It’s very rare for a celebrity to light up fireworks on Sydney Harbour and there have been a few – Kylie Minogue, Reg Mombassa & Kermit The Frog come to mind – but on July 3rd 2023, American acting icon, Tom Cruise, joined that very exclusive list & on his birthday too!
Part of the red-carpet lead-up to the Australian premiere of the latest film of his beloved Mission: Impossible franchise, it was a short 1-minute display set to the theme of the franchise with fireworks firing from Cockle Bay and near the International Convention Centre, where the latest film of the franchise was premiered in Australia in its theatre shortly after the fireworks.
The International Convention Centre during the Australian premiere of Mission: Impossible 7 – Dead Reckoning: Part 1 Photograph: International Convention Centre
Actors of the film, Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg & Pom Klementieff as well as the film’s director, Christopher McQuarrie, walked the red carpet along with 2,500 other people.
The red ‘carpet’ Photograph: International Convention Centre
The Australian Premiere itself was sold out
Inside the International Convention Centre shortly before the Australian premiere begun Photograph: International Convention Centre
The fireworks display is the 1st time a fireworks display on Sydney Harbour has been done in coordination with a film premiere. Wonder how big the fireworks would have been if it was the world premiere?!
During Sydney New Year’s Eve 1996 – Mask A Sydney Face 9pm Family Fireworks, the theme to the original 1996 film of the franchise, Mission: Impossible, featured in the fireworks soundtrack. Richard Wilkins, co-host of that edition’s television broadcast, also co-hosted the Australian Premiere of the latest Mission: Impossible film.
The latest & penultimate film of the franchise, Mission: Impossible 7 – Dead Reckoning: Part 1, is now on in cinemas around the world.
Sydney Spectaculars has received confirmation from Transport For New South Wales (NSW), who control the Sydney Harbour Bridge, that the lights we saw last week lit on the Sydney Harbour Bridge were lit as part of their decommissioning after this year’s Vivid Sydney.
Last Tuesday & Wednesday night, in the early evening, colourful lights were spotted being tested on the north-eastern side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge underneath the catwalk.
We never expected lights, lit up at the same time for 2 nights in a row, were lit as part of their decommissioning but they are the facts.
Sydney Spectaculars has received confirmation from Transport For New South Wales (NSW), who control the Sydney Harbour Bridge, that there will be no light show, as part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup – Australia & New Zealand 2023, on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
This means the event definitely won’t be redesignated as an ‘Extraordinary’ Sydney Spectacular.
Last Tuesday & Wednesday night, in the early evening, colourful lights were spotted being tested on the north-eastern side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge underneath the catwalk.
Colourful lights being tested on the Sydney Harbour Bridge (circled)
Photograph: Webcam Sydney
Lights for New Year’s Eve have been tested months in advance in a similar manner before.
We followed up Transport For NSW’s statement with a query about what were those lights being tested for but have not received a response as of publication.
Last Friday night, around Midnight, people with torches were spotted scaling the north-eastern side of the upper arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, going from the north-eastern pylon up to the summit. We did not spot them descend so they might have descended down the southern side.
Last night, around 8:30pm, people with torches were spotted traversing over the north-western side of the upper arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Work on the Sydney Harbour Bridge either as part of Bridge maintenance or roadwork has been scheduled from May to December this year. The people spotted are now highly likely to have been involved with Bridge maintenance.
There is no evidence of a Sydney Harbour Bridge fireworks display for the FIFA Women’s World Cup – Australia & New Zealand 2023 Final yet. Given it is less than 2 days to go until the event & with no evidence of a fireworks display anywhere on Sydney Harbour this Thursday, we can now rule out a major Sydney Harbour fireworks display as part of the Opening & ‘Inaugural’ Ceremonies to be held at Eden Park, Auckland & Stadium Australia, Sydney respectively as part of the lead up to the Opening & ‘Inaugural’ Matches (Football Ferns (New Zealand) Vs Norway & Matildas (Australia) Vs Republic Of Ireland) on Thursday at 4:30pm & 7:30pm Sydney time respectively with kick-off at 5pm & 8pm Sydney time respectively.
There is no evidence for a drone show so far.
Drone shows are also usually rehearsed off-site in a remote location in secret if it is for an important event, but they do require a 6-month approval process from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which means an application would have needed to have been submitted by late February this year
The Final, also at Stadium Australia, is on Sunday the 20th of August 2023 with kick-off at 8pm Sydney time. The Final’s conclusion & trophy presentation is the only possible time for a major Sydney Harbour fireworks display and/or drone show, though it is unlikely, especially with a major light show now definitely ruled out.
