Film production in Sydney
Between December and June, usable daylight in Sydney moves by 4h 28min — from 14h 23min down to 9h 55min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Sydney rises at 06:59 and sets at 16:54; the evening golden hour starts at 16:16 and runs for 38 minutes. By December that shifts to 05:39–20:02, with a 37-minute golden-hour window from 19:26.
In practice, a spread of 4h 28min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:00 | 20:10 | 14h 10min | 19:34 |
| February | 06:31 | 19:50 | 13h 19min | 19:16 |
| March | 06:55 | 19:16 | 12h 21min | 18:43 |
| April | 06:18 | 17:34 | 11h 16min | 17:00 |
| May | 06:41 | 17:04 | 10h 23min | 16:28 |
| June | 06:59 | 16:54 | 9h 55min | 16:16 |
| July | 06:59 | 17:04 | 10h 06min | 16:27 |
| August | 06:36 | 17:26 | 10h 50min | 16:51 |
| September | 05:56 | 17:47 | 11h 51min | 17:14 |
| October | 06:15 | 19:08 | 12h 53min | 18:35 |
| November | 05:45 | 19:36 | 13h 51min | 19:01 |
| December | 05:39 | 20:02 | 14h 23min | 19:26 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Sydney starts at 17:11 in June and ends at 17:21 — a window of 11 minutes. In December it is 11 minutes from 20:20. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:16) and September (17:47) there are 89 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Sydney averages 15 rain days in March and 6 in August. A three-day exterior shoot in March statistically loses 1.5 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22.8 °C | 13 | 10.8 |
| February | 22.4 °C | 13 | 10.6 |
| March | 21.1 °C | 15 | 9.5 |
| April | 18.2 °C | 10 | 9.4 |
| May | 14.9 °C | 8 | 8.7 |
| June | 12.4 °C | 10 | 8.2 |
| July | 12.1 °C | 8 | 8.9 |
| August | 13.0 °C | 6 | 9.2 |
| September | 15.4 °C | 8 | 10.4 |
| October | 17.7 °C | 11 | 10.4 |
| November | 19.5 °C | 12 | 11.0 |
| December | 21.5 °C | 10 | 11.6 |
Filming permits
The responsible body is die City of Sydney (Filming Permits) für städtische Flächen; Screen NSW berät landesweit und koordiniert Zugänge zu Landesflächen. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au / screen.nsw.gov.au
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in June, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Sydney?
In June it starts at 16:16 and lasts 38 minutes; in December it starts at 19:26 and lasts 37 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Sydney get?
Between 9h 55min in June and 14h 23min in December. The 4h 28min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Sydney?
Combining daylight and rain days, December comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. December has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.