The 5th chapter of the Badu Gili (‘Water Light’) projection series at the Sydney Opera House debuted just over a month ago, uniting First Nations artists from Australia & Brazil in a new projection themed Healing Spirit.
The artists from Australia are late Bidjigal elder, Aunty Esme Timbery & 2 of her children, Marilyn Russell and Steven Russell while the artist from Brazil is Joseca Mokahesi Yanomami of the Yanomami people, the Amazon basin’s largest Indigenous group.
His artwork is drawings of the remote Yanomami Forest landscapes & spirits while Marilyn & Aunty Esme’s artwork is delicate shellwork with Steven’s being prints & weavings.
Their artworks have been combined & animated by VANDAL, well known for their work on Sydney New Year’s Eve, with a soundscape by James Henry, bringing together Indigenous artists from Bidjigal (Australia) and Yanomami (the Amazon’s largest Indigenous group) for the first time on Australia’s most iconic canvas.
The final projection explores rituals & the bonds of cultural and familial connection forged through art and storytelling.
Opening against an ocean backdrop, the 1st section is a tribute to the life and work of Aunty Esme Timbery by her children. Exploring the deep spiritual connection between a mother, her family & their Country, it represents the enduring passage of artistic practice across generations.
The final section transitions to the forests and rivers of the Yanomami with butterflies, jaguars and the songs of its people, where a shamanic curing ceremony is depicted. The ceremony is a ritual performed when community members fall ill to call upon good spirits to ward off the bad. Illuminating the relationship between the metaphysical and natural worlds, it offers a glimpse into Yanomami cosmology.
Badu Gili: Healing Spirit is held for 6 minutes at the eastern Bennelong (smaller) sails 5 times each night from sunset.
It launched on the 13th of December last year with Badu Gili: LIVE – a night of live music & food.
Badu Gili: Healing Spirit marks the 2nd year of a creative partnership between the Sydney Opera House, & the Cartier Foundation For Contemporary Art.
Apart from the first 2 “chapters” of Badu Gili (debuting in 2017 & 2018), which was a rotating series of artworks, subsequent chapters have been themed, Wonder Woman (2021) & had narratives added, Celestial (2023).
Since Badu Gili’s beginnings in 2017, we’ve welcomed over 650,000 visitors on-site & nearly 3 million online to enjoy this free cultural experience showcasing the work of artists from different corners of the globe, whose creations reflect a deep, generational connection to their respective lands.
Jade McKellar, Sydney Opera House Chief Customer Officer
Healing Spirit is a journey of connectivity & caring through culture. From the fresh water deep in the Amazon rainforest to the crashing saltwater waves at La Perouse, we are all connected. I believe Badu Gili showcases the absolute best of Indigenous art in a growing movement recognising the way in which our stories, art & culture continue to resonate in the most impactful of ways.
Tony Albert, Cartier Foundation For Contemporary Art First Nations Curatorial Fellow
As a family we are so proud & grateful for this opportunity to shine a spotlight on Mum, known as Aunty Esme to the broader community. She taught us the beauty of our heritage & shared with us her incredible talent for shellwork. For us, Badu Gili represents the pinnacle of her artistic career & honours her strength, creativity and the way she continues to inspire us every day. This project brings her children, grandchildren & great grandchildren pride & joy in our culture. We love Mum deeply & we are forever blessed to walk in her footsteps.
Statement Of Marilyn & Steven Russell, Artists & Children of Aunty Esme Timbery
I’m happy to be a part of Badu Gili & excited to be coming to Australia to share my drawings and the stories of the Yanomami people. As Indigenous people we will look each other in the face, get to know one another & share this special work with the community.
Circular Quay drone shows, Vivid Sydney water shows, Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour, Australia SailGP & fireworks from barges over Sydney Harbour at any time of the year are under threat from a proposed high-density housing development at Glebe Island. This does not affect Sydney NYE2024 (the upcoming edition).
Glebe Island is home to a port with 260 metres of deep waterfront wharf space, where Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour‘s enormous stage is prepared before been moved to Fleet Steps. Barges & pontoons are also moored at Glebe Island for the preparation of pyrotechnic displays & drone shows held from them. For the pyrotechnics, cranes are used to load the fireworks onto the barges & pontoons while for both drones & fireworks, the barges & pontoons are then moved into Sydney Harbour (or in the drone shows’ case, moored at Campbells’ Cove) for the displays. The same also applies for the annual water show held in Cockle Bay during Vivid Sydney, whose water pump infrastructure is first prepared at Glebe Island while Australia SailGP requires the delivery of 120 shipping containers.
Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE), the most significant annual pyrotechnic event on Sydney Harbour, uses 6 barges and 4 pontoons. Without these, the display would be reduced to just the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House & city buildings. Fireworks displays at any other time of year & drone/water shows as well as Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour & Australia SailGP will be impossible to be held.
And according to Adam Huie of Banks Events, who has helped produce Sydney Spectaculars (the events, not the blog) since 1997, that’s what will happen if Glebe Island is no longer a port.