Therefore, the FIFA Women’s World Cup – Australia & New Zealand 2023 will stay undesignated as an ‘Extraordinary’ Sydney Spectacular, as it has been since 12th of April, unless we find evidence that a major Sydney Harbour fireworks display or drone show will take place in relation to the event.
For comparison on the scale of the events, the FIFA Women’s World Cup has attendance of 45,000 per event day while the Commonwealth Games has an attendance of 108,000 per event day. The Men’s FIFA World Cup is 162,000 per event day. Refer to our article about our undesignating of the FIFA Women’s World Cup – Australia & New Zealand 2023 from being an ‘Extraordinary’ Sydney Spectacular to read the logic behind why an event with an attendance of only 45,000 per event day deserves to be treated like an ‘Extraordinary’ Sydney Spectacular such as the Games Of The XXVIIth Olympiad (395,000 per event day) & the Rugby World Cup (66,000 per event day).
Major events are more than financial commercial products to make a profit from, they build social connections, improving health & contributing to the construction & maintenance of a society’s identity, character & culture. Victoria’s decision, completely financial, shows an underappreciation of the Commonwealth Of Nations, soft power and international relations as well as the promotion of sport, physical activity and their health benefits. Sydney or FIFA’s decision shows an underappreciation of Sydney Harbour, the Bridge, fireworks, lights, gender equality & the history and future of major events in Sydney.
Last Tuesday & Wednesday night, in the early evening, colourful lights were spotted being tested on the north-eastern side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge underneath the catwalk.
With less than a week until the FIFA Women’s World Cup – Australia & New Zealand 2023, it could be interpreted as testing for a month-long themed light show on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the event, returning the event as an ‘Extraordinary’ Sydney Spectacular, the 1st since the International Fleet Review in October 2013.
Sydney Spectaculars yesterday sent queries to FIFA and their local event organising subsidiary & Transport For NSW, who control the Sydney Harbour Bridge. However, neither responded by time of writing.
We also contacted the lighting company who lights up the Sydney Harbour Bridge during Vivid Sydney, Mandylights, but they gave a curious ‘can’t confirm at this time’ response.
Last night, around Midnight, people with torches were spotted scaling the north-eastern side of the upper arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, going from the north-eastern pylon up to the summit. We did not spot them descend so they might have descended down the southern side.
Work on the Sydney Harbour Bridge either as part of Bridge maintenance or roadwork has been scheduled from May to December this year. The people spotted may have been involved with Bridge maintenance but if not, they were installing something in the dead of night – fireworks or lights – but at this stage, lights are more likely if they are not Bridge maintenance people.
Lights for New Year’s Eve have also been tested months in advance in a similar manner before too.
There is no evidence of a Sydney Harbour Bridge fireworks display for the FIFA Women’s World Cup – Australia & New Zealand 2023 yet. However, a light show has suddenly become a possibility. There is no evidence for a drone show so far.
Drone shows are also usually rehearsed off-site in a remote location in secret if it is for an important event, but they do require a 6-month approval process from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which means an application would have needed to have been submitted by late February this year.
Regardless of what those people were doing on the Bridge, something important was happening on the Bridge last night as people rarely climb the Bridge in the dead of the night unless it is nightworks, which in itself is rare, or to install fireworks or lights.
With less than a week to the event begins, the biggest sporting event Australia has hosted since the Rugby World Cup 2003, keep an eye on our blog in case any news breaks regarding Sydney Spectaculars.
A FIFA Fan Festival™ Live Site will open at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour at 4pm Thursday & open on match-days at various hours until 11pm, Sunday the 20th of August 2023.
A 10-minute Opening Ceremony, which will feature a live performance of the official event song with dancing & fireworks, will then be held at Eden Park, Auckland at 4:30pm Sydney time/6:30pm Auckland time. Following that, at 5pm Sydney time/7pm Auckland time, the Opening Match, the Football Ferns (New Zealand) Vs Norway, kicks off the tournament from Eden Park. Sunset in Sydney happens 7 minutes later.
After the Opening Match concludes, at Stadium Australia, Sydney, there will be a 10-minute ‘Inaugural Ceremony’ at 7:30pm Sydney time followed by the Matildas (Australia) opening their campaign against the Republic of Ireland at 8pm Sydney time from Stadium Australia. The Final, also at Stadium Australia, is on Sunday the 20th of August 2023 with kick-off at 8pm Sydney time.
