The Fall Guy Credit: Universal & UPI Media
The Fall Guy in Sydney with a spectacular Glebe Island Silo Stunt
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Action-comedy film The Fall Guy explodes onto Australian screens on 24 April, and along with Hollywood superstars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, Sydney also plays a starring role. But the city isn’t just a backdrop to many of the action-packed scenes in the film, it also offers real-life action experiences to get your heart pumping. Here’s our guide to high-octane experiences in Sydney.
On-the-water adrenaline
Just like Ryan Gosling blasting around Sydney Harbour in a high-speed boat chase, you too can feel the wind in your hair, the sea spray on your face and your heart in your mouth on an Oz Jet Boating experience. These bright red, shark-faced jetboats fish-tail, spin and slide under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, past Dawes Point Park (where we meet Jean Claude the kelpie in the film) and the iconic Sydney Opera House, leaving you breathless and somewhat damp. Turn it down a notch with a two-, three- or five-day course from EastSail, with classes on the calm shores of Rushcutters Bay, or go five-star by hiring your very own superyacht from the fleet at Sydney Harbour Luxe Charters – Ghost II was featured in the film.
Get locked in an escape room
A bolted door, a countdown clock and a series of fiendish puzzles – outsmart the bad guys and challenge your friends in one of Sydney’s best escape rooms. Award-winning The Cipher Room, with locations in Newtown and St Peters, offers immersive, expertly designed rooms. Choose from a film noir-style hotel, a mysterious abandoned toy shop or a dystopian French bunker. Entermission Sydney has virtual-reality rooms, with themes like Alice in Wonderland, a pirate ship or space station. While not strictly an escape room, the one-of-a-kind Hijinx Hotel is a fun escape-like challenge set inside a quirky 15-room hotel.
Hickson Road Reserve, Dawes Point Credit: Destination NSW
Friends walking along Sydney Harbour in the morning.
#feelnewsydney
Hickson Road Reserve, Dawes Point Credit: Destination NSW
Friends walking along Sydney Harbour in the morning.
Oz Jet Boating, Sydney Harbour Credit: Destination NSW
Experience the incredible speed of the red shark boats as they blast across Sydney harbour at high speed with Oz Jet Boating.
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Oz Jet Boating, Sydney Harbour Credit: Destination NSW
Experience the incredible speed of the red shark boats as they blast across Sydney harbour at high speed with Oz Jet Boating.
Find your need for speed
It’s not an action movie without a car chase, and while you can’t speed through the CBD streets like Ryan Gosling and Jean Claude, you can still challenge your friends to race via go kart at Hyper Karting Moore Park. At the 410-metre indoor track, the electric cars offer plenty of exhilarating straights and corners, with a high-speed function to help you overtake your mates. True petrol heads should make a pitstop at Luddenham Raceway in southwest Sydney, where the go karts are fuelled and the 600m outdoor pro circuit offers 12 high-speed corners and even nighttime drives. Want to do the real thing? Trackschool has half-day passenger or driving experiences in a Porsche 911 Carrera also at the raceway.
Have an adventure up high
A high-stakes, sky-high chopper scene is an action flick essential; recreate the experience (minus the stress) on a flight with Sydney HeliTours. The 20- or 30-minute tours take in jaw-dropping views of harbour icons like the Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo, Bondi Beach and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Or live out your Hollywood star dreams onboard the luxury Sydney Seaplanes. If free-falling from the sky like Ryan Gosling does jumping from a multi-story building is the heart race you crave, get the thrills without the spills at iFly Downunder: fully accessible, all-ages indoor skydiving that will make you feel like a superhero. Or take a day trip to the Blue Mountains for a ride on Scenic World’s 270m-high glass-cased Beyond Skyway for that soaring feeling while safely enclosed in a cable car.
Luddenham Raceway, Luddenham Credit: Destination NSW
Track Day at Luddenham Raceway Motorsport Park, Luddenham.
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Luddenham Raceway, Luddenham Credit: Destination NSW
Track Day at Luddenham Raceway Motorsport Park, Luddenham.
Sydney Seaplanes, Rose Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Couple ready to enjoy a Sydney Seaplanes flight from Rose Bay, Sydney.
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Sydney Seaplanes, Rose Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Couple ready to enjoy a Sydney Seaplanes flight from Rose Bay, Sydney.