First things first, Glebe Island is a bit of a misnomer. It was an island originally, but it doesn’t exist anymore. It was joined to the mainland just over a century ago but now, fast forward to 2016.
On the 14th of November 2016, the New South Wales (NSW) Government announced Sydney Metro West, an underground rapid transit line. One of its proposed stations is to be at The Bays precinct, “Sydney’s new innovation hub where 95 hectares of land is being regenerated”.
Green: Glebe Island, Brown: Reclaimed Land, Blue Line: Sydney Metro West (under construction), Blue Boxes: Sydney Metro West Stations (under construction).
At the time, the land regeneration wasn’t to include Glebe Island, which was instead marked as “for further study”.
The Bays Precinct Urban Renewal Area In 2014 Image: The Sydney Morning Herald
And indeed, further study it was, in secret. On the 25th of July this year, The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that the NSW Government had secretly commissioned a review into Glebe Island. The now not-so-secret review is being undertaken by Michael Schur, a consultant who was a former NSW Treasury secretary in 2011, who will also review the non-cruise ship terminal portion of the White Bay foreshore. He will be assessing options including:
Retaining the ports with no nearby high-density housing
Moving the ports for nearby high-density housing
Building a hybrid model
The proposal by the NSW Government to turn it into high-density housing is made due to the now-under construction The Bays Metro Station, which would be able to handle large amounts of passengers & therefore, potential residents. The NSW Government later admitted the review was real.
Tom Forrest, Urban Taskforce Chief Executive said Glebe Island had the potential to be Sydney’s next Barangaroo which he described as “vibrant, open & perfect” but industry wants to stay at Glebe Island.
For example, the Port Authority of NSW, a corporation of the NSW Government, while supporting the Schur review, is opposed to the Glebe Island port closing down or being relocated. As noise, pollution & truck movements are all key considerations in whether the hybrid model can work, they even warned against that option, saying “sensitive uses” near ports & shipping threatened to upset operations. It is this position that has led event producers to not make a collective submission.
The NSW Liberal Party is also opposed to the relocation while Stuart Aryes, Urban Development Institute Of Australia, Chief Executive said a mixed-use precinct “could be a new jewel in the Sydney Harbour crown”.
The City Of Sydney, in a statement (below), gave a response which sounds like a wait and see approach with supreme confidence. The confidence is justified as Glebe Island/White Bay has not always been the location the pyrotechnic barges been prepared from. For example, in 1996, Wooloomooloo was the location for the set-up of the main barge used in the 9pm Family Fireworks that year. It relocated to White Bay/Glebe Island the following year.
However, Adam Huie told Sydney Spectaculars (the blog this time) that Wooloomooloo is “now occupied by other uses and unavailable”. You can read his full comments, which were published by The Daily Telegraph, at the bottom of this article.
The review is likely to be published by the end of the year.
The Sydney NYE2024 Glebe Island media call is on Friday the 27th of December at 10am & it wouldn’t be a surprise if questions are asked there about this situation.
Sydney NYE2024 is on at 7:30pm on the 31st of December while Australia SailGP returns on the 8th-9th of February with Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour 2025 being held between March 21 and April 20 & will be musical Guys & Dolls this edition.
There is a range of things that you could do with Glebe Island that are better than the way it has been used for a long period of time & one of those is obviously housing.
Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister Of Australia
If the government has an announcement to make, it will be made at an appropriate time.
NSW Government Spokesperson
The harbour is our jewel in the crown & Glebe Island supports that gem. Our harbour is also more complex & multifaceted than people realise so while we excel at events, they need a platform supporting them.
Margy Osmond, Tourism & Transport Forum Australia Chief Executive Officer
The government’s own department is telling them that this is a bad idea – that should tell you all you need to know.
Natalie Ward, NSW Legislative Councillor
Any proposed plans for the Glebe Island site is a matter for the state government.
Our experience over the years has meant we are adept at working around evolving changes to the event’s production to ensure we continue to deliver one of the world’s most spectacular New Year’s Eve celebrations.
City Of Sydney Spokesperson
(Barangaroo) That’s the sort of vision we need to see. Maintaining Sydney as a quasi-working harbour was a prospect that was abandoned by governments 30 years ago. Continuing to operate a hybrid model ensures the Bays Precinct will fail to deliver its potential. The last thing we want is to keep that giant hardstand area in order to satisfy the old Maritime Services Board.
Tom Forrest, Urban Taskforce Chief Executive
Sydney will struggle to be a better city without Glebe Island. The thought that the fireworks & other major events could be in jeopardy is truly alarming. Access to Glebe Island for preparing events is vital for the events sector & for Sydney’s economy, tourism and culture.
Paul Nicolau, Business Sydney Executive Director
We live here because of the working harbour.
Elizabeth Elenius, Pyrmont Action Group Founder
We use Glebe Island for a lot of events that mean so much to this city.
Because the Port Authority has had management of the site and their support for events is strong. We’ve seen that as the state government supporting our events but this report that’s coming has given everyone the jitters. We don’t know what is going on. These events are too important to Sydney. People around the world know us for our NYE celebrations. It would be terrible if we had to scale that back because a necessary work site was not available.
