Sydney's new Christmas tree will delight audiences and brighten up Martin Place with five spectacular light shows each evening.
Every hour on the hour from 8pm–12am, the 25-metre tall Christmas tree will be transformed by a kaleidoscope of colours and decorative lights.
The tallest tree in NSW is decorated with more than 110,000 LED lights, a 3.4 metre colour-changing star and 330 specially created glossy baubles.
The tree's 800 branches are dressed with 15,000 flowers representing nine different kinds of Australian flowers: banksia, waratah, bottlebrush, wattle, eucalyptus gum flower, kangaroo paw, flannel flower, pink wax flower and white wax flower.
"For 47 years, the Martin Place Christmas Tree has been the centrepiece of our celebrations in Sydney," Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
"We're very proud of our stunning new tree – a fitting symbol of Christmas in Australia with its native flora and beach ball-inspired decorations.
"It is beautiful during the day, but the nightly light shows will turn the tree into a joyful spectacle."
More than 70 people spent more than 4,000 hours designing and constructing the tree.
It was designed by local production company Scoundrel and manufactured by Visual Inspirations. The designers said the use of native flowers on the tree: "perfectly captures the spirit of Christmas in Sydney with their colour, vitality and uniqueness."
The tree will be illuminated every evening at dusk through to New Year's Day.
The Martin Place Christmas Tree is part of the City's 30-day Sydney Christmas program which also features:
Sydney Children's Christmas Concert – Saturday 1 December, 6.30pm–8.30pm
Sydney Children's Christmas Concert at Prince Alfred Park promises to be 'the best gig for little ones'. MC Jimmy Giggle will present Justine Clarke, Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom, SplashDance, The Listies and more children's favourites.
Christmas in Green Square – Sunday 2 December, 6.30pm–8.30pm
For the first time ever, Green Square will be transformed into a wonderland of Christmas fun – and everyone is invited.
Village Christmas Concerts – Friday 7, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 December, 6.30pm–8.30pm
Family friendly concerts will take place in Alexandria (7 December), Rushcutters Bay (8 December) and Rosebery (9 December), each with a visit from Santa and fireworks finales.
Christmas Lights
Each evening through to Christmas Eve, Pitt Street Mall will become a Christmas wonderland, with a canopy of 94,000 sparkling lights overhead.
Choirs and shopping
Carollers and choirs will entertain shoppers with festive favourites while they do their Christmas shopping. Different groups will perform every night at the Martin Place Christmas Tree and on Thursdays and weekends in Pitt Street Mall.
For full details and dates and timings for the Sydney Christmas program visit sydneychristmas.com.au
