Spectacular Sydney Christmas Lights and Decorations 2014

by Ivana Katz

When: 3 November - 25 December
Website: www.sydneychristmas.com.au
Where: Sydney CBD
Cost: Mostly free

Don't Miss Out on The Fabulous Free Fun!

For the past few years my friends and I have packed up the kids and ventured into Sydney CBD to see the Christmas lights and decorations. And even though the venues we visit have remained the same, there is always something new and exciting to explore.

Seeing Christmas lights through children's eyes is magical – that is if you can drag them away from all the toy and game displays. This year Christmas is going to be no different. Here are some of our favourite spots to visit:


1. Queen Victoria Building

Christmas at the QVB is always spectacular. Not only do you get to see the beautiful sparkly tree which rises through several floors, but all the stores are cheerfully decorated and the atmosphere is warm and cosy. If you are lucky, you may even get to see street performers or appearances by fabulous guests, such as Jessica Mauboy who appeared a couple of years ago.

If you have young children, head to the Swarovski Crystal Garden for Christmas and have photos taken with Santa. With over 12,000 crystal ornaments, forestry and traditional Santa settings, this will be one photo session your kids won't quickly forget. As this is a very popular destination, it is recommended you get there early, particularly on the weekends.

Dates: 8 November – 24 December
Address: Queen Victoria Building, George Street, Sydney

2. Martin Place Christmas Tree

Each year the tree decorations are amazing and this year promises to add an extra dimension. Share the Christmas spirit by sending text messages to 0427 840 851 or #sydxmastree and your special wish will be displayed on the branches of the tree.

Dates: Thursday 27 November – Thursday 25 December 2014

Address: Martin Place, Sydney

To kick off the festivities, on Thursday 27 November from 6pm – 8.30pm you can also enjoy a family friendly Christmas Concert which features characters from Sesame Street, Lah Lah's Big Live Band and naturally the guy in the red suit is making an appearance.

3. David Jones Window Display

Always a remarkable treat, the David Jones Window Display offers new surprises each Christmas season. This year you can see the much loved displays from Tuesday 3 November – 25 December.

Have Santa photos taken in the new enchanted Magic Cave world. Transport yourself into one of many Christmas scenes using green screen and even have your Santa Photo experience on DVD. Bookings can be made online or instore.

If you have a feathered, fluffy or furry friend, bring them along for a happy Santa photo too.

David Jones Santa has joined the mobile trend and has created his own Santa app. Download the David Jones Magic Santa app and put yourself into the scene with an interactive Christmas experience with Santa and his Reindeer.

From 11 December to 24 December the David Jones Staff Choir perform each day for 30 minutes from 9am. Their special Christmas Eve performance begins at 8am.

Date: 3 November – 25 December 2014
Address: Elizabeth Street, Sydney


4. Hyde Park

Sydney's iconic Hyde Park is a wonderful place to walk through at night with its many fairy lights and Christmas tree decorations.

On Thursday 27 November from 6pm – 8.30pm enjoy a free family friendly Christmas concert. Your kids will love entertainment by Tom & Jerry, Hi-5 as well as craft activities, sausage sizzle, yummy ice cream and carols by Emma Pask and St Andrews Cathedral Choir.

Date: 27 November 2014 for Christmas concert, but decorations can be seen throughout the Christmas season

Address: Hyde Park, Elizabeth Street, Sydney

5. Town Hall

Watch the historic Town Hall come alive with unbelievable light projections every night from 8.30pm to 1am.

On Tuesday 16 December 2014 Town Hall puts on a Christmas concert from 8pm to 9.30pm. Cost is $15 for adults and $12 for children. Tickets sell out quickly, so make sure you book now at the City Recital Hall.


6. Strand Arcade and Pitt Street Mall

Stroll through Strand Arcade and admire lovely Christmas decorations. Take a break in one of Strand Arcade or Pitt Street Mall cafes and enjoy delicious Christmas treats or take in the many free shows put on by local street performers.

Address: The Strand Arcade between Pitt Street & George Street, Sydney


Source: http://www.weekendnotes.com/spectacular-sydney-christmas-lights-and-decorations/

World’s biggest short film festival, Tropfest, kicks off at Centennial Park

Laura Hughes and Shari Sebbens in You Wanna Order Pizza. Picture: Supplied

IT is that time of year again, Tropfest is here to showcase the best of the best.