Scale walls and cliffs
Action heroes need to be agile and spider-like; flex your skills scaling rock walls at one of Sydney’s top indoor rock-climbing centres. Climb Fit in St Leonards has beginner and high-tech climbs using augmented reality, while Ledge is a smaller centre in Camperdown perfect for beginners, and BlocHaus in Marrickville focuses solely on bouldering. If you prefer to climb surrounded by waterfalls and forests, make the extra leap to the Blue Mountains, and challenge yourself on an abseil or rock-climb under the expert guidance of the Blue Mountains Adventure Company.
Spots to refuel
After all that adventuring, you’re going to need a spot to refuel and cheers to a big day. Make it a meal with a view at Aster Bar on top of the InterContinental Sydney – with uninterrupted views of the harbour. The rooftop bar featured in the film is the Ivy – which is a local favourite for big nights out. Partake in Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt’s love for spicy margaritas at Centro 86, a new underground tequila bar in the CBD, or taste award-winning cocktails at Dean and Nancy on 22. Finish up with a feast at one of the restaurants located around Jones Bay Wharf (you’ll spot this area in the film as Ryan Gosling hides on his boat from the bad guys) or snack in the late-night dining havens in Chinatown: try Japanese izakaya Nakano Darling, xiao long bao from Nanjing Dumpling or Mamak’s legendary roti.
Rest your head
Even heroes need their beauty sleep. Rest up like an A-lister at the Kimpton Margot, a recently opened CBD hotel with Art Deco touches, and featured in the movie (ask Kevin for the fruit plate). Compact yet comfortable, the Little National Hotel is located in the heart of the city near Wynyard (also a major filming locale for The Fall Guy). And for a boutique hotel suitable for everyone from film stars to stunt crew, stay in the Ace Hotel in Surry Hills, with unique in-room features like guitars, record players and locally made custom robes.
Sydney Adventure Tours, Katoomba Credit: Destination NSW
Sydney Adventure Tours offers private tours to the Blue Mountains. With an experienced tour guide, take a bushwalk through nature and experience the rainforests.
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Sydney Adventure Tours, Katoomba Credit: Destination NSW
Sydney Adventure Tours offers private tours to the Blue Mountains. With an experienced tour guide, take a bushwalk through nature and experience the rainforests.
Little National Hotel, Sydney Credit: Little National Hotel
The rooftop lounge at the Little National, in Wynyard in Sydney.
#feelnewsydney
Little National Hotel, Sydney Credit: Little National Hotel
The rooftop lounge at the Little National, in Wynyard in Sydney.
More Inspirational Stories
Vivid Sydney 2023Credit: Destination NSW
Views of harbour lights installations on marine vessels moving across Sydney Harbour during Vivid Sydney 2023.
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
From 24 May to 15 June, Vivid Sydney returns to spark connection, wonder and reflection through Light, Music, Ideas and Food.
Over 23 nights, activations, projections, gigs, performances, talks and food will converge across our Harbour City as we explore this year’s theme of humanity together. The best part? So much of Vivid Sydney is free for you to experience (save for tapping your Opal card, of course!).
See our guide to free Vivid Sydney events below – some require you to register in advance as they have limited spots, but we’ll signpost those. To plan your Vivid Sydney visit, don't forget to use MyVivid to save your favourite events and create a shareable itinerary.
LIGHT
Vivid Sydney’s famous Light Walk is completely free, so lace up your sneakers and take in the 8km stretch packed with wondrous installations and projections. To make the most of your experience, we suggest you break up the Light Walk over several nights. The walk stretches from Circular Quay all the way to The Goods Line, and features over 30 large-scale projections and immersive, interactive works. See the full program or check out our top picks below.
LIGHTING OF THE SAILS: ECHO BY JULIA GUTMAN
This year, witness the Sydney Opera House sails be transformed by a projected tapestry of fabric with 2023 Archibald Prize winner Julia Gutman’s reimagining of the Narcissus myth. Each year, the Lighting of the Sails is always captivating, and Julia’s beautiful blend of storytelling, fabric patchworks and technology will be a truly unique spectacle. The beauty of this story will reverberate in your mind long after the lights are switched off.
SEA, SAND AND STARS
Immerse yourself in celebrated Chinese-Australian artist Guan Wei's visionary world. Watch as the story splashed across the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia’s facade takes you from deep in the sea to the outer reaches of space, and back to Bondi Beach. This is the first time Guan Wei’s work has been transformed into a light projection and the result is a poetic journey that explores both the mystical and the everyday.
