More than just lights are lighting up this year’s Vivid Sydney Festival.
A roaring fire to warm up the night, the scent of roasting meat floating on the air and food trucks lining the city: Vivid kicks off tonight and the light displays aren’t the only drawcard. In fact, the Vivid food lineup is worth a trip on its own.
Vivid Fire Kitchen
Returning to The Goods Line in Ultimo, Vivid Fire Kitchen will share 23 nights of live fire cooking as part of Vivid Food 2025. See leading some of Australia’s finest chefs, as well as pitmasters and barbecue experts from around the world show you how it’s done, all following the Vivid theme of ‘Dream’.
“It’s fantastic being back in the fire kitchen for the third year running," said live fire cook Jess Pryles, who will appear at Vivid Fire Kitchen in 2025 for the third year running. “Getting to work with amazing Aussie produce over an incredible live fire rig is a dream. I think sharing the crowd samplers from the demo is easily my favorite part – and you can count on us to be grilling up some tasty treats".
Also on this year’s program, catch acclaimed American chef and TV personality Nyesha Arrington, the award-winning chef behind Viand, Annita Potter, organ McGlone of Bar Copains and many more.
See live demonstrations. (Image: Destination NSW)
Free to attend, a continual lineup of food trucks – including Hoy Pinoy’s Filipino skewers, Burn City Smokers with South American-style BBQ, Pocket Rocketz’ unique take on vegetarian Indian cuisine and dessert ooptions like Mapo Gelato, Mr Spanish Churro, Miss Sina Korean Donuts and many more – will keep guests well fed each night. If you’re more seafood than barbeque, stop by the seafood BBQ stand for flame-grilled favourites like seared prawns and smoky grilled fish.
A dedicated wine bar will showcase a selection of NSW wines. Check the schedule to catch a masterclass at the bar, led by expert Mike Bennie, as well as curated wine pairings by NSW Wine Industry Association with dishes prepared by local and international pitmasters at the fire pit stage.
Speaking of food trucks, you’ll find plenty around the festival outside of Vivid Fire Kitchen. Explore global flavours (in between global sounds) at Tumbalong Park . Enter an archway of light into this mini food hub with tasty wines, beers and cocktails, Korean fried chicken from Birdman, Mexican from Ash’s Nachos, Japanese doughnuts from Mochii Mochii and more.
Or, take a mid-light walk break at Barangaroo . Here, the highlight has to be blacklight-reactive desserts at the immersive Blacklight Dessert Lab. Think doughnuts, cheesecake and ice cream that glow under a UV light.
Dream Mist
Book a seat at this Botanic Gardens of Sydney table for an after-dark three-course Vietnamese-inspired menu by chef Luke Nguyen. Expect blending bold flavours and personal storytelling, as well as an interactive wishing tree for guests to share their dreams with. Oh, and keep the experience going with a take-home bottle of Dream Mist botanical perfume.
Neon Dreams
Not only is this event a roller-disco dream, it will feature a delicious plant-based dinner by vegan masterchef Shannon Martinez and Trolley’d, exclusively for Vivid. Wash down your veggie burger with a milkshake or cocktail whipped up by Trolly’d bar.
Grab a milkshake and burger. (Image: Destination NSW)
Hollywood Dreaming
If your nostalgia and neon cravings aren’t yet satisfied, head to Foster Street in Surry Hills on 31 May for Hollywood Dreaming . The street will shut down to traffic to make way for an al fresco food festival within a festival. Watch live music and roving performers while feasting on the best of Sydney dishes from the likes of Firedoor, Nomad, Gildas, Nel, Kiln, Poly, Brooklyn Boy Bagels and Butter.
Rooftop dining
Be sure to check out the best of Sydney’s rooftop bars for drinks, snacks and a delectable view of the Vivid lights, all festival long. You’ll find our top picks here.
Watch the dancing lights of Vivid Sydney atop the InterContinental Sydney.
The Native Food Experience
Celebrate First Nations culture and cuisine at The Native Food Experience . Held at NSW Parliament House, Parliament of NSW executive chef Vanessa Harcourt will collaborate with pioneering First Nations chef Dwayne Bannon-Harrison to create an equal parts tasty and thought-provoking degustation. Expect a menu that heroes native Australian produce, from rainforest fruits and coastal seafood to game meats and desert botanicals, all to tell a story of Country, culture and community.
