Sydney May 2016 (17 photos)
This is Part 6 of my 8 part VIVID Sydney 2016 series.
Sydney’s Taronga Zoo celebrates its Centenary in 2016 and also partners with VIVID for the first time. If you’re not familiar with Sydney, Taronga Zoo is situated on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, a short ferry ride from the Sydney Opera House region. Naturally enough, an animated display was projected onto the entrance of the zoo.
Look up! The Pygmy Tarsiers family says “Welcome to Zootopia”.
Greater Bilby. IUCN* Status: Vulnerable.
“Be The Light For The Wild” is the name for the displays in this precinct, all created by Ample Projects.
“Be The Light For The Wild” leads us along an illuminated trail comprised of giant animal multimedia light sculptures. At the start of the trail, we walk through a forest with multiple laser beams creating a magical atmosphere. Walking through this, I immediately realised this was going to be a good showing.
Echidna: Yummy yummy yummy I got ants in my tummy.
Platypus. IUCN* Status: Threatened.
“Be the Light for the Wild” featured ten endangered Legacy species from Australia and Sumatra, ranging from the magnificent Asian elephant to the brightly coloured Corroboree frogs, species that Taronga Zoo is committed to protecting.
Cicadas light the night.
Green Turtle. IUCN* Status: Endangered.
Chameleon. One day my kin will storm into Sydney and they won’t see us coming.
Created with interactive lighting, sound effects and moving parts, these giant light sculptures were among the largest and most technologically advanced lanterns ever to feature in Vivid.
Sumatran Rhino. IUCN* Status: Critically Endangered.
Saltwater Crocodile: Good evening, dinner!
The 10 Legacy Species light sculptures were augmented by a supporting cast of lanterns of Australian creatures.
Asian Elephant. IUCN* Status: Endangered.
Additionally 1700 smaller lanterns made by NSW primary school students were hung around the trail in celebration of the Zoo’s Centenary, as part of an awareness campaign about critical species.
Sunda Sagolin. IUCN* Status: Critically Endangered.
Corroboree Frog. IUCN* Status: Critically Endangered.
Pygmy Tarsiers: Thanks for visiting. Help us before it’s too late. Come back soon.
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* The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, lobbying and education. IUCN’s mission is to “influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.”
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This is Part 6 of my 8 part VIVID Sydney 2016 series.
All of my photography from this series and previous years of VIVID Sydney going back to 2012 can be found here:
VIVID Sydney page
Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera 
Just brilliant! Superb photographs Mr Dragon!
Thank you very much. A different kind of night zoo. 🙂
Very Beautiful photos Draco! 😉
Thank you very much. I had nice subjects to photograph. 🙂
You’re welcome Draco! You make any subject “Nice” with your photography. Btw I just finally got the NikonD3300 😉 remember the email I sent you few months ago? I am so excited!
Yes, I remember that email and I’m glad you bought the one we were talking about. I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Don’t forget there are lots of tips and techniques available on the web if you need assistance/inspiration.
Stunning! Looks like there’s a lot to look up to.
Thank you. The pygmy tarsiers were so cute.
Fantastic photos, creatures, colors and light.
And great views back to the city. A fun event.
Awww! So cute! 🙂
This was a fun one. Many of the animal models moved as well, such as the crocodile’s jaw and the echidna’s tongue. 🙂
Oooh That’s awesome!!!
Absolutely. 🙂
Brilliant exhibit by Taronga Zoo for VIVID this year. Great to hear that students got involved too – those smaller lanterns hung overhead look really well made. All for a good show and more importantly, all for a good cause 🙂 That Asian elephant is quite a sculpture – it looks like its right eye is twinkling right at you 😉
I think every primary school student involved would want to have visited to find their lantern. I would have. 🙂 It was a good educational project for them.
The Asian elephant moved its head and trunk and I seem to recall there were sound effects. All very well done!
OMG! These are fantastic but the turtles???? Well you know how I am about turtles ♥♥♥
Those were giant turtles, with their arms paddling in the night air. They definitely looked like they were swimming. They changed colours as well. You’d have loved seeing them.
I would’ve been one very happy camper!
Yes, I could well imagine the selfies and photos you would have taken. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Besides the happy squeals of turtle delight 🙂
LOL 🙂
SO gorgeous! Again, thanks for bringing this experience out to all of us in the blogging world! Pretty sure the frog is my favorite.
You’re very welcome. The frog was very well placed with the Harbour Bridge in the background. I’m sure lots of selfies were taken there. 🙂 🙂 🙂
More importantly, a bit of education thrown in with the entertainment. It was very well done.
Beautiful exhibition Sydney, amazing!
Glad you could enjoy it. 🙂
“Be The Light For The Wild” – what a fantastic theme. What an extraordinary imagination and effort of making these awesome displays. Most of all, what an awesome series of the 2016 Vivid 2016! I enjoy every bit of it. Thank you so much, Dragon!!
You deserve a big award from the Sydney Chamber of Commerce. 🙂
Thank you so much, Amy. I particularly liked the zoo exhibits. I smiled the entire time I was there. Even the sky cable cars were operating for night views of the city.
I’m glad you can enjoy it from the comfort of your home. I’m still waiting for my award from the Sydney Chamber of Commerce. 😉
OM Goodness, sky cable cars! You are wwway too cool, Sydney!
