The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be illuminated royal purple for Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in a special one-off ‘7 Minutes for 7 Decades’ moment during Vivid Sydney, marking Her Majesty’s 70 years of dedicated service, the NSW Government has announced.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the Seven-Minute moment starting at 9pm on Thursday, 2 June, is part of a national program of recognition with many landmarks lighting up royal purple across NSW and the nation during the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the UK from 2 to 5 June.
With Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II becoming the first Monarch of Australia to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, the Premier said NSW will join with the people of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth nations to honour her accession to the throne.
In 1954, aged 27, Queen Elizabeth II sailed into Sydney Harbour as the first reigning British monarch to visit Australia. Sydneysiders turned out in their millions to catch a glimpse of the young Queen. On 2 June 2022, Sydney will again take centre stage to pay tribute during one of our most iconic events. This date also marks the anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s Coronation.
“It is fitting to pay tribute to The Queen on this historic milestone by illuminating the Sydney Harbour Bridge royal purple, and it’s wonderful other buildings in Sydney and around the state are also acknowledging the Platinum Jubilee,” Mr Perrottet said.
“As Sydney shines during Vivid Sydney, the largest light festival in the Southern Hemisphere, this is also an opportunity to shine a light on The Queen’s dedicated and distinguished service over the past 70 years and her many remarkable achievements as monarch, which includes 12 official visits to NSW,” Mr Perrottet said.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the Platinum Jubilee celebrations are another reason to come into the city and see the spectacular Vivid Sydney lights.
“The Vivid Sydney ‘7 Minutes for 7 Decades’ includes synchronised lighting of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Luna Park, buildings around Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour Ferries in royal purple,” Mr Ayres said.
“Sydney Harbour Ferries will also sound their horns to kick-off of the moment and the lighting will create a significant moment of recognition of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on the first day of the official celebration period across the Commonwealth.”
NSW Parliament will also be illuminated purple from 2-5 June, and will hold a themed High Tea and Talk event fit for a Queen on the occasion of Her Majesty’s 70-year reign on June 2. From coronation chicken finger sandwiches and mini beef wellingtons to traditional scones and Jubilee themed cupcakes, the event includes a talk about Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s visits to Australia including her first to the Parliament of NSW as monarch on 4 February 1954.
Sydneysiders may also catch glimpses of other buildings and landmarks lit in royal purple on June 2 including the Sydney Cricket Ground and CommBank Stadium, while people at Sydney Olympic Park will also be able to join in on marking this occasion with several buildings including Olympic Park train station, Olympic Boulevard light towers, Accor hotels and Accor Stadium all lighting up in purple.
Local communities are encouraged to mark the significant milestone in their own way.
Events can vary from formal and informal community activities – a themed lunch, BBQ, a high-tea, concert, planting a tree or dedicating a garden in honour of Her Majesty The Queen.