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
NSW’s beach towns take on a new kind of magic when the cooler months hit.
Autumn and winter cast a whole new light on the New South Wales coastline. The sun hangs lower, the shadows stretch longer and the air is crisp and fresh. The frenetic summer crowds are gone, and the rhythm slows to the pace of a leisurely winter bush walk through still, damp quiet. From wineries pouring winter reds to the annual whale migration up the ‘humpback highway’, here’s why winter on the New South Wales coast is better.
Winter on the NSW South Coast
Winter down south means misty dawns, sipping a flat white on the beach. The thrill of a whale spotting from the headlands and evenings spent slowly savouring Shoalhaven’s wines by the fire.
Start in Kiama, where waves crash into the famous Blowholes. This natural spectacle is achieved when underground pressure and swell unite, sending sea spray soaring above the basalt cliffs. This means, due to larger waves, you’re even more likely to see an explosive display in winter.
See Kiama’s blowholes in full force. (Image: Destination NSW)
Inland, the Minnamurra Rainforest Walk in Budderoo National Park is all subtropical forest and trilling lyrebird song. Make sure to walk silently along the elevated boardwalks, past winter-swelled creeks and the tangled roots of fig trees. You might just hear one of the musically talented birds mimicking your footsteps.
Feeling adventurous? Book a session at Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures for a wobbly walk through the canopy on Australia’s highest zipline.
Walk among the tallest trees. (Image: Destination NSW)
Next, it’s time to take the speed down a notch with a drive over to the historic village of Berry. It’s been a beloved stop for generations of Sydneysiders heading south, as has the obligatory stop at its famous doughnut van for crisped, cinnamon goodness. If you’re ready for something a little more chunky, stroll right past the boutiques (okay, go on, just one quick peek) to Milkwood Bakery . Their flaky pastries and all-day breakfasts are best enjoyed under cream-coloured fringed umbrellas.
Back in Kiama, you’ll also find modern Middle Eastern share plates at Miss Arda , and next-level burgers on The Hungry Monkey ‘s extensive menu: an ode to everything pattie-shaped.
End the day at The Sebel Kiama on the harbour. The apartment-style rooms come with full cooking facilities — a welcome addition for families looking to test out the local produce they picked up along the way. Including, but not limited to, vintages from nearby Crooked River Wines .
Sleep by the harbour.
Winter on the Mid-North Coast
A trip up north is a gentle one at this time of year. You’ll still feel that sunshine warming your shoulders, but the lower temperatures make space for rainforest walks, vineyard lunches and long coastal hikes. All without that pesky humidity.
First stop? It has to be the town of Port Macquarie. Start by marking out a stretch of the nine-kilometre coastal walk you want to tackle (or do the whole thing), which winds from Town Beach to the lighthouse along rugged headlands and quiet beaches. Hot tip: binoculars. Don’t forget them if you want to partake in some close-up sightings of dolphin pods or whales migrating up the ‘humpback highway’.
Wander the Port Macquarie Coastal Walk. (Image: Destination NSW)
Swap sea for canopy at the Sea Acres Rainforest Boardwalk , one of the last remaining pockets of coastal rainforest in the state. The accessible elevated trail passes under climbing ferns and tangled strangler figs, and is alive with scarlet robins, goannas and diamond pythons – if you’re lucky, you might see one slipping through the leaf litter.
Afterwards, lunch is sorted at Cassegrain Wines , where crisp whites and elegant reds are grown using a blend of French winemaking tradition and Australian innovation. After a tasting, saddle up for a horse ride through the estate.
Meet Koala Hospital inhabitants at their temporary home. (Image: Destination NSW)
The beloved Koala Hospital is rebuilding, so meet its furry patients in their temporary bushland abode at Guulabaa – Place of Koala . Here, you can see rehabilitation up close and learn how one of Australia’s most iconic animals is being carefully rewilded and protected.
Back in town, Whalebone Wharf serves up fine dining with serious views to go with your oysters. Prefer something breezier? Bills Fishhouse + Bar does everything from blue swimmer crab toast to zucchini noodles drizzled in basil and wattleseed pesto. Down by the waterfront, Little Shack slings ceviche, mushroom burgers and fish tacos with casual aplomb.