The world’s largest short film festival will be based out of Sydney’s Centennial Park from 11am today with satellite events held in capital cities across the country.

The brainchild of actor and director John Polson, Tropfest is in its 23rd year and will see 16 finalists compete for the winning title.

Actors Shari Sebbens and Laura Hughes appear in one of the early favourites called You Wanna Order Pizza.

“We wanted to cement our amazing chemistry on screen,” Sebbens said of the film about “two girls trying to order pizza”.

Tropfest founder John Polson set for another big event

For more details visit: www.tropfest.com/au

Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/worlds-biggest-short-film-festival-tropfest-kicks-off-at-centennial-park-today/story-fni0cvc9-1227147446325

Summer Sporting Extravaganza to Boost Australian Economy

In Australia, summer is all about sport. This season the addition of two major international events to the calendar is a big bonus, not just for sports lovers but for the economy as well.

Australians who don't enjoy sport turn off the television and head for the beach at this time of year.

For everyone else, there's a smorgasbord of Test and one-day cricket, PGA golf, an internationally famous yacht race, a grand slam tennis event, cycling and Formula One races.

The country is set to enjoy an unprecedented quantity of world sport worth an estimated A$320m ($267m; £172m) to the economy thanks to the addition of two major events.

The Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup - being held across five cities in January - and the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup, which will be played in Australia and New Zealand in February and March, eclipse other events in size and dollar value.

The Asian Cup is the biggest sporting event in Asia and the cricket World Cup is the third biggest sporting event in the world after the summer Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

Australia's summer of sport

• December 9 - January 10: Four cricket Test matches, Australia v India.
• December 11-14: Australian PGA golf Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast.
• December 26-30: Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
• January 9 - January 31, 2015: Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup.
• January 16 - February 1: Cricket one-day international tri series, Australia, India and England.
• January 17-25: Tour Down Under cycling classic, Adelaide and South Australia.
• January 19 - February 1: Australian Open grand slam tennis, Melbourne.
• February 14 - March 29: ICC World Cup.
• March 12-15: Australian Grand Prix Formula One, Melbourne.

Every year, between 1 December and 1 April, there are five million tickets on sale for sport and entertainment events across New South Wales, according to state government body Destination NSW. For the same period in 2014-2015, there are eight million tickets on sale.

"That's what happens when you add an Asian Cup and a World Cup to the calendar," says Asian Cup chief executive officer Michael Brown. "There's going to be a lot more people spending a lot more dollars."

Test Cricket

Australia's golden summer begins with the first of four Test cricket matches between Australia and India on 9 December. The fixtures were rescheduled to start later in the month because of the sudden death in late November of 25-year old Australian Test player Phillip Hughes.

Golf

The first Test now clashes with the Australian PGA golf event, while the Sydney to Hobart yacht race - which organisers claim is the largest spectator sporting event in the world - competes with the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

An estimated one million spectators will watch the start of the yacht race - about 300,000 of them from the water and another 700,000 lining Sydney's harbour and coastline, says chief executive officer of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Mark Woolf.

Economic Ipmact

The economic impact, however, is incalculable, says Mr Woolf, because it is a free spectator event.

"The metrics that come out of this race are enormous," he says. "It's not a stadium event. We don't have a captive audience. But there are tentacles everywhere.

"There's the investment of transporting and accommodating 118 boats and crew for the start. The crews bring their friends and families. Then there's provisioning and fuelling and self-catering for spectator picnics.

"Even the NSW town of Eden gets an economic lift. It's the last safe harbour for boats to refuel and restock before crossing Bass Strait. Once they reach Hobart the boats and crews have to get back to Sydney.

"Then there's the impact of those TV pictures of a perfect Sydney harbour beaming into Europe and America in the middle of winter on their Christmas night. It's hard to quantify the publicity and future tourism impact."

Asia Cup Soccer

As the Test cricket ends the Asian Cup kicks off on 9 January, with 16 teams playing 32 matches in Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

According to Mr Brown, PricewaterhouseCoopers has said the event will pump A$225m into the economy. Asian Cup organisers target ticket sales of 500,000, with 50,000 international visitors expected to attend.

Three of Australia's top ten trading partners - China, Japan and South Korea - have qualified, which means hosting the Asia Cup is a unique tourism, trade and investment opportunity for the country and the region, he says.

