Vivid Sydney: Macquarie Visions

Chilly winter nights don’t keep eager Sydneysiders away from the stunning illuminations of Macquarie Visions. Part of the Vivid Sydney festival, the free public event of light and projection on landmark Sydney buildings commemorates the 200th anniversary and tells the story of Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie and wife Elizabeth.

Rugged up with coats, scarves and hats, people started the visionary journey in front of St Mary’s Cathedral and moved along Macquarie Street many sporting tripods over their shoulder.

The Macquarie Visions night walk takes approximately an hour depending on how long one spends taking photographs. Starting with a spectacular display at St Mary’s Cathedral, onto the Downer Macquarie Arch and along Macquarie Street with projections on buildings such as the Mint, Parliament House, the Conservatorium of Music, it joins the colourful  lighting of the Sydney Opera House sails and the Rocks Fire Water show at Campbell’s Cove.

The projections tell a story through animated images and accompanying music bringing the iconic buildings to life but posing a challenge for photographers even with high ISO cameras and a tripod.

Macquarie Visions runs nightly from 27 May to 20 June 2010, from 6 pm till midnight. There is a final night tribute to Macquarie at St Mary’s Cathedral on the closing night.

St Mary’s Cathedral

The Downer Macquarie Arch

Hyde Park Barracks Museum

The Mint

Parliament House

The State Library of New South Wales

Sydney Conservatorium of Music