At the end of it all, check in to Mercure Centro Port Macquarie , right in the heart of town. From here, everything’s walkable. Just park the car, pop your keys in your pocket, and stroll down to the beach.
Check in to Mercure Centro Port Macquarie.
Winter on the Central Coast
On the Central Coast, expect to explore oyster farms that sit on estuaries, beaches that stretch empty for miles, and the kind of surprise sightings of whale sprays that can stop a hiker in their tracks.
The best way to settle into this slower rhythm is with the Bouddi Coastal Walk , an 8.5km trail that dips through rainforest and eroding cliffs. It’s made for unhurried walkers and long-lens photographers.
Up the coast in Terrigal, it’s prime time to spot humpbacks on the move. Join a cruise or find your own perch — Crackneck Lookout and Norah Head Lighthouse are both local favourites.
Travelling with kids? It would be sacrilege not to visit the Australian Reptile Park . Here, Elvis the saltwater crocodile reigns supreme, and the venomous snake talk somehow manages to be simultaneously terrifying and fascinating.
If that isn’t enough to wear them out, zip and climb your way through Treetops Adventure Central Coast , a ropes course in the canopy of Ourimbah State Forest. Afterwards, steady your nerves with a garden tasting at Firescreek Botanical Winery , where fruit- and flower-infused wines are served under the trees.
Switch earth for sea and hop on a boat tour with Broken Bay Pearl Farm . Once you’re out on the water, you’ll learn how pearls are cultivated and have a hands-on lesson in grading and shucking.
Get a hands-on pearl lesson. (Image: Destination NSW)
As the day winds down, grab a seat at Yellowtail in Terrigal , which takes seasonal native produce and presents it with Asian flair. Prefer something simple? Award-winning Mount White restaurant Saddles is a quintessential Australian dining destination. Find an impressive breakfast and lunch menu, dedicated to country-style cooking and seasonal produce.
Stay the night at Pullman Magenta Shores , between the ocean and the lake. There are plenty of ways to relax, with a massage at the day spa, a poolside beanbag and a round or two at the golf course.
Eat well at Pullman Magenta Shores’ restaurant. (Image: Destination NSW)
Winter in Wollongong
Wollongong does contrast pretty well. One moment you’re walking beneath an enormous Buddha, the next you’re ordering soju a few blocks from the surf. It’s a town where skydivers land on beaches, trails lead to paddocks and winter days stretch long and clear beneath the Illawarra cliffs.
If you’re coming from the north, start by crossing over the Sea Cliff Bridge. Curving dramatically out like a jutting ‘C’ out above the water means you won’t be able to resist pulling over (safely, in designated lookouts) to gaze down at the waves crashing on the cliffs below.
Just inland is the serenity of the Nan Tien Temple , the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere. You can trace the prayer path, explore the temple gardens and sip delectable Kam Quat Tea in the quiet light at the Dew Drop Inn Tea House.
Learn about Buddhist practices. (Image: Destination NSW)
Next, dust off that cowboy hat. It’s time for the Darkes Forest Riding Ranch . Take a guided canter via trail rides among peppermint gums and paddocks. If you’re happier to look at animals than ride them, Symbio Wildlife Park has red pandas dozing in trees, kangaroos that hop up to you and lessons on conservation.
The brave among you shouldn’t miss Skydive Australia – Wollongong . A free fall over the coast via tandem jumps before tumbling down to the sand is a breath-stopping thrill. Prefer to keep your feet on the ground? Check out the program at Wollongong Art Gallery , which delivers contemporary and Aboriginal exhibitions in the centre of town.
Hang out with the locals at Symbio Wildlife Park.(Image: Destination NSW)
As evening settles in, nab a table at Baby Face Kitchen . It has an ever-changing set menu, with dishes like hand-picked mud crab with white asparagus and salty brown butter, to sheep’s milk and honey ice cream. For something more casual, Dagwood Bar + Kitchen brings the fun with Korean fried chicken, sake cocktails and weekly all-you-can-eat bao buns.
Check in to Novotel Wollongong Northbeach , right by the sand. With a beachfront pool and ocean views, it’s an ideal base for whatever pace you choose.
