworks display at 9:15pm)’, you can’t blame the crowd if they leave because they think it’s either over, repetitive or lengthy & thus, boring. The approximately 20 minute breaks between the entertainment is rather disruptive and given most of the earlier entertainment features fireworks, you can’t blame the crowd if they thought they saw the main fireworks display, thought ‘That’s it???’ and left. The lower attendance might also be because the crowd did the same thing last year but waited until the end of the event that time and thought it wasn’t worth the wait this time (Well, they didn’t know how spectacular it would be).
If you got a ticket and were at the actual Concert, it was fine because you get to watch about 8 live performances over the 2 hours taking place on a stage – not a big screen.
The television/Internet broadcast is the same but also had frequent interviews with Australians & feature pieces on Australians and Australia Day.
Essentially, ‘Australia Day Live’ is made up of 4 parts:
Live musical performances
Interviews
Feature pieces
Circular Quay entertainment
The 1st problem needing to be fixed is the inconsistent Circular Quay entertainment. Either by properly advertising it as 6 events at different times over 2 hours instead of 1 2-hour long event or by shifting all the Circular Quay entertainment into 1 bundle, where possible, near 8:45pm or by adding more Circular Quay entertainment so spectators don’t spend 60% of their time staring at a big screen.
The 2nd problem is only if they want to grow the event. To do this, like we said earlier, they need crowds at vantage points further away from Circular Quay. ‘Australia Day Live’ does not have enough prestige yet to have people wait hours at these locations when a better vantage point still has room right up until the event starts. The only way to get a crowd in these locations to expand the overall ‘Australia Day In Sydney’ event.
‘Australia Day In Sydney’ has several events which have a long & significant history but the day can be broken up into 3 distinct event phases:
WulgulOra Morning Ceremony (7:45am to 8:30am)
Salute To Australia (10:45am to 12:15pm) – This includes the Ferrython, Salute To Australia & Tug & Yacht Ballet
Australia Day Live (6:30pm to 9:30pm)
There is a clear 6 hour gap in notable entertainment. There is entertainment but nothing worth the crowd waiting around for. First is In The Sky, a near 2-hour air show but actually features just 3 flyovers: A half-hour helicopter flag display at around 12:20pm; a Qantas A380 flyover at 1:15pm and the Red Berets parachute display at 2pm.
At 12:45pm, the near-hour long Australia Day Harbour Parade begins. Similar to Sydney New Year’s Eve’s Harbour Of Light Parade, the only difference is that it doesn’t feature lights – just decorations. A big problem is the lack of exclusion zone (for obvious reasons) which cause the Parade to blend in with other Harbour traffic. Also, as it is a Parade, despite lasting nearly an hour, a spectator only sees it for a few minutes.
At 1pm, there is the Tall Ships Race.This is probably something worthy of waiting around for but unlike the Ferrython, it doesn’t start & finish in the same place so unless you are on a boat, you would see either the start or finish but not both. With the finish being the better option to see and the race concluding at around 1:30pm, the near 75 minute wait after the Salute To Australia phase isn’t seen worth it by spectators particularly if they can see the race from another vantage point. They can be on the go.
Essentially, everything between 12:15pm and 2pm, is just watching boats and (very few) aerial displays.
Between 1:30pm and 2pm, the races of the Australia Day Regatta begin near Shark Island. This is a 3 hour event and takes up most of the time before Australia Day Live, finishing no later than 5pm at Shark Island. The fact the race course heads east of Shark Island means it is very far away from the rest of the ‘Australia Day In Sydney’ events and crowds aren’t willing to travel kilometres from Circular Quay to an event that can’t watch (and back) because the Regatta takes up tens of square kilometres stretching from Shark Island to Manly meaning there is no other land vantage point worthy of watching the event from than Shark Island, the start & finish line of the Regatta (so there is limited capacity). The fact the event has several races and intersecting courses means watching from the land can be confusing unless you are at Shark Island too.
So naturally, this means between 2pm and 6:30pm can be rather empty on Sydney Harbour on Australia Day.
But the International Fleet Review Spectactular had just ‘boats and planes’ in the afternoon and lots of people watched that? Yes but it had an ‘anchor’ event – the Spectacular at 7:40pm, which was the biggest multi-medium event on Sydney Harbour at the time. People were waiting all day for that. It provided momentum to the fireworks. Australia Day Live, as we detailed before, isn’t that prestigious yet that people will wait hours for it particularly if the entertainment in the meantime is far away or ‘just passing’.
