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Sydney's historic and landmark building illuminated. The best sights are around Circular Quay with the Opera House making an especially fantastic canvas. Martin Place is full of light shows and food stalls. And Barrangaroo laneways are decorated also. Some suburbs also have smaller light shows, including the centres of Chatswood and Parramatta. Expect large crowds and make sure to do some preparation – lots of road closures, light rail services get cut short to Wynyard, while trains don't stop at Circular Quay (meaning you'll need to walk from Wynyard or St James).
Take the ferry to Taronga Zoo wharf and then head to your right along the promontory. There's pristine bushland (almost unchanged from the time of European colonisation), quiet beaches, and knockout views across the harbour, and in the warmer months you'll spot plenty of Eastern Water Dragons, a type of large lizard. Once you reach the tip of the headland, you can either amble back to the wharf or - if you're feeling more ambitious - follow the track several more kilometres to Clifton Gardens, ogling the gigantic houses along the way. From there, you can either hike all the way back to Taronga or get a bus to a ferry wharf.