If there is a month-long themed light show on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the FIFA Women’s World Cup – Australia & New Zealand 2023, a 7:30pm ‘lights on!’ moment as part of the ‘Inaugural Ceremony’ is the most likely time for it to start. If not, sunset that day (5:07pm).
However, as there is no solid evidence linking the lights to the event, the event won’t be redesignated as an ‘Extraordinary’ Sydney Spectacular just yet, but it is very possible now.
Despite an energetic fightback by New South Wales at the start & end of Game 2, which they won 18-14, the resulting 4-point difference allowed Queensland to win Women’s State Of Origin 2023 by that amount.
Game 2 begun with a musical act, building up the atmosphere for the record crowd of 18,275, in the 30 minutes to kick-off. This pre-match entertainment was not televised. The customary Welcome To Country, conducted by Uncle Brenton Creed & performance of the National Anthem, sung by Chantelle Anderson of the Australian Army, then followed and was televised. The Women’s State Of Origin shield was waiting on the sidelines.
Anyway, to the main game. New South Wales went out of the blocks fast with Tiana Penitani scoring the opening unconverted try in the 3rd minute, immediately halving their deficit, but unsuccessfully making the most of the opportunity. In the 10th minute, New South Wales were given a penalty, which enabled Jesse Southwell to score a goal to reduce the deficit to 2 points.
New South Wales’s hope of drawing the series by full time was high but Queensland found a gap in New South Wales’ defence allowing Tamika Upton to score Queensland’s 1st unconverted try of the match, moving Queensland’s advantage back to 6 points. An amazing sequence of teamwork and hand-eye coordination allowed Emily Bass to score Queensland’s only converted try in the 25th minute, extending their lead from Game 1 to 12 points.
Queensland’s Tarryn Aiken found, via a dummy pass, another gap in New South Wales’ defence allowing her to storm to another unconverted try, boosting their confidence of series victory to a high with a 16-point lead, double their deficit at the start of the match. At half-time, the score was 14-6 in favour of Queensland: 32-16 on aggregate also in Queensland’s favour.
During half-time, a Little Origin match was held between Southern Cross Catholic College & Annandale State School.
In the 2nd half, New South Wales made use of Queensland errors. Queensland left their right wing exposed allowing Tiana Penitani to score New South Wales an unconverted try in the 40th minute, bringing the deficit down to 12 points. 5 minutes later, Queensland’s Emma Manzelmann stripped the ball out of Sarah Togatuki of New South Wales’ hands, forcing a penalty, which New South Wales took advantage of by having Jesse Southwell successfully kick a goal to reduce the deficit by another 2 points to a 10-point deficit.
In a dramatic finish in the 68th minute, Yasmin Clydsdale of New South Wales attempted to score a try with the last grasps of her hands but in act of desperation, Shenae Ciesiolka kicked the ball out of her hands, prompting The Bunker to give a penalty try. New South Wales gained an extra 4 points, reducing the deficit to 6 points but critically, New South Wales wasted 51 seconds celebrating the penalty try before the conversion attempt. It was a miracle to get the penalty try, though Yasmin Clydsdale probably wouldn’t have scored the try if Shenae Ciesiolka had had not kicked it, due to her loose grip on the ball. The penalty try was worthy of celebrating but not that much as those precise seconds could have altered the series. The penalty try was then converted, stopping the clock at 17 seconds to go and reducing the deficit to 4 points but the final 17 seconds was not enough to reverse Queensland’s fortunes.
The successful conversions were kicked by Zahara Temara for Queensland & Jesse Southwell for New South Wales.
The final score of Game 2 was New South Wales 18-14 Queensland. Under the rules of the expanded Women’s State Of Origin, the winner of the series is the team with the highest aggregate points after Game 2 so Queensland won the series 32-28.
The series presentation followed on a stage in the field’s centre with Emma Lawrence as Master Of Ceremonies & Kate Jones, Australian Rugby League Commissioner, Andrew Abdo, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rugby League & Tahnee Norris, Queensland coach waiting on the stage.
The winner of the Nellie DohertyMedal, awarded to the player of the series by the winning coach, was Tazmin Gray. She previously won it in 2021.
(chuckles) Woo! Ah, that’s weird. Um, firstly, I just wanna thank Queensland, the Queensland Government and the fans for coming out. If it wasn’t for you guys, we wouldn’t be able to play the game that we love. Um, to my friends, to my family, to my kids back home – this one’s for youse – I love youse and, um, I’ll see you soon.