"The Asian Cup is Asia's biggest sporting event and football is the biggest team sport and the most popular sport in Asia," Mr Brown says. "In Asia, football outstrips cricket as a sport."

Tourism Tsunami

But the Asian Cup will also have to compete for spectators and TV audiences with the Tour Down Under cycling classic in South Australia and the Australian Open grand slam tennis tournament in Melbourne.

ICC World Cup Cricket

Then, the biggest sporting event of the summer begins on 14 February. More than one million people are expected to attend 49 one-day matches featuring 14 teams playing in the ICC World Cup at venues in Australia and New Zealand.

ICC World Cup chief executive officer John Harnden says 500,000 tickets have already been sold and tens of thousands of international spectators are expected to attend, creating a tourism tsunami between the two countries.

"There will be a lot of travel between Australia and New Zealand, and then India, the UK and the US are the three primary points of origin (for spectators)," says Mr Harnden.

"It is a great opportunity to showcase ourselves to the world and benefit from that great word of mouth from all those tens of thousands of tourists saying what a great time they had. If the Australian and New Zealand teams do well, that will be an even bigger bonus."

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Embrace the spirit of Christmas with our A-Z of festive events across Sydney

Charlie Hodgon, 4, Lola Treseder, 7, and Ted Treseder, 9, at the Lego Christmas Tree in the Pitt St Mall. Picture credit: John Fotiadis

By DAVID FITZSIMONS

EMBRACE the spirit of Christmas with this A-Z guide to Sydney’s biggest trees, best places for carol singing, Christmas markets, gift ideas and a few surprises. From Alexandria to Zetland, Bankstown to Engadine, we’ve got you covered.

ALEXANDRIA, AUBURN:

● Alexandria Village concert, Alexandria Park Oval, Power
Ave, Alexandria; December 6 6.30pm-8.30pm, free, sydneychristmas.com.au

Head to the inner-city for a fun family concert featuring kids entertainment, music, fireworks and a visit from Santa Claus.

● Auburn Carols In The Park, RAAF Stores Park, Princes Rd East, Auburn; December 21, 3pm-7.30pm, free, auburn.nsw.gov.au

Start the afternoon with a sausage sizzle, while the kids meet the animals in the kindy farm before carol singing starts at 5.30pm.

BANKSTOWN, BONDI,

● Bankstown Carols By Candelight, Paul Keating Park, The Mall, Bankstown; December 13, from 6pm, free, bankstown.nsw.gov.au

Sing along with local choirs and enjoy a sausage sizzle to celebrate Christmas around Bankstown’s new 10m-high Christmas tree — one of the tallest in Sydney.

● Bondi Carols By The Sea,
South Park, Bondi Beach; December 10, 6pm-8.30pm, free, waverley.nsw.gov.au

It’s a popular annual event where local groups unite at the beach for carol singing, performances by local artists and kids entertainment, led by the Bondi Brass group.

Martin Place lights up for Christmas

CAMPBELLTOWN, CANBERRA, CASTLE HILL, CITY, COOGEE

● Campbelltown City Christmas Carols, Campbelltown Arts Centre, 1 Art Gallery Rd, Campbelltown; December 6 6pm-9.30pm, free, Campbelltown.nsw.gov.au

The crowds will gather outside the Arts Centre at the amphitheatre for carols, the lighting of the tree, song and dance performances from local artists plus a visit from Santa.

● Canberra Old Bus Depot Markets, 21 Wentworth Ave, Kingston, Canberra; December 6-7, December 13-14 and 20-21, 10am-4pm, free entry, obdm.com.au

If you’re in the ACT, head to these massive Christmas markets over the next three weekends to find everything you need for the festive season, from gifts to decorations, trees and more.

● Castle Hill Christmas Sky Show, Main St, Castle Hill; daily until December 30, 8pm-9pm, free, thehills.nsw.gov.au

Treat yourself and the family to a spectacular light show featuring a 40m x 10m canopy over the street. Local music schools and choirs will lead Christmas singing.

● City, Martin Place Christmas Tree and Street Light Disco, The Lego Christmas Tree outside Westfield Sydney, Christmas Light Forest in Pitt St Mall, Christmas Projections on Sydney Town Hall, Lights Of Christmas, St Marys Cathedral; various times, free, sydneychristmas.com.au, lightsofchristmas.com.au

The CBD is bathed in festive fun all through December, with huge Christmas trees, light shows and light projections on the Town Hall and St Marys Cathedral reminiscent of the Vivid Festival. Paulini and Mark Vincent will perform at the St Marys opening ceremony from 7pm on Tuesday. The Lego tree has 500,000 bricks weighs 3.5 tonnes, stands 10m high and took about 1300 hours to build.

