SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.-Sydney's streets are about to come alive with colour, with stunning floral designs celebrating City of Sydney's 2008 Chinese New Year Festival.

"Living Colour is one of the largest seasonal floral displays of its kind in Australia," said Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP.

"Designers will use more than 30,000 flowers to create lucky symbols and pictures of designs including a rat, fireworks, a Chinese willow pattern and a Lion Dancer."

The six-week long floral display is designed to bring good fortune to City streets and will be placed in planter boxes in Circular Quay, Martin Place, Glebe, Erskineville, Pyrmont and Newtown from 12 January 2008 to 23 February 2008.

"Living Colour brightens the streets of our City and villages, and the warm Summer weather is the perfect time to enjoy the City's floral displays," said the Lord Mayor

Each flower is individually grown for the display, and over the six-week period, the displays naturally develop so people can revisit for a different, and sometimes, better interpretation of the art piece.

About the designs - THE RAT: This design features a Rat, because 2008 is the Chinese New Year - Year of the Rat. People born in the Year of the Rat are noted for their charm and work hard to achieve their goals. Rats are likely to be perfectionists, ambitious and are usually very successful. Locations: Martin Place, Queens Square and Alfred Street

LION DANCER: Lion dance groups perform their traditional dances from the fourth day to the fifteenth day of the New Year. Lions are believed to bring good luck to people, reflected in their qualities of great power, dignity, fertility and wisdom. Location: Sydney Square

CHINESE SIGN OF GOOD FORTUNE: Chinese symbol of Good Fortune, Good Luck and Blessing. Locations: Martin Place and Alfred Street

FIREWORKS: A Chinese New Year celebration would not be complete without fireworks. Some people believe that noise wakes up the dragon which will fly across the sky to bring rain to the crops. Another belief is that the noise of the fireworks is supposed to scare away all the evil spirits and misfortunes, preventing them from coming into the New Year. Locations: Martin Place, Taylor Square and Woolloomooloo.

CHINESE WILLOW PATTERN: The willow plate represents food and story telling. Food is very important to Chinese New Year celebrations. Families and friends get together for large feasts and share their stories. Location: Martin Place

SUMMER FESTIVAL: Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday celebrated amongst Chinese people. It is a time when families and friends get together to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new. Locations: Martin Place and Woolloomooloo

NEW YEAR DECORATION: Homes are decorated with flowers and paper decorations stating wishes of prosperity, good luck, happiness, good fortune, wealth and longevity for the coming year. Red and gold are popular colours to decorate with. Red represents power, vitality, happiness and scares away beasts. Gold represents wealth and good fortune. Locations: Martin Place, QVB, Town Hall and Woolloomooloo.

LANTERN FESTIVAL: Lantern Festival takes place on the fifteenth day of the first moon - the last in a series of springtime celebrations. On the night of the festival lanterns depicting birds, beasts, historical figures and other themes are carried by children or adorn temples. Locations: Martin Place and Queen Square

PLUM BLOSSOM: Flowers are an important part of New Year decorations. Plum Blossoms are linked to courage and hope. Locations: Darlinghurst and Alfred Street.