In the morning between the WulgulOra Morning Ceremony & the Salute To Australia phases, the 10 Kilometre Wheelchair Race in The Rocks, held at 9am, provides suitable entertainment between those 2 phases as it gives a worthy reason for crowds to travel from Barangaroo Reserve, where the Ceremony is held, to Circular Quay, where the Salute To Australia phase is roughly based, so whilst they wait for that next phase to begin, there is at least some ‘half-time’ entertainment that they can watch for a while as it is held on a circuit.
So ‘Australia Day In Sydney’ between 12:15pm & 2pm is entertainment that can be done whilst ‘roaming’ whilst after 2pm, it is rather easily ignored and after 5pm, well there is definitely no entertainment until 6:30pm.
What ‘Australia Day In Sydney’ needs to do, along with our earlier suggestion, is to reorganise the day’s events to the best of their ability so that it provides momentum to the fireworks. These events, ideally held in the late afternoon (but preferably held consistently &/or where relevant all day. After all, it is Australia DAY) and located near Bradfield Park, Mary Booth Lookout & Mrs Macquaries Point, would give crowds a reason to wait there for the fireworks for hours and if the fireworks are just as spectacular as this year and the Concert is fixed up so that people aren’t staring at screens for an hour, it may become prestigious enough that people will wait there for the fireworks, watching that newly placed entertainment and thus allowing the fireworks display to get bigger since more vantage points are now being utilised.
It will take time. There is nothing wrong with the ideas of the existing events – the overall program just needs reconfiguring to allow future growth and again, this will take time. At least 2 years. But if it is delayed & thus affects ‘Australia Day In Sydney’ 2020, it may temporarily halt the overall growth or worse, reverse the trend of growth in ‘Australia Day In Sydney’. That would be disappointing and just when things were getting Spectacular! At least it gave us hope that the annual ‘Sydney Spectaculars’ aren’t declining like we recently thought.
And do not forget the other 2 major challenges for the event – the domestic target audience & the date. But we detailed that in our last article…
Anyway, in other news…
Sydney Lunar Festival
Tonight, the Sydney Lunar Festival starts. Formally called the Sydney Chinese New Year Festival, the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be lit in festive red & pink every night during the Festival from 8:15pm until 1am in celebration of the Lunar New Year & The Year Of The Pig. The Festival’s final night is on February the 10th.
It is expected the Sydney Opera House will be illuminated red again for the Festival as per tradition.
A fireworks display will accompany the illuminations turning on for the 1st time during the 2019 festival. To occur between 8pm & 9pm, mostly likely at 8:15pm, the fireworks display occurs somewhere on Sydney Harbour, most likely in Farm Cove & will feature most likely just a single barge. It will feature aerial shell fireworks up to 150 millimetres in size.
Conclusion
Again, this concludes our posts. We may return in December to post if Australia Day Live 2020 is announced to be similar to this year’s (that is, Sydney Opera House fireworks &/or Sydney Harbour Bridge light show)
In the meantime, we will just be adding future event information as it arrives on our site, which we will be refreshing over time.
Also in the meantime, we will continue to work to turn this site into a ‘museum’ of the ‘Sydney Spectaculars’. A new chapter may have just begun with Australia Day Live…
Lastly for your information, here are some known milestones to look forward to this year:
Until 10th February – Sydney Lunar Festival (Sydney Harbour Bridge & Opera House red &/or pink illuminations)
Mid-March – Vivid Sydney 2019 media launch
8:30pm 30 March – Earth Hour (Lights of landmarks are turned off for 1 hour)
7:30pm, 22 March to 21 April – Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour: West Side Story (A nightly performance on Sydney Harbour complete with fireworks. Tickets on sale now) ***FIRST TIME THEY ARE DOING A MUSICAL***
27 October – Diwali (Yellow-gold Sydney Opera House illumination)
11 November – Remembrance Day (Projections of poppies on the Sydney Opera House)
23 780ikj to 26 December – Sydney Christmas (Christmas-themed projection & light shows with a few fireworks displays)
Early December – Sydney New Year’s Eve 2019 Media Launch
Mid December – Australia Day In Sydney 2020 Program Announced
Late December – Sydney New Year’s Eve 2019 White Bay Media Call
31st December – Sydney New Year’s Eve 2019
The above may change as whilst most are annual events, some have not yet been formally announced as occurring this year.
And remember, nearly every night this year, you can see Badu Gili (a projection show on the Bennelong sail of the Sydney Opera House), a projection show on the Australian National Maritime Museum & a light show on Luna Park Sydney’s Ferris Wheel. There are also occasional simple fireworks displays on Sydney Harbour including the regular Saturday night fireworks in Darling Harbour (Yes, they have returned!).
Sydney Spectaculars 
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