Central Station and The Goods Line
Trains have been pulling into Sydney’s Central Station for more than 165 years. The vast sandstone building that stands today was opened in 1906 and remains one of the city’s grandest buildings. The imposing 85m clocktower was added in 1921. More than 85 million people pass through the station each year, their footsteps echoing through the imposing Grand Concourse as they make their way into central Sydney or depart for Regional NSW.
Eddy Ave
Haymarket NSW 2000
Australia
Branching out from Central Station, The Goods Line was part of a 19th century freight rail line that ran from Dulwich Hill into the city. The line closed in 1984 and the area sat mostly silent until a $15 million renovation that was completed in 2015. Flanked by some of Sydney’s most notable educational institutions, cultural attractions like the Powerhouse Ultimo and high-tech media hubs, The Goods Line has been transformed into an urban hub of walkways, bike paths, parks, ping pong tables, outdoor workspaces and playgrounds. The line runs between Central and Darling Harbour and takes less than 10 minutes to walk – keep an eye out for the Frank Gehry-designed Dr Chau Chak Wing Building that resembles a crumpled paper bag. The suburbs surrounding Central are as eclectic as Sydneysiders themselves. Hunt down the best spicy noodles or sweet custard puffs in the bustling streets of Chinatown, have a beer in a grungy student pub in Chippendale, and explore the stylish boutiques of Surry Hills.
Central Station and The Goods Line will again be part of Vivid Sydney for 2023, with light projections, installations and music events across the terminal building and along the walkway.
How to get there: You can get a train or bus from just about anywhere in Sydney (or Regional NSW) to Central Station.
Light Events
Common Ground
Like us, the natural world has its moods: it can be troubled or serene, furious or loving, chaotic or caring. And with intense reactions to our changing...
Waterlight Graffiti
Pick up a brush, stamp or spray, and make your mark with Waterlight Graffiti - no paint required! Inspired by the practice of 'dishu' in China, where artists...
Voiture 21
All aboard Voiture 21, where there’s no ticket needed to travel Australia and the world. Dreamlike landscapes flicker by, projected on the walls of the...
ECO
Each day, hundreds of thousands of Sydneysiders pass through Central Station, too busy to ponder the stories the building’s surrounds might hold. Eco...
Murmuration
Murmuration is inspired by its namesake, the natural phenomenon where thousands of starling birds fly in unison at dusk in an awe-inspiring pattern that...
Kinetic Perspective
A throwback to the seeing eye illusions of the 1960s, Kinetic Perspective is a spin-out. A row of 32 illuminated spinning circles, with each circle moving...
Fluxit
For millennia, bonfires have been a meeting place: a way to connect, celebrate, survive and grieve. This design duo's electronic bonfire Fluxit lights...
Music Events
Vivid Music Roaming Acts
Expect the unexpected each Friday and Saturday night of Vivid Sydney, as our troupe of roaming musicians bring free and live music to the Light Walk, from...
DJs at the Goods Line
Unearth your new favourite DJ as a stacked line up provides the soundtrack to Vivid Sydney’s world-famous Light Walk, live from The Goods Line, each...
Ideas Events
Paradise Fair: Powerhouse Late X Vivid Ideas
Flip the script with artist Yuki Kihara, in a night celebrating her stunning, bold exhibition Paradise Camp. In partnership with Matavai Pacific Cultural...
Natural Wonder: Powerhouse Late X Vivid Ideas
See nature in a whole new light in this fascinating night about how our most innovative artists, designers and architects take inspiration from its many...
Pearls of Wisdom: Powerhouse Late X Vivid Ideas
Curated by Alex Herbert, the chef behind former Surry Hills institution Bird Cow Fish, this night is dedicated to unpacking what food tells us about ourselves. Featuring...
Coming to our Senses: An Immersion in Architecture
Cultivate stillness. Learn how to slow down. Connect with architecture and your environment in a new way. Come and experience the magnificence of architect...