There’s quite a number of events that use that space as an essential part of their work. There’s Australia Day, Vivid, SailGP and Opera On The Harbour. They would all have major issues putting on some of their events without Glebe Island.
The drone show for Vivid in June required 110m of wharf space at Glebe Island for 4 weeks to build a barge & install the equipment allowing 800 drones to take off. Every city in the world that SailGP operates in, they deliver essentials by ship & set up on a wharf. If Sydney doesn’t have Glebe Island port, where are they going to go? All these events need waterfront access on the harbour.
People have spent years trying to work out how to deliver the New Year’s Eve fireworks if Glebe Island suddenly wasn’t available. We’ve never come up with a solution. The only sensible option would be to scale back on the event & surely no one wants that. Sydney has one of the best fireworks displays in the world, but the event could not be done the way it’s currently done without that Glebe Island facility.
I’d laugh at anyone suggesting (Port Botany, Kembla, Newcastle) that. There’s no way you’d be loading barges there & then shipping them here. Logistics require clear weather windows of opportunity. It would be unworkable, virtually impossible but why does that even have to be considered when we’ve got a working wharf right here?
The State Of Origin 2025 schedule has been released with all matches for the women’s version being held only in May after being held over 2 months (May & June) this year.
The announcement was made on the 18th of November.
State Of Origin (men’s version) 2024 will have all matches on a Wednesday night with the matches times, dates & venues being:
Game III – 8:05pm, 9th of July, Stadium Australia, Sydney
Tickets for Game 2 went on sale on the 22nd of November at 1pm Perth time (4pm Sydney time/3pm Brisbane time) “starting” from AUD$49 for adults & AUD$139 for families (currently cheapest available is AUD$109 for adults & surprisingly, AUD$74.75 for families).
A pre-sale for New South Wales & Queensland Rugby League members was held from Monday, November 18 before National Rugby League (NRL) club ticketed members had a pre-sale 4-2 hours prior to the general public while NRL account holders & club non-ticketed members had a pre-sale 2 hours prior to the general public.
Meanwhile, the Women’s State Of Origin will take place solely in May:
Game I – 1st of May, Lang Park, Brisbane
Game II – 15th of May, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Game III – 29th of May, Hunter International Sports Centre, Newcastle
All Women’s State Of Origin matches will be on a Thursday night with kick-off at 7:45pm local time.
‘Women’s State Of Origin’ 2025 Advertisement Image: Women’s State Of Origin
While Women’s State Of Origin will be held in Sydney this year, it will not be classified as a ‘flagship’ Sydney Spectacular yet still. While the gap in attendance is narrowing, the attendance is still too low compared to the men’s version (25,000 per event day vs 73,000 per event day). Sydney Spectaculars will continue to monitor Women’s State Of Origin‘s development for possible future recognition.
Both men’s & women’s versions of State Of Origin 2025 will be broadcast in Australia live and exclusive on the Nine Network & tickets for all other matches will go on sale at a later date. Also, a range of hospitality options for all matches have been on sale since the 18th of November.
Red poppies adorned the Sydney Opera House at sunrise & after 8pm on the 11th of November to mark Remembrance Day.
At sunrise, a special surprise was held at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, hosted by the New South Wales (NSW) Veterans Minister, David Harris. The Returned Services League NSW President Mick Bainbridge recited the Ode before the Last Post rang out to remind everyone of Remembrance Day’s importance.
Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the armistice signing hat brought an end to fighting in the 1st World War, which ceased hostilities 106 years ago. Over 416,000 Australians enlisted for service during the Great War, out of a population of only 4 million. Many more defence personnel have participated in peacekeeping operations & fought in conflicts since. For over 100 years, red poppies have been used as a symbol of community respect & recognition.
Poppies have been projected onto the Sydney Opera House for Remembrance Day annually since 2014 while the sunrise service has been an addition since the COVID-19 pandemic.
This Remembrance Day is an opportunity to reflect on those who bravely laid down their own lives to defend our country & preserve our way of life.
It is important to acknowledge those who continue to serve in our defence, at home and abroad. There is no higher public service than offering your own life to protect your country.
It is also crucial to recognise those who have lost a parent, child or family member in the defence of our country.
Australia’s free & democratic society is built upon the shoulders of these brave service personnel we are commemorating today.
Lest we forget.
Chris Minns, NSW Premier
Today we remember those who have given their lives and served their country in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping missions & we also acknowledge the support of their families.
We wear poppies on Remembrance Day to serve as a reminder for people here & around the world, to take a moment & pause and remember our service men and women.
We owe them an immeasurable debt of gratitude for helping to make Australia the prosperous & free country it is today.
David Harris, NSW Veterans Minister
This Remembrance Day, we not only honour & remember all those who have died or suffered for Australia’s cause in all wars and conflicts, we also continue to reflect on the ongoing impact of military service on our veterans & their families.
Following the conclusion of the Royal Commission into Defence & Veteran Suicide, ex-service organisations now face 122 critical recommendations & RSL NSW will advocate for the implementation of these recommendations to support veterans across Australia.