Tazmin Gray, Queensland rugby league player
Uh, firstly, I’d just like to thank Townsville for hosting us. It’s been an amazing week, um, for us girls, coming up here, getting to view this beautiful town. We’d loved every minute of it. I’d also like to thank Ampol, Westpac & Harvey Norman. Without you guys, this wouldn’t be possible so um, we’re really grateful for your support every year.
Um, Queensland girls, it’s been a, a tough series. I hope this just pushes a little bit more for us to have the 3 games next year but you girls… (crowd cheers & claps) You girls did really well and deserved to have the series so congratulations to you.
To my girls, I love every single day that I get to spend with you in camp. It’s just like being a bunch of sisters. Our coaching staff, we’re a family that, you know, we’ll never be broken so I’m really proud of all of you tonight. We got the win, um, and I am just super proud so thank you, thank you everyone.
New South Wales co-captain, Isabelle Kelly
Firstly, I’d like to thank the Queensland Government for bringing the game up to Townsville. What a crowd & now you get to hold the record so well done Townsville!
I’d like to thank Harvey Norman, Ampol & Westpac. This game doesn’t happen without you guys so thank you.
To Kylie & the Blues, what a performance. What a series. I know we want 3 games but we put on a show tonight and congratulate yourselves over the series so good job, Blues.
To my girls, the staff, the 20 staff that are there, what a series. You can hold your heads high. What a performance. You showed how Queensland play the game and that’s how it’ s done so good job, girls.
And one last thing,…
…QUEENSLANDER!
Queensland captain, Ali Brigginshaw
Kate Jones & Andrew Abdo then presented the Women’s State Of Origin Shield to Ali Brigginshaw. The former two people moved out the way for the rest of the Queensland team and staff who gathered around the Shield. The crowd clapped and flamethrowers lit up the stage as Katy Perry’s hit song, Firework, played. Ground fireworks exploded behind the stage and maroon confetti was propelled over the stage as Queensland lifted the Shield and cheered in victorious glory. That was Women’s State Of Origin 2023.
Game 3 of the men’s edition is on Wednesday the 12th of July at 8:05pm AEST at Stadium Australia, Sydney.
After a close 1st half, Queensland went onto to lead for the whole 2nd half despite a final unsuccessful push by NSW to win Game 1 of an expanded 2-game Women’s State Of Origin & thereby, lead by 8 points going into the final match.
Women’s State Of Origin 2023 begun with Indigenous singer, Rebecca Hatch, building up the atmosphere for the record crowd of 12,972 with a singer-disc jockey duet set in the 30 minutes to kick-off, which concluded with a pyrotechnic display. Unlike in the men’s edition, this pre-match entertainment was not televised. The customary Welcome To Country, conducted by Aunty Julie Jones and performance of the National Anthem, sung by the Australian Girls Choir, then followed and was televised. The Women’s State Of Origin shield was waiting on the sidelines. Preceding all this, 2 hours prior to kick-off, was a RISE Rookies rugby league match between New South Wales (NSW) Blue Vs NSW Navy, an exhibition match comprising of aspiring athletes aged 17 and over. NSW Blue won 28-8.
Anyway, to the main game. Queensland scored the opening try (Julia Robinson) but crucially, missed the conversion, leaving their lead open to attack by NSW. Shortly after, New South Wales respond with determination by scoring its only converted try (Jessica Sergis). New South Wales were leading 6-4.
In a scary moment, NSW captain Isabelle Kelly, while attempting a tackle, injured her throat which resulted in her struggling for breath, vomiting blood and making an immediate trip to hospital, which, being in Parramatta, is not far away.
Shortly after, just as half-time approached, Queensland scored its only converted try (Tazmin Gray). At half-time, the score was 10-6 in favour of Queensland – just like in the men’s edition.
During half-time, a Little Origin match was held between William Stimson Public School & Kurnell Public School.
Unlike in the men’s edition, Queensland got off to a flyer in the 2nd half with 2 tries (Emily Bass & Julia Robinson) in quick succession, though both were not converted. New South Wales managed to respond with another try (Jaime Chapman), though unconverted & though dominating the game towards its conclusion, couldn’t reach the try line to make up the rest of Queensland’s lead in the final 25 minutes, giving Queensland the win in Game 1 & the lead in the expanded 2-game series.
