Vivid Sydney 2025: A Festival Reimagined, Inviting You to Dream

Vivid Sydney 2025 Program Unveiled

For full program details and ticket purchases, visit www.vividsydney.com.

A Transformative Festival Experience

• Five interconnected zones spanning Light, Music, Ideas, and Food
• Over 75% of events and 100% of Vivid Light Walk free to enjoy
• Nigella Lawson curates three exclusive Vivid Sydney Dinner events at Muru Giligu, Martin Place
• TIME Magazine’s Creative Director and Stranger Things: The Experience confirmed for Vivid Ideas
• Martin Place rejoins the festival for the first time since 2018
• Vivid Music expands with new venues, including City Recital Hall and Metro Theatre
• Eight buildings and landmarks illuminated for the first time

Australia’s largest cultural festival will once again transform Sydney from Friday, 23 May to Saturday, 14 June 2025. Under the theme ‘Dream’, Vivid Sydney will explore the question: What’s in a dream?

A Redesigned Festival Footprint

Celebrating its 15th year, Vivid Sydney introduces a reimagined layout with five key zones:

• Circular Quay & The Rocks
• Barangaroo
• Martin Place & CBD (returning for the first time since 2018)
• Darling Harbour
• The Goods Line & Inner City

Each zone will feature a dynamic blend of Light, Music, Ideas, and Food, ensuring an immersive festival experience across the city.

A Winter Celebration of Creativity and Innovation

Highlighting Sydney’s vibrant cultural scene, Vivid Sydney will collaborate with Sydney Writers’ Festival, Sydney Film Festival, and esteemed institutions such as the Art Gallery of NSW, Australian Museum, Bangarra Dance Theatre, City Recital Hall, State Library of NSW, and Sydney Theatre Company.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, John Graham, stated:

“Vivid Sydney continues to innovate, bringing color, creativity, and excitement to the city. This year, we’re expanding the number of free events, ensuring that everyone can experience the magic of the festival, regardless of budget.”

Vivid Light: A Visionary Spectacle

Vivid Light 2025 will showcase pioneering animation and projection technologies, including:

• Sydney Opera House: Kiss of Light (2025), a bold tribute to the late Australian visionary David McDiarmid
• Museum of Contemporary Art: King Dingo by Vincent Namatjira
• Customs House: House of Romance by Romance Was Born
• Interactive installations: Voice-activated animations, 3D projections, whimsical swings, and audience-generated art featured on The Rocks’ ASN Co. Building’s Clock Tower
• Expanded Vivid Light Walk: Featuring new illuminations at Museum of Sydney, The Bond (Barangaroo), and Challis House (Martin Place)

Vivid Ideas: Engaging and Inspiring Dialogues

This year’s Vivid Ideas program includes:

• D.W. Pine, Creative Director of TIME Magazine, presenting ‘Where Do Ideas Come From?’
• Professor Matthew Walker, renowned scientist, exploring ‘Why We Sleep’
• Free Firetalk series at Barangaroo Reserve, highlighting First Nations storytelling
• Endling, a major physical theatre production by Legs On The Wall
• Stranger Things: The Experience, an immersive adventure at Luna Park Sydney

Vivid Food: A Culinary Dreamscape

Vivid Food offers a diverse and unforgettable dining experience:

• Nigella Lawson’s Vivid Sydney Dinners at Muru Giligu, Martin Place, featuring NSW produce and immersive light and sound installations
• Vivid Fire Kitchen at The Goods Line, celebrating fire and spice
• Spice Lounge at Maryanne Street, a fireside retreat
• Hollywood Quarter activations, featuring exclusive food and music experiences in Surry Hills

Vivid Music: A Global Celebration of Sound

This year’s lineup includes:

• Tumbalong Nights: A free concert series featuring Winston Surfshirt, Ayesha Madon, Grammy-winner Dobet Gnahoré, and V-Pop stars Mỹ Anh and Chi Xê
• Exclusive performances at Metro Theatre, City Recital Hall, and Oxford Art Factory
• Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House, featuring Anohni and The Johnsons, Beth Gibbons, Sigur Rós with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Japanese Breakfast
• Carriageworks performances, including Mall Grab, Ngaiire, and Skegss
• Carriageworks’ Night Market, showcasing Sydney’s top culinary talents

Vivid Sydney Partners

• Samsung returns as a Major Partner, presenting a light and water show at Cockle Bay Wharf
• Estée Lauder and Ausgrid continue their partnership, powering Tumbalong Nights
• Airbnb remains the festival’s Community Partner, supporting the volunteer program
• Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation is the official Charity Partner for 2025

Tickets on sale now! For the full event schedule, visit www.vividsydney.com.

Bathurst Man Faces Multiple Charges Over Firearm, Explosive, and Drug Offences

BATHURST, NSW – A 38-year-old man has been charged with a series of serious offences involving stolen firearms, explosives, and prohibited drugs following a multi-stage police operation in Bathurst.