I was waiting for the pizza delivery for lunch while watching your awesome post. 🙂
The zoo is harbourside on a slope. Those sky cable cars would be very popular and give a tremendous view. I hope you enjoyed the pizza. 🙂
I felt like I was on a cable car 🙂 Don’t remember the taste of pizza, but these photos will stay with me. Thank you again! 🙂
You’re welcome. 🙂
This series is great, I have never seen nothing like this, not even in my imagination. Thank you so much that you have made possible to see these light shows.
Thank you so much. I really enjoy photographing Vivid each year. I’m happy to bring these to you half a world away.
Love this post! I think I like this zoo better — colorful and no bad smells 😉
Also low food bills. LOL.
Thank you very much. 🙂
Just glorious images. Still smiling….great work Lignum.
Thank you. This was very well done. And the views from the zoo across the harbour to the city are spectacular.
These are just amazing, Lignum!
I love all of the wonderful colors.
The frog is my favorite! 🙂
Thank you for sharing here.
Thank you very much, Lisa. For the sake of the animals, they start the zoo exhibits a bit earlier and also end earlier. It was very popular with the public. I saw a lot of selfies being taken with the frog and bridge in the background. 🙂
Exceptional photography.
Thank you very much. 🙂
Fantastic. I might even brave crowds to stroll through this psychedelic jungle.
Thanks.I think you would have, too. The chances of a long-eared encounter were high. 🙂
And you know that’s always my inherent motivation. 🐰
For sure. 🙂
just amazing…wish I cud b der…
You’d enjoy it.
Hey Mr Draco I’m sad to think they are critically endangered. Your photography is superb … As usual 😃
Thanks, Julie. Let’s hope endangered does not turn into extinct.
Wow! Kids must be boggled at this display…several steps removed, I’m pretty darned boggled myself. Very cool. (Bummer that they didn’t have a dragon.).
Kids of all ages were boggled at this one. No dragon at the zoo? Maybe because he was somewhere else. That’s a clue. 🙂
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Stunning photography as usual, Draco! I absolutely loved Vivid at Taronga Zoo. I’m bummed that the night I went it was pouring and the lights for the turtles and chameleon were out, but I’m happy I got to see them through your eyes. Thanks so much! 🙂
P.S. Also went Dragon hunting, but was obviously unsuccessful 😉
Thanks, Sandy. As a precinct, Taronga Zoo was the best.I went on the first Monday night, not because it was convenient to do so but because my weather app said it was going to rain each night afterwards for a week, and it was right. Sorry to hear some of the installations weren’t on for you and you got a soaking but it would still have been a good evening, I guess.
Dragon hunting? I’m watching out for you. 🙂
I’m not very good at this whole planning thing. Might have to give it a go next year. Although, Vivid at Taronga Zoo was worth getting rained on. 😀
Weather apps and the Vivid app should be your friends during Vivid. You probably got a survey from Taronga after your visit. It sounds like it may happen again there next year.
I did receive the survey. I’m excited to think that Taronga Zoo may be a new regular precinct during Vivid! XD
High expectations to live up to, but it should be good. 🙂
They definitely set the standard this year
Absolutely. 🙂
Stunning. I couldn’t get to the zoo so it was lovely to see your pics – looks like quite a night, hope they do it again next year.
It was incredibly well done. Interestingly, a survey I received afterwards implied Vivid would return to the zoo next year.
Let’s hope so 🙂
🙂
A pink rhino and a blue eyed frog! I’m torn 😦 I think the rhino just edges it 🙂 🙂
Then I guess “Zootopia” was the correct term here. All the colours of the rainbow there that night. 🙂
in questa calda notte estiva italiana dalle vetrate spalancate entra una grande luna piena…vuol forse far concorrenza alla magia di quello che sto osservando?
Sei troppo generoso. Grazie mille. 🙂
OM,om,dear Draco!Another stunning thematic post with phantasmagorical night shots!Brilliantly beautiful 🙂
PS:I arrived here via Amy,but I’ll find all your posts I missed in my cluttered email inbox …
Thank you very much. It’s much appreciated. Life does engulf us, so thanks for taking the time to visit.
These illuminated animals are so amazing, it’s difficult to choose which one is my favourite! Perhaps I’ll go for the little creatures in the tree – because they look very cute! I want a tree like that with little illuminated creatures in my back yard – would be like Christmas every night! 😀
Love the capture of the laser light coming through the tree – stunning! Or, is it a laser? It looks like one. And the animal lantern were lovely too. What a fun light display!!
Yes, they were multiple green lasers dancing through the air. Incredibly atmospheric.
I can imagine you having illuminated animals in a tree in your backyard, and just staring at them. They were very mesmerising. The neighbours would talk, though. 🙂
They might yes…haha!! But my neighbours have a two year old little boy, I’m sure he’d be mesmerised by little creatures illuminated in a tree!! 😀
For sure he would. 🙂
Simply, totally, gorgeously, beautiful.
That’s it! We’re coming down to Vivid whenever we get home.
They should pay you as a Vivid Ambassador – how many people are gonna travel to Sydney because of your amazing photos, Draco?
Quite a few, I would imagine.
Stunning.
Thank you.
Yes, I’m still waiting for my cheque. 🙂
Thanks, Debbie. The Taronga Display was incredibly good especially for a first time location. Vivid is worth seeing if you get the chance.
Omg just wow
Thanks.