Vivid Sydney is back with an itinerary that’s bigger than ever in 2024.
Vivid Sydney has become an international sensation. While light installations from renowned local and international artists still create the centrepiece, this is now an all-encompassing winter festival, offering talks, events, live music, special food offerings and more.
Narrow down the best of Vivid with this guide. (Image: DNSW)
To help you wade through the seemingly endless options, we’ve created the perfect three-day itinerary to help you get front-row access to the best of the festival, while avoiding the worst of the crowds.
Friday
6pm Head to Park Hyatt Sydney’s hatted restaurant, The Dining Room by James Viles . From 24 May until 15 June, the restaurant will transform its menu to one that pays homage to the essence of Vivid Sydney, while maintaining the imaginative, seasonal, sustainable cuisine the restaurant is renowned for.
The Dining Room by James Viles has been hatted for its innovative dishes.
The floor-to-ceiling windows offer unimpeded views of the Opera House as it lights up – this year, the iconic sails will be transformed by Julia Gutman and her take on Roman poet Ovid’s myth of Narcissus, Lighting of the Sails: Echo.
Enjoy Vivid Sydney while eating.
8pm After dinner and drinks, catch a short taxi ride over to the waterside pathways of Darling Harbour where you can watch free live music performances from DJs spinning dance mixes, to the rocky pop tunes of singer-songwriter Mallrat to the iconic Christine Anu. Check the full Tumbalong Nights lineup here .
Enjoy free contemporary music over 12 nights.
After the show, take a leisurely stroll through the Darling Harbour section of Vivid’s Light Walk, which stretches a total of 8.5 kilometres from The Sydney Opera House to Central Station. Be sure to stop at Nest – an installation following the mesmerising mating dance of brolgas – as well as The Poem Booth – a machine hailing from The Netherlands where computers and humans interact to create AI poetry.
This computer has a romantic side.
8pm Park yourself on a plush stool at The Bar to keep enjoying your Vivid Sydney lights while also choosing between an award-winning wine list or a locally-inspired cocktail.
Saturday
10.30am Begin your adventure at Cadman’s Cottage in The Rocks where you will meet Margaret Campbell for a Dreamtime Southern X Illi-Langi The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour . No matter how often you’ve visited Sydney, you haven’t experienced it like this before. Margaret, who will ask you to call her Aunty, shares a wealth of knowledge about the land you stand on and local Indigenous practices from long before colonisation.
Join Aunty Margaret on a tour around The Rocks. (Image: DNSW)
2pm Get out and about, The Art Gallery of New South Wales in The Domain awaits. While the architecture is an artwork in itself, don’t miss a trip into The Tank – an underground room turned into an art exhibition. Or discover the latest exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art nestled along the waterfront of The Rocks.
Explore the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ new building. (Image: Zan Wembley)
6pm Time to venture outside, joining the other Vivid Sydney revellers as they make their way around the years’ best installations within easy walking distance of Park Hyatt Sydney.
Customs House in Circular Quay will be lit up with the signature illustrations of Gumscape with Road and Creatures by Australian artist Reg Mombassa. Wander into First Fleet Park in The Rocks to celebrate human connection with the installation, Embrace.
A little further along, in Walsh Bay, discover the mindboggling mirror maze Shifting Perspectives and become part of the art in a new way.
Reg Mombassa’s unique style is easily recognisable.
Sunday
11.00am All good things must end, and it’s time to check out of your hotel and say goodbye to Vivid Sydney for 2024. But not before one last feast.
Taste flavours from around the world. (Image: Shaun Clark)
12.30pm Jump in an Uber and head to The Fire Kitchen at The Cutaway, which has returned this year after making its very successful debut in 2023. This food truck haven offers some of Sydney’s best cuisine – from the vegan offerings of Alibi to tender meat offerings fresh from the barbecue. Speaking of barbecues, stop and watch live cooking demonstrations by some of the country’s best grillers.
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.
Underpinned by grassroots hospitality and award-winning organic produce, the Central Coast’s gastronomy scene is thriving, with the region quickly becoming one of the best destinations in NSW for epicures.
Revered for its rugged natural splendour and laid-back seaside charm, NSW’s Central Coast has soared in popularity in recent years, becoming a top choice for an affordable slice of weekend escapism for Sydneysiders. Just a short 45-minute drive north of Sydney, it’s the kind of place that, no matter how many times you visit, leaves you with the sense that there’s always more to uncover. But while the ocean pools, bushwalks and beaches have (rightly) taken the spotlight, it’s the Central Coast food offerings which have been quietly simmering in the background.
From fresh-as-it-gets seafood and juicy organic citrus you can pluck yourself, through to regenerative farming and reputable farm-to-fork dining, this coastal gem has become an idyllic foodie mecca. Here are some of the best ways to immerse yourself in grassroots hospitality and gastronomic glory on the NSW Central Coast.
From picking your own, to farm-to-table, discover the best Central Coast food experiences. (Image: Remy Brand)
Central Coast oyster experiences
From humble grub to opulent delicacy, oysters have ascended into a league of their own. Epicureans are fascinated by them – willing to pay upwards of $35 per dozen (double at some of Sydney’s reputable fine dining restaurants) – and ‘shuck bars’ seem to be popping up at every milestone celebration.
But it’s rare to find places that really draw back the curtain on how they’re farmed and why everyone is mad for these molluscs. The Central Coast , however, is home to several of these venues. With its pristine waters, mild climate and nutrient-rich estuaries, it’s the perfect breeding ground for oysters.
Learn about oyster farming and, importantly, how to shuck them at Sydney Oyster Farm Tours . Nestled on the Hawkesbury River at Mooney Mooney, Sheridan Beaumont and her team offer a hands-on foodie experience where you can feast on dozens of oysters (white tablecloth and all) while wading through the calm waters. You can even bring your own bottle of bubbles to wash them down.