We must turn remembrance into action, ensuring every veteran across all generations feels supported, heard & valued.
The western sails of the Sydney Opera House were illuminated in gold on the evening of Tuesday the 5th of November in recognition of Diwali.
Also known as Deepavali, Diwali is of great significance to the Hindu, Sikh, Jain & Buddhist communities, celebrating the victory of light over darkness, good over evil & knowledge over ignorance. It is a time spent with family & friends, praying for health, knowledge & peace. Participants wear colourful clothes, exchange gifts and sweets & decorate their homes.
The golden illumination of the Sydney Opera House’s western sails represented the spiritual darkness’s lifting & life’s renewal.
That same night, across Circular Quay at the Museum Of Contemporary Art, the New South Wales (NSW) Government hosted their annual Diwali celebration, which brought the state’s multicultural leaders together.
Wherever you go in NSW you can find the positive impact in our lives made by the Indian diaspora.
The ideals of knowledge over ignorance, good over evil & light over darkness are messages that everyone can embrace.
By sharing in this celebration, we can all join together, foster greater understanding & keep our communities strong.
The New South Wales (NSW) Government has announced Central Station will be specially illuminated in Technicolour for 9-time BRIT Awards-winning rock band, Coldplay‘s Music Of The Spheres tour between sunset (7:28pm-7:31pm) on the 6th of November & sunrise (5:46am-5:50am) on the 11th of November. Music Of The Spheres tour concerts, held at Stadium Australia, begin at 8:30pm (or 8:45pm according to Stadium Australia) except on the 8th of November when there is no concert nor Central Station illuminations currently scheduled.
The Grand Concourse will also be covered with Music Of The Spheres-themed decorations.
From 3:21pm each concert day, the Express Trains Full Of Stars will run from Central to Olympic Park, with stops at Redfern & Strathfield, until 10:08pm. It is free for concertgoers (on presentation of their concert ticket which is valid from 4am concert day until 4am the next day) otherwise a AUD$3.65 Opal Card fare applies.
With the band’s permission, each Express Train Full Of Stars will have 8 Coldplay tracks played over the train’s public address system. These will be played over the course of the 20–26-minute train trip:
Remember, to take into account 15 minutes to walk from Sydney Olympic Park Railway Station to your entry gate at Stadium Australia. Using this, you can find an Express Trains Full Of Stars timetable for Sunday the 10th of November for all the trains from Central up until 7:50pm (as the concert is scheduled for 8:30pm (or 8:45pm according to Stadium Australia)) below:
Central Platform
Central Departure Time
Sydney Olympic Park Arrival Time
Train Duration
4
3:21pm
3:43pm
22 minutes
7
3:31pm
3:53pm
22 minutes
5
3:50pm
4:13pm
23 minutes
6
4:12pm
4:33pm
21 minutes
4
4:20pm
4:43pm
23 minutes
7
4:27pm
4:49pm
22 minutes
5
4:32pm
4:54pm
22 minutes
6
4:37pm
5:01pm
24 minutes
4
4:51pm
5:12pm
21 minutes
7
4:58pm
5:19pm
21 minutes
5
5:01pm
5:24pm
23 minutes
6
5:07pm
5:30pm
23 minutes
4
5:21pm
5:42pm
21 minutes
7
5:29pm
5:49pm
20 minutes
5
5:31pm
5:55pm
24 minutes
6
5:38pm
6pm
22 minutes
4
5:43pm
6:07pm
24 minutes
7
5:56pm
6:18pm
22 minutes
5
6:04pm
6:25pm
21 minutes
6
6:13pm
6:35pm
22 minutes
4
6:21pm
6:41pm
20 minutes
7
6:31pm
6:51pm
20 minutes
5
6:34pm
6:55pm
21 minutes
6
6:40pm
7:01pm
21 minutes
4
6:51pm
7:12pm
21 minutes
7
6:58pm
7:19pm
21 minutes
5
7:05pm
7:25pm
20 minutes
6
7:10pm
7:32pm
22 minutes
4
7:20pm
7:41pm
21 minutes
7
7:28pm
7:48pm
20 minutes
5
7:31pm
7:54pm
23 minutes
6
7:38pm
8:02pm
24 minutes
4
7:50pm
8:11pm
21 minutes
This timetable is of Sunday the 10th of November 2024.
The above platforms will also be playing hit Coldplay songs prior to boarding.
The Express Trains Full Of Stars also operates in the reverse direction from Sydney Olympic Park to Central from 3:45pm until 1:15am but does not stop at both Redfern & Strathfield before 10:30pm.
The Express Trains Full Of Stars is not operating on the regular Lidcombe-Olympic Park shuttle rail service, the North Shore line north of Central & on express rail services from/to Parramatta, Blacktown, Liverpool, Schofields, Campbelltown, Penrith, Macarthur & Emu Plains from/to Olympic Park.
These trains are a part of more than 142 extra trains being scheduled for each day of the Music Of The Spheres tour, along with more than 162 extra buses per concert day, combining to more than 310 extra public transport services on the network per concert day. Public transport is the best way to get to the Music Of The Spheres tour concert.