● Coogee Carols, Goldstein Reserve, Coogee Beach; December 21, 6.30pm-8.30pm, free, coogeecarols.com.au

A host of stars and entertainers and a 12-piece band will lead the thousands of people expected at the beach once again for this major carolling event.

St Mary’s Cathedral will be illuminated until Christmas Day

DARLING HARBOUR, DEE WHY, DOMAIN

● Darling Harbour Santa Fest 2014, Darling Harbour; daily until December 24, various times, most events free, darlingharbour.com

Movie nights, paddleboat rides, a huge tree, the Santa Fun Run and the Polish Christmas Festival tomorrow, Saturday night fireworks and 21 glow-in-the-dark inflatable Santas add up to an incredible chunk of Christmas cheer for the whole family.

● Dee Why Christmas By The Beach, Dee Why Beach; December 19, 5pm-9pm, free entry, warringah.nsw.gov.au

Head to Dee Why on the last Friday before Christmas for twilight markets that might just have your last-minute Christmas gift. There will be kids craft, music, carol singing and, of course, Santa.

● Domain, Carols In The Domain, Royal Botanic Garden; December 20, 8.30pm-11pm, free, carolsinthedomain.com

For more than 30 years, families have taken their rugs, low seats and picnics to the city for Australia’s biggest free carol-singing festival. This year’s stars include Adam Garcia, Judith Durham, the cast of Wicked The Musical and The Wiggles.

Carols return to The Domain on December 20

ENGADINE

● Engadine Christmas Fun Day, Engadine Town Square, 1040 Old Princes Hwy, Engadine; December 6, 9am-3pm, free, sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au

Join Santa at Engadine today for heaps of fun, including markets stalls, mini train rides, a petting zoo, mini putt golf and entertainment.

FAIRFIELD

● Fairfield Christmas Tree, Epoch Plaza, Fairfield Town Centre, daily; Carols In The Garden, Fairfield City Museum And Gallery, 632 The Horsley Dve, Smithfield, December 6, 6pm-8.30pm; fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Check out the huge tree in the centre of town and join in tonight’s session of carol singing, along with live entertainment, a craft market and refreshments.

GLENHAVEN

● Glenhaven Carols By Candlelight, Glenhaven Oval, Glenhaven; December 14, 5.30pm-9pm, free, thehills.nsw.gov.au

Carnivale comes to the hills when local dance groups, young entertainers and school dances perform and support carol singing. It culminates in a big fireworks show.


HUNTERS HILL, HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS, HYDE PARK BARRACKS

● Hunters Hill Carols In The Park, Boronia Oval, Ryde and Park Rds, Hunters Hill; December 7, from 6pm, free, huntershill.nsw.gov.au

Carols, Santa, fireworks, face-painting, an animal farm, crafts — what more would you want from a Yuletide event?

● Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular, 2090 Broke Rd, Pokolbin;
daily except Christmas Day, 6.30pm-10pm, adult $25, child $20, under 3 free, family $60, huntervalleygardens.com.au

More than 1.5 million lights will dazzle people young and old in this amazing show featuring Winne The Pooh, Alice In Wonderland and a North Pole display. There is also live music, roaming performers and the chance to meet Santa for a photo.

● Hyde Park Barracks Museum Christmas Fare, Macquarie St, City; December 18, 4pm-8pm, gold-coin entry, sydneylivingmuseums.com.au

More than 40 food artisans will be selling their handcrafted specialist foods and beverages at this unique Christmas fair. You can buy gifts and sample some of the fine produce on offer plus explore the museum.

Grab a gift, or two, at Hyde Park Barracks Christmas market

ILLAWONG

● Illawong RFS Santa Runs 2014, Illawong; December 13-24 weekdays from 6pm, weekends from 4pm, free, facebook.com/IllawongRFS

The fire brigade will be taking Santa for rides through the Illawong area to meet local families and kids.

JENOLAN CAVES

● Jenolan Caves Christmas Day Lunch and Dinner, Chisolms Restaurant, Jenolan Caves; December 25, various times and prices, jenolancaves.org.au

If you’re looking for a different Christmas experience, why not chill out in the mountains? Lunch and dinner menus and accommodation in the heritage complex are available and cave tours will run on Christmas and Boxing Day.

