Lighting Sydney’s Harbour Bridge at New Year’s Eve

Billed as the New Year’s Eve capital of the world, Sydney’s celebrations are seen by some 600 million people around the globe, making it the most watched fireworks display in the world.

While fireworks are fabulous, they are fleeting. This year, visitors to Sydney were able to re-live the thrill of New Year’s Eve throughout January, with a spectacular New Year’s Eve Harbour Bridge Effect and light show entitled “Reflections.” 

New Year’s Eve Artistic Director Leo Schofield brought together internationally renowned sculptor Neil Dawson and lighting designer Martin Kinnane to create the spectacular installation. Neil and Martin advanced the concept of light as art to extraordinary effect as light waves moved between the Bridge and the water, stirring a million reflections. 

For the first time the Bridge Effect incorporated a three dimensional art installation suspended from the Bridge and enhanced by brilliant Martin lighting effects all set to a soundtrack. 

Dawson’s five-story tall, twenty meter diameter spherical sculpture called “Fanfare” was the centerpiece of this year’s display. Made of steel and covered with more than 350 reflective pinwheels that spun as the whole piece rotated, “Fanfare” was suspended from the Bridge nearly 100m above water level and remained in place until the end of the Sydney Festival on January 30th. 

Dawson worked with the creator of last year’s light display, Kinnane, to bring “Fanfare” to life in an amazing combination of kinetic movement, light and reflection. “This year the New Year’s Eve celebrations took a new turn,” said Kinnane. “The traditional lines and beauty of the Sydney Harbour Bridge are complimented and contrasted by a vast glittering sculpture.

“During the day ‘Fanfare’ is part of the constantly evolving natural landscape of Sydney Harbour, drifting and spinning delicately in the summer winds, changing constantly as the sun moves through the sky, reflecting its many colors. But at night it comes alive as a part of a choreographed lighting display. This display is timed to music which can be seen from many vantage points around Sydney Harbour.

“One of the joys of this year’s project is that no matter what time day or night or from what angle you view ‘Fanfare,’ you have a completely different and totally enjoyable experience.”

Lighting the sphere was a collection of Martin MAC fixtures including ten MAC 2000 Wash situated on the road deck level of the Bridge, plus ten more MAC 2000 Wash hanging off trusses on the lower chord of the Bridge. The lights switched on at 8pm every night with the lighting shows, choreographed to music, taking place at 9pm, 10pm and 11pm.

Providing a stunning effect were 58 Martin Atomic 3000 strobes evenly spaced across the two Bridge chords. The Atomics delivered up to thirty effects during the night. Bytecraft supplied the lighting equipment with Paul Rigby in charge of the installation.