Fans getting dropped off & picked up by car are urged to factor in extra travel time & choose a location away from the immediate vicinity of Stadium Australia as delays are expected while road closures are in place within Olympic Park.
Pass-outs for the concert are also not being issued. There are no live concert broadcasts immediately outside Stadium Australia & to ensure safety and security, people are strongly discouraged from congregating in Sydney Olympic Park until 11pm, November the 10th.
Official stadium-external merchandise stands open at 12pm each concert day while stocks last along with Stadium Australia’s box office, the latter of which will be open to assist existing Ticketek-purchased ticket holders only at 1:30pm. There are stadium-internal merchandise stalls too from 5pm whilst stocks last. All products are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. These shops do not accept cash.
Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres tour is at Stadium Australia, Sydney Olympic Park from 6-10 November 2024 at 6pm with support acts, Shone (6pm), Emmanuel Kelly (6:30pm) & Ayra Starr (7:15pm), building up the atmosphere until 8:30pm (or 8:45pm according to Stadium Australia). Gates open at 5pm. Tickets are sold out.
This is the 3rd illumination of a Sydney building for a musical artist but the 1st for a band. The Sydney Opera House was illuminated purple in 2016 for Prince, who was, at the time, performing in the venue’s concert hall for 1 night only, just weeks before his tragic passing. Earlier this year, in February, Central Station & Sydney’s stadiums were illuminated in a Lavender Haze for Taylor Swift.
Did you know Coldplay has never performed at the Sydney Opera House? Due to their popularity, they would have to do a 16-day residency at the Opera House for 1 Stadium Australia concert’s worth to happen so for 4 Stadium Australia concerts that would be a residency of just over 2 months! Michael Bublé performed at the Opera House for the season finale of Australian Idol in 2009 & managed to appear in what turned out to be one of the best pyrotechnic displays ever staged on Sydney Harbour (to give an idea of what Coldplay could bring to the House… or Harbour for that matter!):
As the illumination is not on the Sydney Opera House or Harbour Bridge & the fact musical concerts have no existing special flagship Sydney Spectacular status yet (unlike fireworks displays, light shows, projection mapping shows, air shows, military salutes, rugby league matches & sailing races), Coldplay‘s Music Of The Spheres tour will not be considered as an Extraordinary Sydney Spectacular. In any case, the Stadium Australia concert record attendance is currently held by Adele’s LIVE 2016 tour at 98,364 people per concert. That record would need to be equalled or broken first.
Coldplay‘s songs, Paradise & Hymn For The Weekend (featuring Beyonce) have featured in the Midnight Fireworks of Sydney New Year’s Eve 2012 & 2016 respectively, the latter featuring in the iconic golden waterfall sequence.
Sydney Spectaculars will keep an eye on future concert tours from any artist at Stadium Australia to see if they meet the requirement for a Central Railway Station illumination & if Coldplay returns for another tour, whether the Technicolour illumination will be upgraded to include Sydney’s stadiums and possibly, the Sydney Opera House!
Coldplay truly brings a crowd & we’re expecting a big turn-out at Sydney Olympic Park with massive crowd levels expected in the stadium.
We’ll have hundreds of extra bus & rail services working to get you to Coldplay with the cost of transport already included in your ticket.
Coldplay‘s given Sydney Trains permission to play some of our favourites including Clocks.
It will be busy so make the most of Olympic Park’s bars, food trucks, restaurants & a sky full of stars before & after the gig to avoid those big initial queues.
Jo Haylen, NSW Transport Minister
Tickets for an event like Coldplay go on sale more than a year in advance & similarly our planning for it has been a long time in the making, to ensure we provide the best possible service.
We’ve done the work so you can leave the car at home & catch 1 of the myriad public transport options to Accor Stadium – even better if you do so nice and early & enjoy the bars, food trucks and restaurants in the stadium precinct.
Hundreds of extra trains and buses will run to Olympic Park & the cost of travel is already included in your concert ticket. All you need to do is show your Coldplay concert ticket to transport staff when boarding services.
Likewise, our fleet of Sydney Olympic Park Major Event Buses will run on all 9 routes frequently from mid-afternoon each concert day & also after the show to get you home.
We expect there will be some heavy peak hour traffic across the network on the Wednesday & Thursday evenings for the 2 mid-week shows, if you do choose to drive, please plan your trip & leave home early.
Parking usually sells out in advance, so it is essential that you pre-book online to secure a space & think about car-pooling.
Allow plenty of extra travel time as there will be heavy traffic & local road closures in the precinct, especially after the gig.
It may well be more convenient to park at 1 of our train station commuter car parks & head to Olympic Park from there by train, at no extra cost.
Howard Collins, Transport For NSW Coordinator-General
On Monday the 13th of November last year, all the State Of Origin 2024 dates were confirmed with the extra announcement that the women’s version will equal the men’s version in terms of number of games in a series with both versions now featuring 3 games, which is the historic standard for a State Of Origin series since the inaugural men’s edition in 1982. Women’s State Of Origin had an inaugural 2-game series last year after 5 years as a single match.