KARIONG, KELLYVILLE, KING STREET WHARF

● Kariong Christmas Fair 2014, Mount Penang Gardens And Event Park, Kariong; December 7 9am-2pm, free, fixxevents.com.au

Join MasterChef’s Julie Goodwin and 150 stallholders for the Central Coast’s largest Christmas fair. There will be heaps of entertainment and plenty of activities at a great new location.

● Kellyville Hills Community Carols, Hills Adventist College, 4 Gum Nut Close, Kellyville; December 14, 5pm-8pm, free, hillscommunitycollege.com

This is a true family Christmas event with live entertainment, carol singing as well as organised fun and games for the kids.

● King Street Wharf Ribbon Cone Christmas Tree, Promenade and Lime Sts, City; daily from 8pm, free, kingstreetwharf.com.au

You won’t miss this Christmas tree. Standing 13m tall, this unique Slovakian-made, Australian-designed ribbon tree has 1500 LED lights and is environmentally friendly.

King St Wharf’s Christmas tree has 1500 LED lights

LIVERPOOL

● Liverpool Tree Lighting Ceremony and Night Markets, Macquarie St, Liverpool; December 6, 4pm-9.30pm, free entry, Liverpool.nsw.gov.au/nightmarkets

Sing along with Christmas carols as Liverpool’s big tree is lit. Check out the night markets for Christmas gifts and a delicious meal.

MARRICKVILLE

● Marrickville Kids Zone: Christmas Craft, Marrickville Library, Marrickville and Petersham Rds, Marrickville; December 11, 3.30pm-4.30pm, free, marrickville.nsw.gov.au

Book ahead for this terrific kids craft workshop that will teach your youngsters how to design and make their own Christmas cards and decorations.

NORTH RYDE

● North Ryde Carols On The Common, Wicks and Twin Rds, North Ryde; December 21, from 5.30pm, carolsonthecommon.org.au

Join the crowds at one of Sydney’s biggest carols festivals. There will be live entertainment, kids rides, food stalls and fireworks.

ORAN PARK

● Oran Park Christmas Lights, various venues, Oran Park; daily, free, oranparktown.com.au

The residents of one of our newest suburbs have been encouraged to light up their houses for a Christmas competition so there should be plenty to see if you take a drive to the southwest.

PARRAMATTA, PENRITH

● Parramatta Christmas Tree, Centenary Square, Parramatta, daily, free, parracity.nsw.gov.au; Carols By Candelight, Old Government House, Parramatta Park, December 6, 7pm-9pm, gold coin donation, nationaltrust.org.au

Check out the massive tree in the new-look square in Church St and head over to the park to sing traditional carols along with the NSW Police Band, the Model Farms High School choir. See Santa arrive as well.

● Penrith Carols By Candlelight, Penrith Paceway, Penrith; December 14, gates 4pm, from 6pm-9pm, free, clubpacewaypenrith.com

Father Christmas is flying in by chopper, there will be live entertainment and dancers and there’s even a race for people dressed as Santa. Add in carol singing and fireworks and you have a big night out.

Imaad Scowdhury, 2, and Scarlet Aiken, 2, check out the tree in Parramatta’s new-look square. Picture credit: Phillip Rogers

QVB

● QVB Christmas, George St, City; daily, various times, free entry, photos various prices, qvb.com.au

The Swarovski Christmas tree, with more than 144,000 ornaments and 60,000 lights, is a majestic sight, particularly in such an iconic setting as the historic Queen Victoria Building. Santa and his helpers will be in residence in the crystal garden for those wanting a Christmas photo.

RICHMOND

● Richmond Rotary Carols in Richmond Park, Windsor and East Market Sts, Richmond; December 14, 6pm-10pm, free, hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au

Settle down for a family night in the centre of Richmond. You can buy electric candles, glow sticks and glowing bracelets to help light up your night as you sing along.

STRATHFIELD, SYDNEY TOWER

● Strathfield Christmas Carols Featuring Movies In The Park, Strathfield Park, Homebush Rd, Strathfield; today 5pm-10pm, free, strathfieldmovies.com.au

Combine carol singing with the outdoor screening of the kids movie Frozen. Santa will appear and the evening ends with a big fireworks display.

