Sydney on The World Stage as Iconic Opera House Turns 40

-- Sydney Opera House 40th Birthday - Vision Available Now

SYDNEY, Oct. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Australia's most famous building, Sydney Opera House, today celebrated 40 years with an official Happy Birthday spectacular set on beautiful Sydney Harbour.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131021/HK00021 )

The free, public event featured 40 lifeguards from Surf Life Saving NSW arriving by flotilla, as well as performances by the Royal Australian Navy Band and Aboriginal dancers. The festivities also included an oversized cupcake presented by celebrity chef Matt Moran and a Happy Birthday crowd sing-a-long led by Australian music legend Jimmy Barnes.

Destination NSW CEO, Sandra Chipchase said, "Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most recognisable and adored buildings. Its 40th Anniversary is an important opportunity to celebrate the history of this iconic landmark, as well as its contribution to cultural landscape of Australia."

"As one of the world's busiest cultural precincts, the World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House welcomes more than 8.2 million visitors every year and plays host to more than 1,800 performances."

Vision available for media usage includes:

• Flotilla arrival and welcome involving 40 lifesavers from Surf Life Saving NSW, the Royal Australian Navy Band, Australian Girls Choir as well as Aboriginal dancers
• Happy Birthday moment featuring an oversized cupcake
• Happy Birthday crowd sing-a-long led by Australian music legend Jimmy Barnes.

Footage is available for media to download from http://mediagame-1.wistia.com/projects/36gf6hq6vv.

About Destination NSW:

Destination NSW is the lead Government agency for the New South Wales (NSW) tourism and major events sectors.

From food and wine festivals to surf competitions, world class sporting events to celebrations of arts and culture, New South Wales has an Annual Calendar of Events that celebrates the diverse facets of Australian contemporary life. Sydney is unrivalled in Australia in its capacity to stage exclusive events that have the whole world tuning in. Destination NSW has been at the forefront in creating and winning world-class events that put Sydney on the global front page. These events deliver in excess of 6 million visitors to Sydney every year, and generate spending by those visitors of around $6.4 billion.

For a full list of events in Sydney go to sydney.com.

For more information please contact:  Hannah Le Coic, Senior Publicist, Destination NSW, hannah.lecoic@dnsw.com.au / + 61 (0) 449 559 429