Where to find the best Christmas lights in Sydney in 2023 – from public to neighbourhood displays

If Sydney's largest Christmas tree wasn't already hard enough to miss, its official lighting on November 30 will be quite the spectacle complete with Santa riding through the city and a firework display. The fun doesn't end there with the Martin Place Markets and choir events on in the lead up to Chrissy. 

This whopper 800-branch tree is decorated with more than 110,000 LED lights, dressed with 15,000 buds representing nine different kinds of native Australian flowers, 330 glossy baubles, and topped with a 3.4-metre colour-changing star. Surrounding the tree, 4,104 warm white icicle fairy lights span across Martin Place. You can see the tree burst into a kaleidoscope of colour every 15 minutes between 7pm and midnight each night. While you're in the area, wander over to see the canopy of light on Pitt Street.

Break out your biggest smiles and best poses in front of larger-than-life decorations dotted around the harbour. From November 16 to December 25, you'll find firework shows on the weekend and a six-metre tall giant bauble outside the Convention Centre Forecourt. If the view isn't good enough from the walkways, hop in a little boat and peddle your heart out along the harbour. Come and make a wish for a golden year to come, and have your phone handy so you can share the magical moment on the ‘gram.

The humongous indoor tree towering over multiple floors at the QVB has always been a popular festive attraction, and 2023 marks a new era and a new tree for the historic building. In the place of the old Swarovski encrusted fir, the QVB has introduced a tree inspired by Australia's rare native Wollemi Pine, accompanied by an overlay created in collaboration with First Nations artists from Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative. Each floor of the QVB will display a different and incredible artwork by First Nations artists, including an interactive VR experience, the sounds of endangered birds and exquisite hand-painted baubles that reflect the beauty of Australian flora and fauna.