● Sydney Tower Eye Santa’s Grotto, Westfield Sydney, 100 Market St, City; daily 9am-10pm, adult $26, child $15, sydneytowereye.com

Soar 250m into the sky to see Santa at the highest place in town — the top of the Sydney Tower. Get a free photo with Santa, receive a free gift and admire the spectacular view.

Get a photo with Santa at Sydney Tower

THORNLEIGH, TURRAMURRA

● Thornleigh Family Christmas Carols By Candelight, Headen Park, Sinclair Ave, Thornleigh; December 14, 6.30pm-9.30pm, free, hornsby.nsw.gov.au

Bring a picnic rug and settle in for live music and community carols. And there’s face-painting for the kids.

● Turramurra Carols In The Chapel, Lady Davidson Hospital Chapel, Bobbin Head Rd,
North Turramurra; December 14, 5pm-6.30pm, free, bobbinheadchurch.com.au

Enjoy a traditional night of carol singing in church led by the Landings Choir following a festive supper.

UMINA

● Umina Library Christmas Storytime, Umina Library, West and Bullion Sts, Umina; December 16, 10.30am-11.30am, free, gosford.nsw.gov.au

There are plenty of Christmas events around the Central Coast but if you are looking at something a little different for the kids, check out the activities at Umina library. Even Santa will be showing up.

VAUCLUSE

● Vaucluse House Make And Take: Christmas Craft, Wentworth Rd, Vaucluse; December 13 and 14 noon-3pm, child $5 plus museum entry, sydneylivingmuseums.com.au

Kids aged three and over can learn how to make Christmas decorations and try ginger biscuits in two fun afternoons.

WOLLONGONG

● Wollongong 25th Annual Bikers Toy Run, Crown St Mall, Wollongong; December 6, from 10.30am, free, wollongong.nsw.gov.au

The motorbikes will be cruising from Shellharbour to the centre of Wollongong bringing gifts for disadvantaged kids. They arrive from 11am and Santa will be there too. There will be live entertainment and free face-painting.

XMAS X-FACTOR

● Xmas X-Factor, A Very Puppy Christmas, The Skyline Drive-In, Blacktown; December 21, 7am-2pm, car $2, walk-in $1, blacktownmarkets.com.au

We don’t have any suburbs starting with X but this event should be a great way to start the Christmas week. Bring along your pooch and enter the best dressed dog, owner-dog lookalike and ugliest dog contest. There will be heaps of pet-themed stalls and live entertainment.

YAGOONA

●Yagoona Lights, 169 Wycombe St, Yagoona; daily from 7.30pm, free, yagoonalights.com

Plenty of people put Christmas lights on their houses but few set up a website complete with videos and lighting details. This guy even has an FM radio station you can tune into for music to sequence the lights.

ZETLAND

● Zetland Laneway Learning At the Library; Bath Bombs, Green Square Library, Joynton Ave, Zetland; December 6, 11am, free, cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

At this workshop, all materials are supplied to make perfumed bath bombs.

Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/arts/embrace-the-spirit-of-christmas-with-our-a-z-of-festive-events-across-sydney/story-fniv7r7y-1227145536521

2014 Santa Fest at Darling Harbour

SANTA FEST!

For one magical month, Darling Harbour will be a sensational Santa-packed celebration bringing joy to the whole family.

When: Sat 29 Nov - Wed 24 Dec
Where: Darling Harbour, NSW, 2000

Prepare to be wowed this Christmas at Australia’s biggest celebration of all things Santa!

For one magical month, Darling Harbour will be a sensational Santa-packed celebration bringing joy to the whole family.

The wonder of Santa Fest kicks off with paddleboat rides on the bay from November 29. Put the big bang into your celebrations with fireworks over Cockle Bay every Saturday.

And there’s so-ho-ho much more! There’s Carols around the precinct, Santa Movies Under the Stars, a colouring-in competition for the kids and all the jollity of the Variety Santa Fun Run.

Santa Fest is big and beautiful - all part of making your Christmas celebrations in Sydney special.

We’re sure you’ve been good or we know you’ll try, so you better watch out and we’ll tell you why – Santa Fest is coming to town!

Make sure your Christmas in the city is Santastic!

