2023: Sydney's year in pictures

“Australian pop icons Dannii and Kylie Minogue graced the Sydney WorldPride stage, headlining the festival during opening night. Since 1994, Kylie has sung at numerous Mardi Gras in Sydney, and the atmosphere was absolutely electric as she performed in front of more than 20,000 people.”

“Vivid Sydney always brings the city alive, and this year’s tribute to one of Australia’s most admired artists, John Olsen, was such a joy. Seeing Olsen’s vibrant paintings illuminating those iconic Opera House sails [in the House's 50th year] was a fitting way to honour his six-decade career. It’s no wonder Vivid is one of the largest art and culture festivals in the Asia-Pacific."

“The Blue Mountains became the ultimate stage for Australian musician G Flip, who performed their new track ‘The Worst Person Alive’ atop a cable car at the World Heritage site while being suspended 270 metres in the air. Captured against the backdrop of the Three Sisters, it was exciting to see this world-first performance achieved by an Australian-born artist who’s gaining global recognition.”

“I love this image from the Barbie film celebration party at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. Barbie took the world by storm, setting motion to pink celebrations for months to come – however, the photojournalist skillfully captured director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie in black and white to give the historic image a more timeless feel.”

“This pop of colour [at the Yousef Akbar runway show] stood out against the backdrop of afternoon light, shining through the windows of Carriageworks during 2023 Australian Fashion Week. It was great to see the event continue to showcase diversity and inclusion in various forms across the week. 2023 saw Ngali make history with the first Indigenous standalone show at Australian Fashion Week, while members of the queer community were also celebrated on and off the runways”.

And no 2023 moments wrap-up would be complete without mentioning one of the very biggest and most inspirational Australian – and global – events of the year, the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023?

When Steph Catley first started representing Australia in soccer, she played in front of "family and friends and a couple of interested onlookers" – this July, she played in front of a home audience of more than 75,000 (plus a billion-plus TV viewers globally), for the first Australian game of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 at Stadium Australia in Sydney. And she scored the one and only goal of the match, to secure the win for the Matildas. Today, Steph Catley – along with the other Matildas – is well and truly a household name.