HORIZON
Get ready to lose yourself in this hypnotic, full-body experience where light and sound combine to distort space and perception. This free installation at Harbour Park, Barangaroo by Spanish light and sound studio Playmodes is a mesmerising encounter that challenges and expands your sense of possibility and reality. It’s time to explore new horizons!
NEST
Step into this large-scale circular projection by Leila Jeffreys and Melvin J. Montalban and witness the ethereal dance of the brolga, one of only two native Australian cranes. These majestic, larger-than-life birds soar as though in mid-air, inviting you to reflect on the wonder of nature and our enduring connection with the environment.
GUMSCAPE WITH ROAD AND CREATURES
Strap yourself in and get ready to embark on a surreal road trip with legendary Australian musician and artist Reg Mombassa. Watch Customs House come alive with retro-futuristic robots, one-eyed koalas and other strange creatures in this reimagining of Australian icons. You can also catch Reg performing as part of Dog Trumpet for a live and free concert outside Customs House on Saturday 25 May at 7:30pm.
HIKA RAKUYO
Experience the ephemeral beauty of life through a dazzling light and laser show at Cockle Bay. Direct from Japan, this stunning work by Tokyo-based artist collective ETERNAL Art Space is inspired by Japanese philosophy, Australian flora, the transient beauty of flowers and our deep connection to nature.
GLOBAL RAINBOW
Gaze up as beams of rainbow lasers stretch 40kms across the Sydney cityscape from the Sydney Tower – wrapping its arms around Vivid Sydney with a spectrum of hope and inclusivity.
OMNIVISU
Look up at a building that looks back at you. Step up to the Omnivisu view finder in Tumbalong Park, and see your own eyes projected onto a distant building. This work by Berlin and New York-based design studio TheGreenEyl gives the otherwise faceless silhouette of our city a human face.
SYNTHETIC HUM(AI)NITY
This piece by Sydney based studio VANDAL is a triptych of humanity, technology and Artificial Intelligence splashed across the ASN Clock Tower. Step up to this visual, interactive and conceptual exploration of our evolving relationship with AI and rethink what it means to be human.
CHAIRWAVE
It’s time to take a seat and make a new friend! As you approach this fun, interactive work from Amsterdam-based design studio VOUW Studio, an illuminated chair unfolds inviting you to sit down. Once seated, the chair next to you becomes available, encouraging an unexpected encounter with someone you’ve just met.
LOVE IS IN THE AIR (DRONE SHOW)
Look up and witness a heart-stirring drone show painting the sky with universal symbols of love. This aerial spectacle of light and colour celebrates our innate capacity to connect. This not-to-be-missed show will dazzle Vivid Sydney for three nights only on the 8, 9 and 12 June
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Lighting of the Sails Echo (2024) by Julia Gutman
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Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Lighting of the Sails Echo (2024) by Julia Gutman
Vivid Sydney 2024 - HIKA RAKUYO Credit: ETERNAL Art Space
Vivid Sydney 2024 - HIKA RAKUYO
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2024 - HIKA RAKUYO Credit: ETERNAL Art Space
Vivid Sydney 2024 - HIKA RAKUYO
MUSIC
Tumbalong Park, the heart of Vivid Sydney's Light Walk, transforms into Tumbalong Nights, a vibrant stage for contemporary music, echoing with sounds that celebrate our shared humanity. For 23 unforgettable nights, the park comes alive under the starlit sky, featuring a stellar line-up of international voices, local talent and DJs – all for free. Plus, special performances for kids light up the stage every Saturday at 5pm.
You can turn up any night of the festival and experience music that will move you or get organised and pop our highlights below in your diary now.
MALLRAT AND TIFFI (FRIDAY 24 MAY)
Get ready to kick off Tumbalong Nights in style and immerse yourself in a night of indie-pop and intimate lyricism from internationally adored Brisbane export Mallrat and the wry and dreamy sounds of Western Sydney’s tiffi.
JALBU MUNA (SATURDAY 25 MAY)
Join this powerful celebration of the stories and songs of First Nations women. This vibrant, all-women line-up bridges culture, Country and generations through a night of music, dance and First Nations traditions at Tumbalong Nights. This free night of music is curated by musician Deline Briscoe and features Christine Anu, Kee'ahn and many more.