Sydney New Year's Eve 2014 Transport Info

Sydney New Year's Eve 2014 Transport Info

Date: Wednesday 31 December
Road Closures Map: www.sydneynewyearseve.com/road-closures-public-transport/

On New Year’s Eve there are many ways to celebrate, one way to get around. With over 4,500 extra services, public transport is the way to go this New Year’s Eve.

Use the Trip planner to plan your trip with up-to-date train, bus, ferry and light rail information. You can also use one of the many real-time apps to track your service.

Trains
There are over 1,000 extra trains running on New Year’s Eve, but large crowds are expected so plan to get into the city early to get your spot for the fireworks.
Extra trains to the Sydney CBD and North Sydney will run from 14:00 to get you to your New Year’s Eve celebrations and back home again.

Please consider the the following information carefully when planning your night:
Circular Quay: Between 18:00 and 01:00 you will not be able to get off at Circular Quay station. You can walk to the harbour foreshore from Wynyard, St James or Martin Place.

Domestic Airport and International Airport: Between 01:00 and 05:00, trains leaving Central will not stop at Domestic Airport and International Airport stations.

Milsons Point: After the fireworks the only entrance to Milsons Point Station will be from Ennis Road (off Broughton Street). If you are walking up Alfred Street you will be asked to continue walking to North Sydney Station.

Buses
There are over 3,500 Sydney Buses services to get you to and from the celebrations, but extensive road closures will be in place and bus stops will be moved.
Temporary bus stops and diversions will be in place from 15:00 in North Sydney and from 14:00 in the CBD until 06:00 on New Year’s Day.

The following temporary bus stops will be in place for New Year's Eve:

In Sydney CBD
Stop location	Bus routes
Elizabeth Street near Park Street	Anzac Parade and Bunnerong Road services
Park Street	Randwick Junction, Coogee, Clovelly and Kingsford via Gardeners Road (Route 343) services
College Street	Bondi Junction, Bondi Beach, New South Head Road and Elizabeth Bay services
Elizabeth Street near Park Street	Inner West suburbs and Ryde via Pyrmont (Route 501) services
George Street near QVB	Pyrmont, Balmain and Victoria Road (except Route 501) services
George Street near Martin Place	Chatswood and Eastern Valley Way services Castle Hill, Rouse Hill and Dural services
Carrington Street	Military Road and Northern Beaches services Castle Hill, Rouse Hill and Dural services
Clarence Street	Pacific Highway and Epping Road services

In North Sydney
Stop locations	Bus routes
Miller Street	Northern Beaches, Military Road and Eastern Valley Way services
Pacific Highway	Epping Road, Pacific Highway and Chatswood services Castle Hill, Rouse Hill and Dural services

While the Harbour Bridge is closed for the fireworks, all buses to Wynyard, the QVB and Railway Square will stop at North Sydney.

NightRide bus services
Night Ride services are operating on New Year’s Day to get you home.
Buses will leave from the following alternative locations due to road closures:
Routes N10 to N80 services run from Bathurst Street (between Pitt and Castlereagh Streets).
Route N90 services depart from North Sydney.
Route N100 services do not stop at Town Hall and Martin Place stations.
Sydney Buses services will be operating to a Sunday timetable on New Year's Day.

Hillsbus services
Hillsbus will be running extra daytime buses into the City and North Sydney. A New Year's Eve timetable will be available closer to the event date.
Due to the road closures in the Sydney CBD, City services depart from Clarence Street, Wynyard after 18:00.
Hillsbus services will be operating to a Sunday timetable on New Year's Day, with additional late night buses.

Ferries
Sydney Ferries will run until the harbour exclusion zone commences. The last service time from some wharves is as early as 17:35, so plan your trip ahead.
Ferries are expected to be very busy and are likely to reach capacity, so have a back-up plan in case services are full.
After the midnight fireworks, extra ferries will run on some routes to get you home. However they are expected to be crowded and may be delayed if the harbour exclusion zone time is extended.

Locations and departure times are as follows:

F1 Manly Ferry service
From Circular Quay	00:40, 01:00, 01:30, 2:10, 02:50, 03:30 and 05:00
From Manly	00:30, 01:30, 01:50, 02:20, 02:50, 03:30, 04:15 and 5:45
F6 Mosman service (does not stop at Cremorne Point)
From Circular Quay	01:00 and 02:00
F5 Neutral Bay service
From Circular Quay	00:55, 01:35 and 02:15
F3 Parramatta River service (special stopping pattern)
From Circular Quay	01:05 and 02:05
Circular Quay, Milsons Point, McMahons Point, Birchgrove, Greenwich and Woolwich. Returning: Woolwich, Balmain East, McMahons Point, Milsons Point and Circular Quay.