The successful conversions were kicked by Zahara Temara for Queensland & Jesse Southwell for New South Wales.
The final score was Queensland 18-10 New South Wales. Under the rules of the expanded Women’s State Of Origin, the winner of the series is the team with the highest aggregate points after Game 2 and if they are tied, it will be the team with the most tries, which Queensland also leads 4-2. So, effectively, we are at half time in 4 quarter game with 2 quarters at home and 2 quarters away.
The girls were outstanding tonight. Just the effort, we saw the boys do it last night and I think the girls got a bit of a lift from that. They came out tonight and just put in effort upon effort and held New South Wales out late in that game.
Queensland coach, Tahnee Norris
I think we had some really, really good moments and some, looked really good in patches, but it was only in patches, and we need to be more consistent. I honestly don’t think we could play as bad as we did tonight.
New South Wales coach, Kylie Hilde
Game 2 will be held at North Queensland Stadium in Townsville on Thursday, June 22 at 7:45pm AEST & Game 2 of the men’s edition is the day prior at 8:05pm AEST at Lang Park, Brisbane.
As of 5th April 2023, Sydney Spectaculars is no longer considering the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Australia & New Zealand an ‘extraordinary’ Sydney Spectacular.
As the biggest event to be hosted by Australia since the International Fleet Review in 2013, it had been expected that after the conclusion of the Final, a no more than 3-minutes long fireworks display over Sydney Harbour would occur including no more than 2 barges & the Sydney Harbour Bridge upper arch and catwalk. A Bridge Effect would have also been expected but as times have changed, this would have been in the form of a drone show.
The reasoning behind this expectation is as follows:
A 3-minute fireworks display, using 2 barges & the upper arch and catwalk of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as well as a Bridge Effect featured after the Rugby World Cup 2003 – Australia Final.
The modern equivalent of a Bridge Effect is a drone show.
In 2019, World Rugby decided that the words ‘Rugby World Cup’ would now refer to both the men’s and women’s editions.
The FIFA World Cup, an international men’s association football tournament, is an event ranked in importance, below The Games Of The Olympiad & above the Rugby World Cup.
The Games Of The Olympiad – Sydney 2000’s Closing Night Harbour Spectacular was the world’s largest fireworks display at the time.
As both the Rugby World Cup 2003 – Australia & The Games Of The Olympiad – Sydney 2000 had significant fireworks displays on Sydney Harbour at the conclusion of the event if hosted in Sydney. therefore, the FIFA World Cup would also have a significant fireworks display at a size in-between the size of the preceding 2 events’ fireworks displays.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the women’s equivalent of the FIFA World Cup.
Sydney is hosting the Final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Australia & New Zealand on Sunday, the 20 August 2023.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup is ranked lower in importance than the Rugby World Cup (Men’s). Therefore, a drone show & a no more than 3-minute long fireworks display using the Sydney Harbour Bridge & no more than 2 barges should occur.
Sydney Spectaculars is of the understanding that there are no plans for a significant combined fireworks display & drone show nor a sole significant fireworks display, both of which would feature the Sydney Harbour Bridge upper arch and catwalk & no more than 2 barges.
Therefore, as of 5th April 2023, Sydney Spectaculars has decided to downgrade the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Australia & New Zealand from an ‘extraordinary’ Sydney Spectacular to just another Sydney Spectacular but not a ‘flagship’ Sydney Spectacular as it is not an annual event.
This is a major blow for Sydney’s event industry, culture & night-time economy. The lack of a similar fireworks display and drone show will be a notable absence in the history of major events in Sydney, reduce the significance of hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and potentially affecting Australia’s chances of one day hosting the men’s FIFA World Cup. It also leads to questions of possible discrimination on the basis of sex by FIFA, the tournament’s organisers, and the NSW Government, the government body most responsible for hosting such an event, particularly with the growth of women’s professional commercial sport in the past decade. The FIFA Women’s World Cup was first held in 1991 while the men’s FIFA World Cup was first held in 1930.
If Sydney Spectaculars finds out that by luck a significant fireworks display will occur after the Final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Australia & New Zealand, we will immediately resume coverage of the event but at this stage, it looks unlikely. There is still every chance for a projection on the Sydney Opera House but this will not be significant as the building is lit up for many other events. A drone show is possible but such a drone show could have been held anywhere in the world – it just would be themed to Australia & New Zealand.
We wish the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Australia & New Zealand every success.
