Fancy igniting your senses and imagination with a dazzling splash of VIVID, without crossing the bridge? Head to Taronga Zoo and follow a brilliantly-lit trail showcasing dozens of lantern creatures, great and small, ferocious and friendly, all of them beautifully illuminated.
After a two-year COVID hiatus, Vivid’s return to the zoo is simply breathtaking, with the trail of Wild Lights featuring an array of animals ranging from spiders to pelicans, from echidnas to tigers. Even the heritage-listed building comes alive with spectacular scenes featuring tiny turtles crawling up the wall, or a rhino charging right at you.
Inside, it’s a totally immersive experience with something to see at every turn. Marvel at the cicadas with glistening translucent wings clinging to branches, a tiger lurking in the grass, or a giant crocodile seemingly pounding the pavement.
Highlights for me included the bees, complete with fine hairs dotting their bright yellow bodies; the koala in a tree overlooking Sydney’s spectacular harbour bridge and opera house; and of course the gorillas, not in the mist, but rising majestically in front of you.
Make sure you get a sky pass to take the Sky Safari, Sydney’s only cable car which gives you a bird’s eye view of the illuminated beauty beneath as well as awesome views of the harbour. If you’re looking for more of a staycation, spend night or two at the Wildlife Retreat which not only offers guided zoo tours during the day and exclusive rooms offering harbour, bushland or animal views, but is a simple hop into the CBD to explore more stunning Vivid displays.
The trail is a comfortable 90 minute walk, wear comfy shoes, and accessible for prams and wheelchairs. Food, snacks and souvenirs can be bought en route and friendly volunteers dot the path, ready to help and answer any questions. If you need a rest, pop into the cinema and be entranced by 3D scenes of wildlife highlighting vital messages of the conservation needed to ensure their well being.
Book your tickets online and get there at least 30 minutes early, as there will be a queue to get in. It’s well worth the wait however, because the best thing about Wild Lights is the joy it brings. There’s an electric buzz and mystical atmosphere, a vibrant current, leaving you in no doubt that Sydney is back, out and about and happy.
Wild Lights
- Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman
- Until June 18
- Two sessions at 5.30 pm and 7.30 pm, be there half an hour early
- Tickets are $26.95 for adults and $19.95 for children.; concessions are available and children under four are free.
- Sky pass $4.95 pp
- NSW Parent and Discover vouchers can be redeemed
- No cancellations and the event will proceed in all weather conditions