Learn tricks of the trade at Sydney Oyster Farm Tours. (Image: Remy Brand)
Elevate your oyster knowledge even further by heading north over the Hawkesbury River Bridge to the Hawkesbury River Oyster Shed . Tour their scenic oyster leases and saltwater paddocks by boat to uncover the distinct characteristics of the Sydney rock oyster and creamy Pacific oyster. They’ve also partnered with Broken Bay Pearl Farm to offer a one-of-a-kind oyster and pearl farming guided tour, showcasing the Central Coast’s very own pearl oyster, the Broken Bay ‘Akoya’. But if you’re simply in the mood to devour a dozen delectable oysters while soaking in the tranquil river views, pull up a chair at the shed. It’s friendly in every sense of the word: pets, families and BYO welcome.
Taste freshly shucked oysters at Broken Bay Pearl Farm. (Image: James Horan)
Central Coast farms to pick your own fruit
While the Central Coast is known for its breathtaking 40 beaches and 80-kilometre coastline, its lush hinterland is equally impressive – abundant with orchards and agriculturally rich farmland. And when it comes to the simple joy of picking your own fruit, the Central Coast is a ripe playground.
Family-owned Meliora Farm at Peats Ridge is an orchard that blends conventional, biodynamic and organic philosophies. Third-generation farmer Tim Kemp and his wife Elise are dedicated to honouring the family legacy by growing a rich variety of oranges, lemons, limes, mandarins and avocados. In late May, roam the sustainable and nutrient-dense property during ‘Pick Your Own’ weekends.
Eastcoast Beverages is another bountiful citrus orchard boasting over 60 hectares of fruit. From June you can learn about the cultivation of high-quality ingredients – like lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges – by touring both the farm and factory before setting out and picking your own straight from the source. You can also sample an array of citrus-inspired sweet and savoury treats at their on-site cafe, Bambino’s .
If it’s just juicy oranges you’re after, Cedar Farm in Dooralong is a must-visit. Located about 30 minutes north of Peats Ridge, it features 15 flourishing orchards and over 3000 orange trees – with take-home bags during the season (from July) at low prices. Not bad for a fruity weekend haul.
Pick your own citrus fruits on the Central Coast. (Image: James Vodicka)
Organic dining
What makes the Central Coast hinterland so special is the unwavering respect the communities have for their cherished backyard. Locally owned and operated farms are all striving for more sustainable practices and methods to both enhance biodiversity and reduce environmental impact, each with a heartwarming food philosophy.
The Food Farm in Wyong Creek believes good food is worth both the work and the wait. Devoted to regenerative farming, first-generation ‘farmily’ Tim Eyes and Hannah Greenshields are recognised for their grass-fed, grass-finished beef and pasture-raised, gold medal-winning chickens. With an open gate policy, The Food Farm encourages visitors to swing by and try some of their slow-grown produce at their small ‘honesty’ farm shop. With no staff, you can pick up a few quality cuts of meat and pasteurised eggs, leaving the owing amount in cash or via eftpos.
Keeping the spirit of generational organic farming alive is Fanelli Organics . Nestled in the Central Coast’s scenic and sleepy Mangrove Mountain, founders Eden and Louise Fanelli own over 45 hectares of plentiful farmland and orchards that produce a huge range of organic fruit and vegetables, like purple Dutch carrots, blood oranges, broccoli and Tuscan kale. A true home-grown operation, Fanelli Organics shares its fresh produce with local restaurants and community markets, including the beloved markets at Like Minds Cafe at Avoca Beach every Wednesday afternoon.
See where your food comes from at Fanelli Organics.
Paddock-to-plate dining
High-quality ingredients go hand in hand with premium dining, and the Central Coast is home to several paddock-to-plate restaurants that showcase its diverse and rich agriculture. Paired with warm, grassroots hospitality, there are culinary triumphs, new menus and revered chefs constantly popping up, putting the local dining scene firmly on the map.
Award-winning Mount White restaurant Saddles is a quintessential Australian dining destination, dedicated to country-style cooking and seasonal produce. Nestled in thick bushland with wraparound verandahs, floral gardens and an idyllic dam, the gourmet homestead and bakehouse is unlike any restaurant on the Central Coast. Here, head chef Reece Collins and his team serve up an impressive breakfast and lunch menu that oozes rustic charm. Pull up a comfy armchair on the expansive deck, listen to birdsong, and tuck into flavoursome dishes like the farmhouse Benedict with honey-cured ham, lemon myrtle hollandaise and Warrigal gremolata, or the hearty beef brisket pie with confit garlic potato purée and rainbow chard.
Taste country-style cooking at Saddles. (Image: Destination NSW)
Delivering a slice of sophistication and luxury to the shores and bushland of Bouddi Peninsula is Bells at Killcare . One of the few boutique resorts on the Central Coast, it’s known for its premium service and five-star suites, as well as its bountiful kitchen gardens that boast an orchard, olive trees, avocado trees, free-range hens and a honey bee hive.
Cameron Cansdell has returned to Bells at Killcare as head chef, bringing his expertise to the casual yet refined menus that feature a raw bar with Oscietra caviar, freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters and Moreton Bay bugs, all served alongside optional matched wines. Sample some of Australia’s best regional wines and standout dishes, like roasted Wollemi duck with grilled leeks, rocket, grilled grapes and 10-year-aged balsamic, or the shareworthy salt-crusted snapper with herb salad and salsa, before roaming the picturesque gardens, wine in hand.
Sample incredible wine, cocktails and dishes at Bells At Killcare. (Image: Nikki To)