Cockatoo Island is closed to the public. Only customers with pre-purchased tickets (staying overnight) will be permitted onto Cockatoo Island. If you have a pre-booked ticket we strongly recommend you arrive at Cockatoo Island by 15:00 to avoid delays and large crowds.
Garden Island Heritage Centre will be closed. F7 Eastern Suburbs ferry services will continue to operate, but will not stop at Garden Island Wharf.

Some harbour wharves are currently closed as part of the Ferry Wharf Upgrade Program. For more information, see RMS Ferry Wharf Upgrade Program.

Light rail
Extra light rail services will operate every 7–8 minutes between 18:00 and 02:00.
The last light rail service to Dulwich Hill will leave Central at 02:00 on New Year’s Day, and the last light rail service to Central will leave Dulwich Hill at 02:00.
Getting home

Large crowds will be leaving the Sydney CBD and North Sydney at the end of the fireworks, and you may need to leave from a different location than you originally planned.
Staff will be on the ground to help direct you to your nearest transport location.
Leaving a little later might mean you avoid the crowd, but plan your trip to make sure you don’t miss your ride home.

Road
There will be significant road closures and special event clearways in place in the Sydney CBD, North Sydney, Lower North Shore, Inner West and the harbour foreshore.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be closed between 23:00 and 01:00.

There are over 4,500 extra trains and buses running on the night, so consider the public transport options when planning your travel during New Year's Eve.

For specific road closure information and changes to regular bus stops, including an interactive map, visit www.sydneynewyearseve.com. You can also call 132 701.

Taxis
The demand for taxis will be high on New Year’s Eve, so be prepared for delays and queues at taxi ranks. Please be patient and considerate of others while waiting for taxis.

Taxi pick-up and drop-off may be restricted in some areas due to road closures.
Secure taxi rank locations and operating times from Wednesday 31 December 2014 to Thursday 1 January 2015 are as follows:

• Elizabeth Street, CBD: between Liverpool Street and Nithsdale Lane from 21:00 to 05:00.
• Darling Harbour: the northern end of Lime Street between 22:00 to 04:00.
• World Square: from 22:00 to 04:00.
• Oxford Street, Surry Hills: from 23:00 to 06:00.
• Bayswater Road, Kings Cross: next to Hugo’s Lounge from 21:00 to 06:00.
• Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross: next to the Empire Hotel from 21:00 to 06:00.
• For wheelchair accessible taxis please call 8332 0200 to discuss your requirements prior to New Year’s Eve.

For details of taxi networks servicing the Sydney area, visit NSW Taxi Council.

For more info & sources: http://www.transportnsw.info/en/transport-status/events/2014/12/sydney-new-years-eve-2014.page

Sydney Expecting 17 Million Tourists With Massive Line-Up of Events over Summer

Last year more than 16 million visitors flocked to Sydney between October and March. Picture: Destination NSW

Tourism is massive business in Sydney — last year’s 16 million visitors, from regional, interstate and international origins, stayed more than 48 million nights and added a whopping $8 billion to the NSW economy.

There are a host of premier sporting events taking place in the city over Summer, including the Cricket World Cup, the AFC Asian Cup and the Australian Open of Surfing.

These are in addition to the regular sporting smorgasbord that takes place in Sydney each season including a Test series against India, the Sydney International tennis and A-League matches.

But it’s not just sport that tourists will be able to enjoy.

Known the world over as throwing one of the best New Year’s Eve celebrations, Sydney will again put on an incredible fireworks display come January 31.

There’s also Tropfest, the Sydney International Art Series and Dirty Dancing.

“Summer in Sydney will once again give every visitor something to enjoy — from our beautiful beaches, fantastic food and wine, great shopping and of course our major events and festivals,” Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Troy Grant said.

“With over 20 Sydney events supported by Destination NSW, covering everything from sports, arts, entertainment and lifestyle, there’s plenty to choose from.”

EVENTS COMING UP IN SYDNEY

• Cricket World Cup
• AFC Asian Cup
• The Extreme Sailing Series
• Tropfest, Australia Day
• AACTA Awards
• Hurley Australian Open of Surfing
• Sydney International Art Series and
• Dirty Dancing

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