This spectacular Blue Mountains light show is back by popular demand

By Rachael Thompson
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The Blue Mountains is set to shine brighter than ever with holograms, light installations and ambient sounds.

After a sold-out debut, the Nocturnal light and sound show at Scenic World is returning, transforming the ancient rainforest into a mesmerising after-dark spectacle. Created by Laservision, this immersive nighttime experience will celebrate the native animals and plants of the World Heritage-listed region and Scenic World’s 80th anniversary in 2025. 

Running from 3 April to 11 May, Nocturnal 2025 takes inspiration from the Blue Mountains’ unique landscape and wildlife, and celebrates Scenic World’s iconic rides, including the world’s steepest railway and Australia’s first cable car. This fusion of art, technology and the natural world brings the rainforest to life and offers visitors a chance to see the mountainous region glow like never before.

Nocturnal Scenic World

Discover lighting installations throughout the forest. (Image: Gary P Hayes Photography)

Laservision’s owner and CEO, Shannon Brooks, highlighted how the show will build on last year’s success while offering exciting new features: 

“This year’s Nocturnal show will feature stunning new dynamic light sculptures and breathtaking aerial lighting effects, alongside crowd-favourite holograms, nature projections, and dazzling starlight lasers."

Expect holographic native creatures, projection mapping on rock formations, rides on Scenic Railway, Skyway, and Cableway, a forest walk illuminating the trees, and views of the Three Sisters lit up. 

Nocturnal Scenic World

The show features holograms, light installations, and ambient sounds. (Image: Gary P Hayes Photography)

Anthea Hammon, Managing Director of Scenic World, highlighted how the show transforms Scenic World, offering a completely new perspective:

“Nocturnal is an opportunity to experience Scenic World in a whole new light – the rainforest around us and even the engineering marvels of our rides take on a fresh character at night." 

Nocturnal Scenic World

The after-dark spectacle offers a unique opportunity to see the Blue Mountains in a new light. (Image: Gary P Hayes Photography)

The show uses innovative technology while paying homage to the region’s natural beauty and cultural significance.

“We’ve evolved from a small family-run attraction into an internationally recognised destination, and this year, Nocturnal is a tribute to our history, our people, and the stunning landscape we call home," explained Hammon. 

Adult tickets start from $54.90 and include rides on the Scenic Railway, Skyway, Cableway and the illuminated rainforest walk. Child tickets start from $40.90 and also include a special Nocturnal quest to uncover hidden clues to the Gundungurra Story of Creation.

For more information visit their website.

Rachael Thompson is Australian Traveller's Evergreen Editor and a self-proclaimed cheese and gin connoisseur. In her role, she creates and manages online content that remains relevant and valuable over time. With a background in publishing and e-commerce in both interior design and travel, along with an English major from The University of Sydney, Rachael is dedicated to curating engaging content that informs and inspires. She began her career at Belle magazine, then went on to become Senior Content Producer at Homes to Love focusing on Australian House & Garden and Belle, followed by Editor at Bed Threads. Her work has also appeared in Qantas Travel Insider. When she's not writing, editing, or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars, and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list are Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park and Lord Howe Island.
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A Japanese-inspired bathhouse just opened in the Blue Mountains

    By Carla Grossetti
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    Memories of a childhood in Japan were the inspiration behind Aqua Ignis, a new Blue Mountains bathhouse.

    A new revolutionary bathhouse in the Blue Mountains is redefining wellness by drawing on ancient bathing traditions from around the world. Aqua Ignis co-founder Taku Hjelgaard says it was the experience of visiting an onsen near his grandparents’ home in Osaka that first inspired this contemporary take on a bathhouse.

    “I remember riding on a bike around the narrow winding streets of Osaka, immersing myself in these giant baths and then lying on my back in the tatami room feeling relaxed and rejuvenated,” says Taku, who was born in Japan, but raised in the UK and Australia.

    “I would ride home with the wind in my hair at night through these beautiful Japanese streets. These memories are etched in my mind and ultimately inspired the creation of Aqua Ignis,” says Taku.

    the front of Aqua Ignis bathhouse, Blue Mountains

    Aqua Ignis is the newest bathhouse to open in the Blue Mountains.

    The name Aqua Ignis draws from the Latin: Aqua (water), which represents the bath and steam room elements; and Ignis (fire), which represents the sauna. Taku says the two words capture the core experience of visiting the Blackheath bathhouse.

    “It’s that interplay between hot and cold, water and heat. One of the things I really love about Japanese bathhouses is that it’s therapy for both the mind and the body. It’s engaging in a hot and cold treatment, soaking up the magnesium, and then having a really restorative rest in our beautiful spaces,” says Taku, who also works part-time as a counsellor.

    Taku’s brother-in-law, Korean-German architect Siki Im was behind the transformation of the old Art Deco property that houses Aqua Ignis. Taku’s business partner, carpenter Lee Nias, was also involved in the transformation of the heritage structure. The building was reimagined as a ‘room within a room’ concept that allows for fluid transitions between spaces.

    inside Aqua Ignis bathhouse, Blue Mountains

    Not only does the bathhouse feature onsen-like baths, but it also has steam rooms and saunas.

    Taku says Aqua Ignis also nods to Turkish hammams with its herbal-infused steam rooms.

    “My business partner Lee’s heritage is a real mix. He’s part Chinese, part Indian, part Irish, part English. Our architect is Korean but lives in Germany. And my heritage is Japanese so it makes sense that we blend a lot of different global traditions together,” he says.

    Both Lee and Taku grew up in the Blue Mountains and say Aqua Ignis is a way of giving back to the community. Taku says the ultimate goal is for visitors to experience a uniquely Australian form of wellness. “It’s wellness that respects diverse cultural practices while creating something entirely new,” Taku says.

    “We are eternally grateful to the Blue Mountains, the people, the landscape, the trees, the water that has shaped us. Our way of giving back to community is by creating this bathhouse, which reflects the country’s rich, complex cultural landscape,” he says.

    Taku says he and Lee have been consulting with a local Gundungurra woman to incorporate Indigenous Australian elements through a eucalyptus cleansing ceremony.

    the sauna at Aqua Ignis bathhouse, Blue Mountains

    The hot rock sauna is a nod to the European tradition.

    Aqua Ignis has a hot rock sauna, herbal steam room, magnesium mineral bath, cold plunge and rest areas. Together, Taku says the treatments provide visitors with a space to reset.

    You can find Aqua Ignis at 239 Great Western Highway, Blackheath, NSW

    Stretch your legs on one of these hikes in the Blue Mountains. Next, enjoy a restorative session at Aqua Ignis, followed by a stay at one of these cosy Blue Mountains cabins?