Last night from 8:40pm, the Sydney Opera House was lit up red in its annual traditional illumination to celebrate Lunar New Year.
Red is chosen as it is regarded as a symbol of good fortune and luck.
First lit up in red in February 2013 for Chinese New Year, the illumination’s presence saw the City Of Sydney’s Chinese New Year celebration, which had started in 1996, expand, peaking in 2017 with the included additions of a Sydney Harbour Bridge red (pink as well in 2019) illumination amongst other city landmarks and a fireworks display in Circular Quay to coincide with the beginning of the illuminations. The event was renamed Sydney Lunar Festival in 2019, to take into account non-Chinese celebrations of Lunar New Year & the expansion was suddenly dropped in 2020 and is now held at just below its pre-2013 scale, which it has been ever since. However, the Sydney Opera House red illumination, which is independent of the City Of Sydney event, remains. Lunar New Year in Sydney, nevertheless, was and still is the biggest celebration of the event outside of Asia – a feat that should not be ignored.
Lunar New Year last 15 days from the 1st new moon of the lunar calendar until the 2nd next full moon. The 2023 Lunar New Year celebration began on Sunday the 22nd of January and will end on Monday the 6th of February.
The NSW Government has been joining communities across the state to celebrate this significant cultural event for more than a decade.
While Lunar New Year is significant to many across the state, it also represents much of what we all stand & hope for in a new year, especially new beginnings.
To everyone celebrating the Lunar New Year, I wish you all prosperity, good health and fortune for the year ahead.
Dominic Perrottet, Premier Of NSW
You will be hard-pressed to find such rich diversity proudly championed and celebrated like it is in NSW.
It is about showing communities and the world that we welcome everyone and value our diversity.
I wish everyone a prosperous and happy Year of the Rabbit & for those from a Vietnamese background, a very happy Year of the Cat.
Just days after welcoming in 2023 with its first big NYE party since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sydney has welcomed its first annual drone show event – Elevate Sydney!
Held between January 3rd and January 7th, Elevate Sydney is an entertainment festival held on the Cahill Expressway but each night at 10:30pm, eyes looked skyward above Circular Quay for the Elevate Sydney Skyshow – the largest drone show in the Southern Hemisphere.
Elevate Sydney SkyShow 2023 Map Map: Elevate Sydney
Containing 600 drones, the 5-minute drone show, with a theme of water & ecological sustainability, saw the creation of many images of sea creatures from Sydney Harbour led by an ‘anthromophic’ Benny the Seal. For international readers, Benny the Seal is a real seal who can be found occasionally sunbathing at the Sydney Opera House on Bennelong Point between Vivid Sydney & September.
Elevate Sydney was first held in the 1st 5 days of 2022 thus making the 2023 edition the first consequentially held drone show over Sydney Harbour. Drone shows made their debut on Sydney Harbour in 2016 as part of Vivid Sydney, when a then-world-record-breaking 100 drones took to the skies of Farm Cove as part of a world record attempt by Intel. The world record is now currently around 5000 drones – a record held by China.
5 and a half years later, drones finally returned to Sydney Harbour for the 1st edition of Elevate, when they set the Southern Hemisphere-record up to 500 and since then, 3 other drone shows have been held – another one at Vivid Sydney to promote the Paramount+ streaming service (which broke the Southern Hemisphere-record to the now-equal 600), The Everest Barrier Draw, Art Up, a nightly drone show to commemorate the re-opening of the Art Gallery Of New South Wales (NSW) over 9 nights in early December and 2 Christmas-themed shows – 1 at Noel Sydney, a new Christmas event and 1 at Darling Harbour – both held numerous times roughly in the week before Christmas.
It begins at 10am with the 2.5 hour Elevate Family (formerly Kids). This session is targeted at children aged under 13 and their parents with the 2022 edition’s session being bookended by live interactive performances of the Australian world sensation television series, Bluey. Hosted by Play School hosts, Michelle Lim Davidson & Matthew Backer, who also run their own twice-held daily event segment called Story Salad, other Elevate Family content includes Monski Mouse (a disc jockey for babies), The Gagliardies and Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo. This session was not held on the first event day as it was in 2022.
In 2022, Elevate Kids was held earlier and longer for 4 hours from 8am. Hosted by children’s entertainment personality, Justine Clarke, each day began with a wellness session by former Wiggles dancer, Lauren Hannaford, before Ready, Set, Dance & disc jockey Romeboy take the reins. Erth’s Prehistoric Aquarium & everyday item musicians, Junkyard Beats round out the entertainment which are headlined on the first event day by Australian global sensation, The Wiggles, and by Simon Wiggle & Friends on the latter days. The latest Australian global sensation, Bluey, also appeared on the first 3 event days before the characters of Kangaroo Beach appeared in Bluey‘s place on the final day.