State Of Origin (men’s version) 2024 will have all matches on a Wednesday night with kick-off at 8:05pm local time with the matches dates’ & venues being:
Game I – 5th of June, Stadium Australia, Sydney
Game II – 26th of June, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Game III – 17th of July, Lang Park, Brisbane
Starting just under 3 weeks earlier, the Women’s State Of Origin will take place on:
Game I – 16th May, Lang Park, Brisbane
Game II – 6th of June, Hunter Stadium, Newcastle
Game III – 27th of June, North Queensland Stadium, Townsville.
All Women’s State Of Origin matches will be on a Thursday night with kick-off at 7:45pm local time.
Despite now being a 3-game series, Women’s State Of Origin will not be classified as a ‘flagship’ Sydney Spectacular yet. The minimal ‘official celebration’ of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Australia & New Zealand last year has hampered Women’s State Of Origin‘s short-term chances of being recognised as a ‘flagship’ Sydney Spectacular. Most importantly, this year’s edition is also not being held in Sydney at all. The closest venue is Newcastle, 160 kilometres north of Sydney, which has never hosted a State Of Origin match before. The attendance is also still too low compared to the men’s version (15,000 per event day vs 59,000 per event day). Sydney Spectaculars will continue to monitor Women’s State Of Origin‘s development for possible future recognition.
The New South Wales (NSW) Government has announced Central Station’s clock tower, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney Cricket Ground, Western Sydney Stadium & Stadium Australia will be lit in a Lavender Haze for 12-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor Swift’s, Erastour between sunset (7:35pm-7:40pm) of the 23rd of February & sunrise (6:38am-6:40am) of the 27th of February. Eras tour concerts, held at Stadium Australia, begin at 6:20pm* except on the 27th of February when there is no concert currently scheduled.
*Friday’s concert was delayed until 7:49pm due to severe weather.
Central Station’s concourse will also be covered with Eras-themed decorations.
From 3:29pm each concert day, the Tay Tay Swift Express will run from Central to Olympic Park, with stops at Redfern & Strathfield, until 10:07pm. It is free for concertgoers (on presentation of concert ticket which is valid from 4am concert day until 4am the next day) otherwise an AUD$3.47 Opal Card fare applies except Monday when it is AUD$4.97.
With her personal permission, each Tay Tay Swift Express will have Taylor Swift tracks played over the train’s public address system. A survey was conducted for her top 5 songs & these will be played over the course of the 20–25-minute train trip:
Remember, to take into account 15 minutes to walk from Sydney Olympic Park Railway Station to your entry gate at Stadium Australia. All tickets are allocated seating so there is no need to rush to get a good spot. Using this, you can find a Tay Tay Swift Express timetable for Monday the 26th of February for all the trains from Central up until 6:05pm (as the concert is scheduled for 6:20pm) below:
Central Platform
Central Departure Time
Sydney Olympic Park Arrival Time
Train Duration
7
3:29pm
3:52pm
22 minutes
4
3:52pm
4:15pm
23 minutes
7
4:09pm
4:33pm
24 minutes
4
4:23pm
4:45pm
22 minutes
6
4:29pm
4:52pm
23 minutes
5
4:38pm
4:58pm
20 minutes
7
4:42pm
5:05pm
23 minutes
4
4:50pm
5:14pm
23 minutes
6
4:58pm
5:23pm
25 minutes
5
5:07pm
5:31pm
24 minutes
7
5:10pm
5:36pm
25 minutes
4
5:23pm
5:43pm
20 minutes
6
5:28pm
5:54pm
25 minutes
5
5:37pm
6:01pm
24 minutes
This Tay Tay Swift Express timetable is of Monday the 26th of February 2024.
The Tay Tay Swift Express also operates in the reverse direction from Sydney Olympic Park to Central from 3:54pm until 1:15am but does not stop at Redfern & Strathfield before 10:24pm. There is also a special 12-minute express train to Strathfield leaving Olympic Park at 12:39am.
The Tay Tay Swift Express is also operating on Sydney Olympic Park Major Event buses & bus routes 526 (Parramatta to Burwood), 528 (Rhodes to Burwood) & 533 (to Chatswood). However, unlike the above trains, Taylor Swift music is not being played on these buses.
The Tay Tay Swift Express is not operating on the regular Lidcombe-Olympic Park shuttle rail service, the North Shore line north of Central & on express rail services from Campbelltown, Macarthur and Richmond and from/to Blacktown, Schofields, Liverpool, Penrith & Emu Plains from/to Olympic Park.
These trains are a part of 138 extra trains being scheduled for each day of the Eras tour, along with an extra 175 buses per concert day, combining to more than 300 extra public transport services on the network per concert day. Public transport is the best way to get to the Eras tour concert.
Pass-outs for the concert are also not being issued. There are no live concert broadcasts immediately outside Stadium Australia & to ensure safety & security, people are strongly discouraged from congregating in Sydney Olympic Park until 11pm, February the 26th.
