Chinese New Year has painted Sydney red, as the city welcomes the year of the dog with fireworks, lanterns and a glowing red opera house and harbour bridge.
Three weeks of celebrations kicked off on Friday night with an eight-metre-high dog lantern unleashed on the Sydney Opera House while traditional lion dancers performed for spectators.
More than 1.4 million people are expected to attend the 22nd new year celebration in Sydney, which is one of the world's largest celebrations of the lunar new year outside of Asia.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Sydney benefits from the more than half a million residents of Chinese ancestry that inhabit the city.
"Lunar New Year is a unifying celebration of our multiculturalism," Ms Berejiklian said in a statement.
The next three weeks of festivities will see more than 80 events planned around the city, including the largest dragon boat race in the Southern Hemisphere.
China Town, the festival's cultural heart will have events, including dancing, short films and night markets running until March 4.
Australian Associated Press