CLUB BROADWAY + THE CARPENTERS FROM KEMPSEY (SATURDAY 1 JUNE)
This will be an unforgettable night of theatrics, singalongs and laughter as show-stopping musical theatre sensation Club Broadway sing you through top musical numbers with all the energy of a big night out. Don’t miss fabulous tribute band The Carpenters From Kempsey who’ll also grace the Tumbalong stage.
K-INDIE MUSIC FEST FEAT. SILICA GEL + SUNWOOJUNGA (FRIDAY 7 JUNE)
Immerse yourself in the captivating sounds of Korea's most exciting K-Indie acts, sunwoojunga and Silica Gel. This Australian exclusive performance is a unique opportunity to experience the depth and diversity of Korean music: a blend of folk, indie-pop and rock.
GRENTPEREZ AND FRIDAY* (SATURDAY 8 JUNE)
This promises to be a night of fresh sounds to elevate the Saturday night of your June long weekend. Enjoy the R&B and vintage bossa nova croon of 22-year-old Western Sydney sensation grentperez and the genre-bending groove of FRIDAY*.
3% PRESENTS 'KILL THE DEAD' ALBUM LAUNCH (FRIDAY 14 JUNE)
An extraordinary celebration of First Nations stories and sound, the innovative rap powerhouse 3% will take centre stage with a performance of its debut album KILL THE DEAD. See the whole album performed live, plus catch appearances from all the album’s guest contributors including Jess Mauboy, Tia Gostelow, Marlon Motlop, Stay True God and Denni.
BUDJERAH AND JEM CASSAR-DALEY (SATURDAY 15 JUNE)
Join pop sensation Budjerah and singer-songwriter Jem Cassar-Daley as they close Tumbalong Nights out with an evening of soul-stirring R&B pop and indie magic on 15 June. This is your opportunity to experience two of Australia's most compelling voices with a night of uplifting melodies and storytelling.
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Vivid Sydney 2023. For an unmissable 12th birthday bash including some of the city's best DJs plus special guests. House of Mince's Studio Party is set to lift Vivid LIVE to euphoric new heights.
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Vivid Sydney 2023. For an unmissable 12th birthday bash including some of the city's best DJs plus special guests. House of Mince's Studio Party is set to lift Vivid LIVE to euphoric new heights.
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
A man has fun at the Common Ground light installation, Vivid Sydney 2023. Like us, the natural world has its moods: it can be troubled or serene, furious or loving, chaotic or caring. Common Ground takes us on an entrancing journey through nature's dramatic moments, heading towards a sanctuary of peace.
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
A man has fun at the Common Ground light installation, Vivid Sydney 2023. Like us, the natural world has its moods: it can be troubled or serene, furious or loving, chaotic or caring. Common Ground takes us on an entrancing journey through nature's dramatic moments, heading towards a sanctuary of peace.
IDEAS
Vivid Ideas is more than a series of talks; it's a platform for activation and inspiration, an opportunity to challenge and reshape perspectives on the world and peoples’ role within it.
This year’s theme of humanity will be grappled through live performances, panel discussions, walking tours, immersive dance pieces and other thought-provoking experiences. Spark your empathy, intellect and imagination with our free program highlights below.
AFTER THE FACT
Join a free, lively and stimulating panel discussion every weeknight that dissects the day's news and current affairs, moderated by Tom Wright. A great way to kick-off your Vivid Sydney evening and to engage more deeply with the day’s breaking news with a drink in hand at Rekodo, Barangaroo House.
WINDOW DRESSING
This performance art piece turns the Frank Gehry-designed building at UTS into a canvas of illuminated stories, inviting onlookers to peer into eight windows animated by a “performance” in each, allowing you to indulge our natural curiosity about the lives of others. Right in the Fire Kitchen action, this free show is not to be missed when visiting The Goods Line.
A NEW NORMAL
What does sustainability look like in the not-too-distant future? Find out when you sit on furniture made entirely from rubbish, feel the heat radiating from a sauna powered by leftovers and see below the bonnet of an old petrol car transformed into a solar-powered 'forever car'. This immersive future-prototype hub is an opportunity for people of all ages to see sustainable, innovative ideas up close and in action.
SPIRITS OF THE HOEY
It’s time to relive the glory days of legendary Sydney music venue, the Hopetoun Hotel, through a panel chat and VR documentary. Featuring Hoey-regulars Sarah Blasko, Clyde Bramley, Sally Seltmann and more, this is a fun and illuminating trip down memory lane.
Don’t forget to register for tickets to attend this free event here.