It should be noted severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, large hail & heavy rainfall are forecast for the “Sydney area” on the 23rd of February. with “a chance” of thunderstorms forecast at Stadium Australia. The chance of rainfall is highest at the concert’s 11pm conclusion (63% chance) with it at a 38% (8pm) & 18% (5pm) chance earlier in the evening. Only at the concert’s conclusion at 11pm is there a 50% chance of more than 0.5mm of rain…. which isn’t much. Winds are forecast to reach a peak of about 25km/h between 8pm & 11pm.
Official stadium-external merchandise stands open at 12pm each day while stocks last along with Stadium Australia’s box office, the latter of which will be open to assist existing ticket holders only. There are stadium-internal merchandise stalls too from 4:30pm whilst stocks last. All products are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. These shops do not accept cash.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is at Stadium Australia, Sydney Olympic Park from 23-26 February 2024 at 6:20pm with support act, Sabrina Carpenter, building up the atmosphere until 7:30pm*. Gates open at 4:30pm. Tickets are still occasionally being released via official ticket supplier, Ticketek, online here, when possible up until 6:20pm, 26th of February 2024. Tickets can also be resold officially via Ticketek Marketplace here until 12pm the day of the concert.
*Appeared in main concert on Friday due to severe weather.
This is the 2nd illumination of a Sydney building for a living singer. The Sydney Opera House was illuminated purple in 2016 for Prince, who was, at the time, performing in the venue’s concert hall for 1 night only, just weeks before his tragic passing.
Did you know Taylor Swift has never performed at the Sydney Opera House? Due to her popularity, she would have to do a 16-day residency at the Opera House for 1 Stadium Australia concert’s worth to happen so for 4 Stadium Australia concerts that would be a residency of just over 2 months! Michael Bublé performed at the Opera House for the season finale of Australian Idol in 2009 and managed to appear in what turned out to be one of the best pyrotechnic displays ever staged on Sydney Harbour (to give an idea of what Taylor Swift could bring to the House… or Harbour for that matter!):
As the illumination is not on the Sydney Opera House or Harbour Bridge & the fact musical concerts have no existing special flagship Sydney Spectacular status yet (unlike fireworks displays, light shows, projection mapping shows, air shows, military salutes, rugby league matches & a future addition to be announced soon – but it’s not musical concerts!), Taylor Swift’s Eras tour will not be considered as an Extraordinary Sydney Spectacular. In any case, the Stadium Australia concert record attendance is currently held by Adele’s LIVE 2016 tour at 98,364 people per concert. That record would need to be equalled or broken first.
No doubt Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is an important entertainment milestone in Sydney & global musical pop culture history with long queues already snaking their way through Sydney Olympic Park for the pre-concert merchandise stalls yesterday & today. Sydney Spectaculars will keep an eye on future concert tours from any artist at Stadium Australia to see if they meet the requirement for a Sydney stadium or railway station illumination & if Taylor Swift return for another tour, whether the Lavender Haze illumination will be upgraded to the Sydney Opera House.
These kinds of events are a huge test for our public transport network & I want to thank Swifties in advance for their patience and understanding and our frontline staff for their massive efforts.
Sydney’s 1st annual drone show, ELEVATE Sydney, has been cancelled for 2024 as the new Labor New South Wales (NSW) Government conducts an expenditure review.
The cancellation of the event was unexpected given its growing profile. However, last year, Vivid Sydney, one of the 5 flagship Sydney Spectaculars & a NSW Government event, began to hold annual drone shows too.
First held in 2022 to help with the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, ELEVATE Sydney, had a nightly Circular Quay drone show, called Skyshow, as its centrepiece. Last year, it had a water ecological sustainability theme while the inaugural show had a generic ‘Summer Sydney’ theme. Both shows broke the record for largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Vivid Sydney‘s recent show broke no records though (despite their 2022 show breaking the same record that ELEVATE Sydney broke). One constant between the inaugural edition & the 2nd edition was that the drone show soundtrack was composed both times by DOBBY (Rhyan Clapham) featuring Uncle Matty Doyle.
Intel was the drone show producer for the inaugural edition while local company, Mirragin, produced last year’s edition.
The event, which was held during the first week of the year from the Cahill Expressway, was divided into 3 sessions each day. The 1st session, usually held in the morning, was a family-friendly kids event. The 2nd session, usually held in the afternoon, was a variety (2022) or electronic music/disc jockey (2023) event. The final session, which contained the Skyshow, was held at night & was essentially a night-club themed event.
The inaugural edition also featured an augmented reality smartphone experience while last year’s edition featured in the afternoon & evening sessions, $50 add-on food & beverage packages as well as the world’s longest bar, called suitably, The Long Bar. Due to the high demand for tickets, which were all sold out, a ‘gate/wait’ party was also set up last year at the event’s gates near the Conservatorium Of Music.
For the inaugural edition, Sydney Spectaculars estimated the event had a total visitation of 63,000 over the 5 days.
ELEVATE Sydney was produced by AGB Events with producer Olivia Bradley. AGB Events confirmed to Sydney Spectaculars that a NSW Government budget review saw the cancellation of the event in 2024. It is possible the event will return in 2025 once the review is completed.