On Saturday, February 22, at approximately 11:50 p.m., officers with the Chifley Police District stopped a Mercedes sedan on Vittoria Street for a random breath test. During the stop, police reportedly discovered and seized 927 grams of cannabis. Both the driver and a passenger were initially arrested, although the passenger was later released pending further investigations. The driver was charged with supplying prohibited drugs and breaching bail conditions, and he has been granted conditional bail to appear before Bathurst Local Court on Wednesday, February 26.

Further investigations on Monday, February 24, led to a search warrant executed at an industrial unit on Watt Drive in Robin Hill. There, officers seized two firearms—including a pump-action rifle—220 grams of cannabis, fireworks, and various electronic devices. The combined street value of the cannabis is estimated at $10,000. Initial inquiries suggest that the rifle may have been stolen from a property in Gundagai earlier this month.

Following the search, police arrested another 38-year-old man at the scene. He now faces an array of charges, including possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of an unauthorized firearm, use, supply, acquisition, or possession of a stolen firearm or its parts, possession of ammunition without a licence, failure to secure a firearm safely, possession, supply, or manufacture of explosives for unlawful purposes, and possession of prohibited drugs. The man was refused bail and is scheduled to appear before Bathurst Local Court today, Tuesday, February 25.

For additional details and visuals of the arrest and seized items, authorities have provided access via Hightail at https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/aDv8tJE2Uh/.

Measles Alert for Sydney Airport

By Jeff Gibbs

NSW Health has issued a measles alert after a person infectious with the virus travelled on an international flight into Sydney and a domestic flight to the Gold Coast on Friday, 17 January 2025.

Locations of Concern

Individuals who were at the following locations during the specified times should monitor for symptoms:

• Jetstar flight JQ4 from Honolulu to Sydney, arriving at 4:29pm.
• Qantas flight QF596 from Sydney to Gold Coast, departing Sydney T3 at 9:03pm.
• Sydney International Airport: 4:30pm – 6:30pm.
• Bus transfer from Sydney International to Domestic Airport T3: 5:30pm – 6:30pm.
• Sydney Domestic Airport T3: 6:30pm – 9:00pm.

Symptoms to Watch

Dr. Christine Selvey, NSW Health Director of the Communicable Diseases Branch, has urged people who were at these locations to watch for symptoms of measles until Tuesday, 4 February 2025.

Symptoms include:

• Early signs: Fever, runny nose, sore eyes, and a cough.
• Later signs: A red, blotchy rash spreading from the head and face to the rest of the body, usually appearing 3-4 days after the initial symptoms.

What to Do

If you develop symptoms:

• Call ahead before visiting your doctor to avoid exposing others.
• Inform the clinic of your symptoms and possible exposure to measles.

Vaccination Reminder

NSW Health is reminding the community to check their measles vaccination status, particularly before traveling overseas.

• Who needs the vaccine?
  • Anyone born after 1965 should ensure they’ve had two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
  • The vaccine is free for children at 12 and 18 months and for anyone born after 1965 who hasn’t had two doses.
• For children under 12 months:
  • The first MMR dose can be given up to three months earlier if traveling to high-risk areas. Consult your GP for advice.
• Uncertain about your vaccination status?
  • If unsure, you should still get vaccinated as additional doses are safe.

The MMR vaccine is available from GPs for all ages and from pharmacies for people over 5 years old.

For More Information

For further details, refer to the NSW Health measles factsheet.

This alert highlights the importance of staying vigilant against measles, a highly infectious disease, and ensuring vaccinations are up to date.

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Transport for NSW and NSW Police Crack Down on Level Crossing Offences in Tamworth and Currabubula

Transport for NSW is reinforcing the importance of safety at level crossings after a joint operation with NSW Police led to multiple fines and demerit points for drivers violating level crossing rules around Tamworth and Currabubula. Between September 16 and 27, police patrolled five level crossings to promote safety and remind motorists to slow down and follow level crossing regulations.

Level crossing offences in Tamworth and Currabubula

During the operation, police recorded seven level crossing offences, 12 speeding offences, and 23 other infractions, including mobile phone use, driving unregistered vehicles, and operating without a valid license. Among the violators, a 51-year-old man received a $544 fine and three demerit points for stopping on a level crossing in Tamworth. Two additional men, one from NSW and another from Queensland, as well as a woman from the ACT, faced the same penalty for failing to stop at rail crossings, with three other drivers penalized for disregarding level crossing rules.

Ralston Fernandes, Transport for NSW Director of Road Safety Strategy and Policy, stressed that these initiatives are crucial in raising awareness about the dangers of level crossing violations. “Despite a visible police presence, some motorists continue to disobey level crossing rules, risking deadly consequences for themselves and others,” Fernandes said. “Between July 2014 and June 2024, there were 64 collisions between trains and vehicles at level crossings in NSW, tragically resulting in eight fatalities and nine serious injuries.”