ART AFTER HOURS X VIVID SYDNEY
This Vivid Sydney special edition of the Art Gallery of NSW’s ever-popular Art After Hours brings together stellar Light Walk artists Julia Gutman, Leila Jeffreys, Reg Mombassa and Guan Wei. They’ll discuss art's role in understanding humanity and the talk will be moderated by Benjamin Law.
NOWHERE TO BE
Watch this breath-taking portrait of a bustling world in stillness. This free, Australian premiere of this compelling documentary offers a fresh look at the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of 31 international cinematographers. Surprising, moving and utterly compelling, catch it at UTS’ Chau Chak Wing Museum on The Goods Line.
SAY MY NAME: THE HUMANITY OF NAMES
Explore what it means to have a so-called “unusual” name in a panel discussion led by Jan Fran. Hear personal stories and cultural histories, then leave with insights and tools for rectifying mispronunciations and working together for a more respectful and inclusive society. Don’t forget to register for tickets to attend this free event here.
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying Natural Wonder at the Powerhouse Museum for Vivid Ideas during Vivid Sydney 2023. This event is part of a series of free Powerhouse Late x Vivid Ideas nights exploring the role of creativity in community and connection.
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying Natural Wonder at the Powerhouse Museum for Vivid Ideas during Vivid Sydney 2023. This event is part of a series of free Powerhouse Late x Vivid Ideas nights exploring the role of creativity in community and connection.
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Crowds at Sydney Town Hall for Vivid Ideas during Vivid Sydney 2023
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Crowds at Sydney Town Hall for Vivid Ideas during Vivid Sydney 2023
FOOD
This year Vivid Sydney is serving up two Food options where you can experience the best of the globe’s cuisines for very little. In fact, you can visit VividPlace Food Trail and Vivid Sydney Fire Kitchen without spending a dime. You’ll have to exercise very strong willpower though, as the air will be filled with the delicious smells of fire cooking and market fare. Rest assured, there are options at either end of the Light Walk to suit anyone on a budget.
VIVIDPLACE FOOD TRAIL
Behind Customs House, Sydney Place and Bulletin Place laneways transform into VividPlace Food Trail, a night market that brings the world's culinary delights to the heart of Sydney. With over 20 restaurants, bars and market stalls to choose from, it's a chance to explore global cuisines right on Circular Quay's doorstep, no reservations required.
VIVID FIRE KITCHEN
Bask in the glow of open flames and enjoy the best of flame-cooked street food as you celebrate the diversity of NSW’s food scene. Food trucks, markets stalls and barbecue stands will serve the best Filipino, Spanish, Sudanese, Lebanese, Greek, Mexican and Italian dishes, plus much more. You’ll also be able to catch cooking demos by the best in the business, such as local pit master Lennox Hastie, Australian culinary legend Christine Manfield and Michelin-starred Swede Niklas Ekstedt.
At Vivid Sydney, every activation is an invitation to explore and celebrate the many facets this year’s theme of Humanity. We hope our many free events help to enlighten, entertain and inspire you across the 23 nights of the festival.
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Couple explores the Vivid Fire Kitchen, Vivid Sydney 2023. Vivid Fire Kitchen brings together Sydney's hottest dining concepts with local and internationally-acclaimed pitmasters and a collection of the finest NSW producers, curated drinks and fire-inspired cocktails for three weeks of flame-fuelled festivities
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Couple explores the Vivid Fire Kitchen, Vivid Sydney 2023. Vivid Fire Kitchen brings together Sydney's hottest dining concepts with local and internationally-acclaimed pitmasters and a collection of the finest NSW producers, curated drinks and fire-inspired cocktails for three weeks of flame-fuelled festivities
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Crowds enjoy Carriageworks Night Market, Vivid Sydney 2023. Curated by Australia's leading sustainable chef Matt Stone, this one-night-only event will celebrate sustainable food practices, embrace authenticity and focus on using the best produce from across NSW. Showcasing an exciting and diverse array of Sydney's restaurants, bars and producers, Carriageworks comes alive with local hospitality, music, film, and food talks.
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2023 Credit: Destination NSW
Crowds enjoy Carriageworks Night Market, Vivid Sydney 2023. Curated by Australia's leading sustainable chef Matt Stone, this one-night-only event will celebrate sustainable food practices, embrace authenticity and focus on using the best produce from across NSW. Showcasing an exciting and diverse array of Sydney's restaurants, bars and producers, Carriageworks comes alive with local hospitality, music, film, and food talks.