A NSW state election was held on 25th March 2023 & resulted in a Labor Government, who initiated a budget expenditure review, which according to AGB Events, has seen the cancellation of heaps of public events while the review is being undertaken.
The NSW Government assesses the viability of a range of events for the NSW Events Calendar to help achieve the goal of making NSW the premier visitor economy & the events capital of the Asia-Pacific, contributing $65 billion in total visitor expenditure by 2030. Event investment decisions are considered in line with Government policies & priorities for NSW communities.
The NSW Government, through tourism & major events agency Destination NSW, is in regular discussion with key event stakeholders to build a world-class calendar of major events for Sydney & NSW that capitalises on our city’s and state’s unique natural assets & vibrant cultural diversity. Due to the highly competitive nature of event acquisition, discussions & details of event investments are commercial-in-confidence.
Destination NSW Spokesperson
Apart from sturdy competition from Vivid Sydney, ELEVATE Sydney had 2 difficult problems to overcome for future growth. It always had potential to grow, particularly at the rate it was growing but like all major events held in the 1st week of January in Sydney, the city has a lull after the big night that is New Year’s Eve (NYE). It doesn’t pick up again until a week out from Australia Day. Unlike NYE, which has 1 million people attend per event day, ELEVATE Sydney in 2022 was only reaching 13,100 per event day. Event announcements from last year indicate that edition received a higher attendance.
The other problem was the late timeslot for the drone show. It was held at 10pm during the inaugural edition & was bumped 30 minutes later for the 2023 edition. Sunset in Sydney at this time of year is 2 and a quarter hours prior. Despite the Cahill Expressway event being nightclub-themed, the Circular Quay drone show was very family-friendly except for the time slot.
An earlier drone show is solvable, but the timing of the overall event is not. Since May last year, whenever ELEVATE was to be held it now faces tough competition from Vivid Sydney – a behemoth in Sydney events & the biggest behemoth – Sydney NYE – is currently undergoing a Big Creative Ideas initiative. All of this will be considered in the NSW Government’s review.
Regardless of the event’s future, it has left a legacy. ELEVATE Sydney was the beginning of a new dawn in annual events over Sydney Harbour – the biggest since projection mapping was introduced in 2008 for Sydney New Year’s Eve – the rise of the annual drone show.
The Sydney Opera House’s annual Diwali Spectacular illumination, one of the few annual illuminations the World Heritage site holds outside of Vivid Sydney, has been cancelled for 2023 ‘out of respect’ for communities grieving over the Israel-Hamas War.
According to IndianLink, a New South Wales (NSW) Government spokesperson confirmed that they acknowledge that Diwali is an important & joyous cultural festival for many people in NSW & according to Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) Hindi, another or the same spokesperson said the Sydney Opera House illumination for the “festival of lights” has been cancelled for 2023 due to “current tensions in the world”:
The NSW Government consulted with key community groups and agreed that, out of respect for communities who are presently grieving over the human suffering unfolding in Gaza and Israel, we would not illuminate the Opera House for Diwali this year.
NSW Government spokesperson
IndianLink asked the NSW Government which “key community groups” were consulted – Indian or Israeli/Palestinian – but they received no response.
The message for the community is that we love Diwali & we love our multicultural communities so trust us, we will find many other ways to celebrate & gather for the festival,
Chris Minns, NSW Premier
Diwali means “a row of lamps”. For centuries, it has been commonly celebrated by lighting diyas (small oil lamps), which symbolises the lifting of spiritual darkness and the renewal of life & is a time to pray for health, knowledge and peace.
The event is of great significance to the Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities & has been celebrated by the NSW Government since 2011.
The Sydney Opera House has been illuminated in gold, yellow and orange for 1 night in late October/early November every year since 2014 for Diwali.
It would have been illuminated on Tuesday 7 November this year, which was the date of the annual private Diwali ceremony hosted by the NSW Government at the Museum Of Contemporary Art, which was still held despite no illumination of the Opera House on the other side of Circular Quay.
It is the culmination of month-long celebrations, when people from South & South-East Asian communities wear new colourful clothes, decorate their houses with festive lighting & exchange gifts and sweets with relatives and friends.
At the private Diwali ceremony, SBS Hindi spoke to the NSW Treasurer & Opposition Leader. The former agreed that the Opera House was an iconic site for the state but maintained that sensitivity towards other communities was important.
Daniel Mookhey, NSW Treasurer, speaking to SBS Hindi Photograph: SBS Hindi
We have to be mindful of the tensions in the other communities & we have had to take some difficult decisions on the basis of it but we are still gathering & still celebrating & we have gathered here at the Museum of Contemporary Arts just for that.
Daniel Mookhey, NSW Treasurer
Mark Speakman, NSW Opposition Leader, speaking to SBS Hindi. Photograph: SBS Hindi
Hindus alone form around 4% of the population of New South Wales. I am disappointed with this decision.
It is an important festival for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists & I do feel we could have lit up the Opera House for it. However, there are other ways to celebrate.
Mark Speakman, NSW Opposition Leader
We are disappointed with this decision, but, as a community, let us light so many diyas & spread such positivity that the entire city turns golden.
Sydney Spectaculars 
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