Back to 2023 and the next 2.5-hour session begun at 2:30pm and it is called Elevate Social. This consists of 2 75-minute electronic music and/or disc jockey sets. Headliners each day from 4th January were, in chronological order, Young Franco, Anna Lunoe, Kito & The Jungle Giants. They were supported, again in chronological order, by Running Touch, Harvey Sutherland, Touch Sensitive & Kinder.
In 2022, Elevate Social was a completely different event. It was 3-hour variety event held from 2pm called Elevate Arena. Hosted by comedian Joel Ozbourn, it begun with interviews, conducted by former Sydney NYE television broadcast co-host Stephanie Brantz, with sporting personalities. This was followed by performances by The Drummer Queens, The Hula Queen, DB Freestyle (a freestyle football act) and The Tap Pack. On the first 2 event days, Worlds Collide, a multi-cultural music band was the finale while in the latter 2 event days, it was Barrio Soul. Sporting personalities interviewed included:
NSW dragon boat racing champion, Andrew Wong (final event day),
Under 23 Australian road cycling champion, Emily Watts (2nd event day),
A-League soccer runner-up goalkeeper, Jada Mathyssen-Whyman (3rd event day)
Australian (Rules) Football League runner-up footballer, Tom McCartin (4th event day),
A-Leaguesoccer champion, Rhys Williams (2nd event day),
Matilda, Remy Siemsen (3rd event day),
Matilda, Emily Van Egmond (3rd event day),
3-time Australian beach running champion, Ali Najem (2nd event day),
Rugby League World Cup silver medallist, Brian To’o (2nd event day),
FIBA World Cup silver medallist, Katie Ebzery (final event day),
Rugby World Cup silver medallist, Micheal Hooper (3rd event day),
Rugby League World Cup gold medallist, Tom Trbojevic (4th event day),
Cricket World Cup gold medallist, Ashleigh Gardner (2nd event day),
Cricket World Cup gold medallist, Brad Haddin (3rd event day),
2-time World Netball Championship gold medallist, Kimberlee Green (final event day),
Olympic silver medallist beach volleyballer, Mariafe Artacho del Solar (3rd event day),
Olympic silver medallist high jumper, Nicola McDermott (3rd event day),
3-time Paralympic silver medallist rower, Erik Horrie (final event day),
2-time Paralympic gold medallist wheelchair racer, Madison de Rozario (4th event day) and,
5-time Olympic gold medallist swimmer, Emma McKeon (final event day).
The final, main session is at 8pm & last 3 hours. It is called Elevate Nights & unlike the other sessions, it is held every event day. Essentially, it is a nightly concert hosted by Sydney NYE concert television broadcast co-host, Zan Rowe. Headliners in 2023, in chronological order, are, Ya Girl Party B (2 sets), Spacey Jane, Amy Shark, The Veronicas and Sampa The Great. Supporting them are Client Liaison (1st event day), Thelma Plum & Ruby Fields (2nd event day), Mallrat & Becca Hatch (3rd event day), Betty Who & Drax Project (4th event day) and Northwest Party House & Wafia (final event day). All event days apart from the 1st one open with a house disc jockey.
Back in 2022, it started an hour earlier at 7pm (with the drone show being 30 minutes earlier at 10pm also to conclude the session) and was called Club Elevate. It was a slightly different event with theatre included with each night taking a different name (list below in chronological order):
Elevate First
Elevate Discotheque
Elevate Encore
Elevate Music
Elevate Sydney Final Night
As you can see above, they quickly ran out of unique names (Note: ‘First’ is a pun referencing both the first event night and First Nations) so it’s not surprising they stuck with a simple Elevate Nights label for all nights in 2023.
Elevate First begun with a Call To Country designed by Sydney NYE2008-2010 Creative Director, Rhoda Roberts, before performances were held by Indigenous artists, Electric Fields (support act) & Troy Casser-Daley (headliner).
Elevate Discotheque was headlined by Leo Sayer with support acts by Marcia Hines & Courtney Act, the latter who also acts as host. Elevate Encore is headlined by Lime Cordiale and supported by Peking Duk. Elevate Music was hosted by Triple J‘s Ebony Boadu and featured the following artists: BVT, CXLOE, Hauskey, L-FRESH the LION & Ngaiire, while Elevate Sydney Final Night was headlined by Tones & I, supported by Tim Minchin & hosted by Joel Ozborn after Courtney Act had to pull out.