Acting Superintendent Martin Searle, Commander of Traffic Operations, highlighted the risks associated with level crossings, noting that trains may require over a kilometer to come to a full stop, making split-second decisions at crossings potentially life-changing. “We urge all drivers to exercise patience and heed crossing signs, as rushing across is simply not worth the risk,” he said. “Police patrol level crossings regularly, aiming to keep motorists safe and ensure everyone returns home safely to their loved ones.”

Motorists are reminded to expect police presence around level crossings and to approach these areas with caution, as enforcement operations will continue to support road safety across regional NSW.

Muval migration data for the first six months of 2024

According to national online removalist booking platform Muval, which has the most up-to-date internal migration data showing where Australians are moving, Melbourne is the number one capital to move to in the first half of 2024, with inbound traffic peaks in February and April catapulting the city into positive net migration for the first time since before COVID.

The latest moving data also shows that rising cost of living pressures continue to take their toll on Sydney and increasingly Brisbane, with the river city dipping as low as -13% into negative territory this year.

While rental moves are traditionally local, within the same suburb or neighbouring suburbs, Australians aren’t hesitating to cross borders in search of more affordable housing, more lucrative work or a cheaper lifestyle to maintain their current living standards.

With that said, industry-wide moving numbers are down around 20% on the same time last year. Overall, Muval reports that the current macro-economic climate of higher interest rates, tight housing affordability and housing shortages are having a cooling effect on moving generally.

As people typically enquire about removalist up to 30 days before they move, Muval’s data is a proven early indicator of moving trends in Australia.

Muval – Net Migration June 2024

Melbourne

For the first time since January 2020, Melbourne entered positive net migration in 2024. Off the back of a rise in inbound moves (30% of all major metro moves were to Melbourne in February and April) and a fall in outbound moves, down to 25% of all major metro moves in February which is the lowest on record, the city finally slipped back into positive territory with +13% net migration in February and +2% in April. The last time the city had positive net migration was before the pandemic (+3% Jan 2020) and it fell as low as -61% in August 2020 and -64% in September 2021 when thousands fled lockdowns in the city. When Melbourne’s outbound enquiries veered down, Brisbane and Sydney’s spiked, suggesting the traffic is flowing down from the increasingly expensive northern states.

Muval – Outbound June 2024

Brisbane

A rise in the cost of living in Brisbane, including skyrocketing housing prices up more than 60% since the onset of COVID and a rise in unit rentals of more than 50%, is affecting the city’s appeal as a place to live. Brisbane’s outbound moving enquiries have jumped to their highest level, reaching 23% of all major metro outbound moves in April. Averaging 22% of inbound metro moves in the first six months of the year, Brisbane came close to Sydney when it dipped to just 20% in January and February (Sydney accounted for 19% and 18% respectively). After peaking at +123% positive net migration in September 2021, Brisbane teetered around zero in the first six months of this year before tumbling to a record low of -13% in April. While it remains the second most popular city to move to behind Melbourne, Brisbane’s pandemic popularity has been replaced with an air of unaffordability.

Muval – Inbound June 2024

Sydney

Sydney has experienced a slight increase in inbound traffic during the first six months of this year, accounting for as much as 19% of all major metro inbound moves in January and June (the highest number on record for Sydney), to cement its place as the third most popular city to move to. This is a change from last year when Perth was third behind Melbourne and Brisbane. With an average of 30% of all major metro outbound moves coming from Sydney in the first six months of 2024, the Harbour City continues to boast the unfortunate title of biggest resident exodus. While there are glimmers of hope, this outbound movement has kept Sydney firmly in negative net migration between -41% and -52% in the first half of the year.

Perth

For the first time in years, Perth appears to be losing its strong grip on positive net migration. It is still the highest in the country, but it’s spiralling fast to pre-pandemic levels as interest in the state tapers off, perhaps as rents rise at a record rate. Perth saw the highest annual rent increase of all capital cities in the last year (up 14 per cent year-on-year), as well as the highest rise in rent values since the onset of the pandemic at nearly 60 per cent. After a 2021 pandemic peak of +181%, net migration dropped to +10% in June, off the back of low inbound traffic of just 14% and high outbound traffic of 12%. Perth hasn’t had outbound traffic consistently in double digits since the start of 2020, it sat between 7-9% in 2022 and 2023.

Adelaide

After consistently sitting around 9-10% in 2023, Adelaide’s outbound migration appears to be slowing in the first six months of 2024, dipping as low as 7% in April and staying on 8% in May and June. However, inbound traffic hasn’t picked up this year and at 7% in April and May, it’s Adelaide’s lowest share of inbound major metro moves on record. After entering negative territory in August 2022, the city remains in negative net migration in 2024 hovering between -7% (June) and -23% (February and May).

For more information visit muval.com.au

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