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. The 2023 soundtrack, which was available live online during the drone shows for the 1st time, also featured Kelsey Iris, who opened the soundtrack. All 3 artists are descendants of the Murruwarri people of north-western NSW.
The 2022 drone show had a generic theme of ‘Summer Sydney’ particularly as it was the first edition of the event. The 2022 event also had an augmented reality smartphone experience produced by Charles Clapshaw of Futures of Art and notably had strict COVID-19 protocols, given the public health situation at that time.
The inaugural Elevate Sydney SkyShow in 2022, themed ‘Summer Sydney’. The 2023 edition is at the conclusion of this article below.
Something new in 2023 was the introduction of the world’s longest bar – the aptly named Long Bar! Stretching 127 metres along the Cahill Expressway facing the north over Circular Quay, this bar operated during the Elevate Social & Elevate Night sessions during the final 4 event days.
Whilst tickets to sit at the bar are free, each ticket is only valid for a 1-hour window. There are no tickets handed out for the Long Bar during Elevate Family sessions, particularly as there is, rightly, no alcohol service during that session but the bar is still available to be sat at any time for an unlimited time during that session (if a seat is available!).
Back to the Elevate Social & Nights sessions, an add-on food & beverage package costing $50 per person is also available, which includes a “glass of NSW beer or wine served with a grazing selection featuring the finest of NSW produce”. If you do not purchase the package, there is still other food & beverages being sold at the Bar during those sessions. Also, if you have a ticket for the Long Bar you enter via an elevator on the eastern Circular Quay promenade that is goes up to Expressway level! This elevator is not used during Elevate Family.
Elevate Sydney 2023 Entertainment Festival Map Map: Elevate Sydney
Commissioned by Destination New South Wales to help with the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic & produced by AGB Events with producer Olivia Bradley, Elevate Sydney is 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, which later sparked the phenomenal success of Vivid Sydney, which began a year later. Chief Executive Officer & Creative Director of AGB Events, Anthony Bastic, said at the 2022 Elevate Sydney launch:
The coupling of technologies and applying them to outdoor public events greatly enhances the audience experience & will certainly set a benchmark for future events. This world-class initiative really positions New South Wales as a leader in event innovation, & what a stunning debut it will be over Sydney Harbour.
We are very grateful for the support & efforts of the many agencies who have worked with us to realise this project. This is an industry we really want to nurture and promote. The Intel pilots travelling to Australia and sharing their knowledge is an amazing opportunity to grow the expertise of local drone operators
Anthony Bastic, Chief Executive Officer & Creative Director of AGB Events
The 2022 edition’s Cahill Expressway sessions, which had a capacity of 3200, reached full capacity on the penultimate Elevate Kids session & the final 3 Club Elevate sessions. Sydney Spectaculars estimates no more than 63,000 people attended Elevate Sydney 2022 (average maximum 13,100 per day, that is day 2-5) including 18,000 around Circular Quay over the 5 nights to watch the SkyShow (average 3,600 per night) in addition to the maximum 3,200 watching from the Cahill Expressway. Day 1 of the event (New Year’s Day) had an estimated attendance of no more than 3,660 given it was only held at night and also, understandably, Sydney had a big night the previous night.
Intel, who did the drone show at The Games Of The XXXIInd Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony and the first Sydney Harbour drone show at Vivid Sydney 2016, did not return in 2023 with a local company, Mirragin, instead taking the reins.
While the 2023 attendance statistics are yet to be announced, all sessions sold out while the penultimate Elevate Social session was cancelled and the first Elevate Nights session finished early (the SkyShow still went ahead on time in the end, fortunately, though), both due to the weather.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ will be staged in Australia and New Zealand, following a vote taken by the FIFA Council during its meeting held via videoconference, the result of which was announced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The joint bid submitted by Football Federation Australia and New Zealand Football received 22 of the 35 valid votes cast by the FIFA Council members in the first ballot, with the Colombian Football Association having obtained 13 votes. The full voting results are available below.
Following on from the astounding success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019™ in France and the subsequent unanimous decision by the FIFA Council, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be the first edition to feature 32 teams and it will also be the first to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand and across two confederations (AFC and OFC).
Sydney Spectaculars 
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