Random set of the day: Sydney Opera House

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Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House

©2013 LEGO Group

Today's random set is 10234 Sydney Opera House, released during 2013. It's one of 4 Creator Expert sets produced that year. It contains 2989 pieces, and its retail price was US$319.99/£249.99.

It's owned by 6,391 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you should find it for sale at BrickLink, where new ones sell for around $360.50, or eBay.


49 comments on this article

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By in New Zealand,

Ooh! That looks stunning. But if they can do Australian architecture why can't they do New Zealand's?

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By in United States,

I guess a set this size makes up for missing one yesterday.

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By in New Zealand,

*Classic music starts playing*

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By in United States,

Built upon six 48x48 baseplates! Sure don't make them like that anymore!!

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By in United States,

@mlemley43 said:
"Built upon six 48x48 baseplates! Sure don't make them like that anymore!!"

It looks like 48 x 80 to me.

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By in Canada,

Just got this a couple of weeks ago. 100% complete and like new instructions. Only $125 can.

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By in United States,

@mlemley43 said:
"Built upon six 48x48 baseplates! Sure don't make them like that anymore!!"

Um, maybe in a giant MOC somewhere; I see only one in the inventory (here or BL). The fact that set even has one, and that it's blue is unique and pretty awesome in itself. The rest of the baseplates are a 32x32 and a 16x32.

I remember the hugeness of the box when our store received a damaged returned set from an online order.

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By in United States,

@yellowcastle said:
" @mlemley43 said:
"Built upon six 48x48 baseplates! Sure don't make them like that anymore!!"

It looks like 48 x 80 to me."


It’s not. It’s a 48x48, a 32x32, and a 16x32.

Source: I owned it

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By in Finland,

Take it down!

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By in United States,

@Maxbricks14 said:
"Ooh! That looks stunning. But if they can do Australian architecture why can't they do New Zealand's?"

They did make one! 79003. There’s also a smaller version from SDCC, I think.

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By in Canada,

Random set of the day ain't over until the fat lady sings. So plug your ears just in case.

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By in South Korea,

I'm one of the 6,391 people who own this one. Was so inspired after my first ever trip to Sydney that I just had to track one down!

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By in Australia,

Ehhhh nothing special, I see this just about every second day :P

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By in Turkey,

Sets this size (Tower Bridge, Colosseum, Taj Mahal) are impossible for me, no matter how much I like them. Even if I can buy them, I do not have the space to display them. And if cannot show them, what's the point?

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By in United States,

@MeisterDad said:
"Random set of the day ain't over until the fat lady sings. So plug your ears just in case."

"Kill 'da wabbit!!"

"Spear and magic helmet?!!"

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By in Australia,

@Maxbricks14 said:
"Ooh! That looks stunning. But if they can do Australian architecture why can't they do New Zealand's?"

They've done some before. 79003 is the first that comes to mind, as do 10316 and 9474 .

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By in United States,

This holds up and still looks great after over a decade. If it was made today they’d probably design the water to hug the shape of the structure instead of having a square baseplate. For design reasons, and of course because they use baseplates less.

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By in Belgium,

It’s reassuring to have the random set article back after an unexpected break!

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By in New Zealand,

@RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"Ooh! That looks stunning. But if they can do Australian architecture why can't they do New Zealand's?"

They've done some before. 79003 is the first that comes to mind, as do 10316 and 9474 ."


I mean actual places, not film sets.

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By in United Kingdom,

I think I can see 42 Wallaby Way from here!

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By in Australia,

Aussie Aussie Aussie! :)

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By in United Kingdom,

@Maxbricks14 said:
"Ooh! That looks stunning. But if they can do Australian architecture why can't they do New Zealand's?"
Politeness excludes the obvious reason!

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By in France,

Oooh, I've been on this pier and stairs. I have loved the Sydney harbour

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By in Netherlands,

Back in 2013 we didn't get a whole lot of giant sets. So this was special. Very special indeed!

That they captured the shaping this well is pretty amazing!

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By in Australia,

@Maxbricks14 said:
" @RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"Ooh! That looks stunning. But if they can do Australian architecture why can't they do New Zealand's?"

They've done some before. 79003 is the first that comes to mind, as do 10316 and 9474 ."


I mean actual places, not film sets."


Have they ever done Architecture polybags?

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By in Australia,

@sjr60 said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"Ooh! That looks stunning. But if they can do Australian architecture why can't they do New Zealand's?"
Politeness excludes the obvious reason!"


I was waiting for the Aussie/Kiwi thing to start, I just wasn't expecting the opening salvo from a Brit!

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By in Germany,

@Sandinista said:
" @yellowcastle said:
" @mlemley43 said:
"Built upon six 48x48 baseplates! Sure don't make them like that anymore!!"

It looks like 48 x 80 to me."


It’s not. It’s a 48x48, a 32x32, and a 16x32.

Source: I owned it
"

So 48x80 after all ;-)

Source: I own it too.

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By in Australia,

@CaptainMoore said:
"Oooh, I've been on this pier and stairs. I have loved the Sydney harbour"

Glad you liked it! I hope you saw more of Australia as well. :)

Alas I have only been to Paris, which is no good because Paris is Paris, not France.

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By in United States,

@Maxbricks14:
Bag End still exists, though. Peter Jackson kept the large version that was scaled for Hobbits and Dwarves. I think the Human-scale version, and much of the exterior of Hobbiton, also exist and are being preserved as a tourist attraction. Conversely, there isn’t a hint of evidence that Meduseld ever existed. They had to restore that site back to pre-filming condition as a very strict requirement for getting permission to film there, so every last screw, nut, and bolt got packed out afterwards.

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By in United Kingdom,

Love this set! My second set after coming out of the dark ages. Got a Christmas set for (Yep, you guessed it, Christmas!) and having built it went looking for more adult orientated sets. Found this in the sale at John Lewis and snapped it up. I haven't got room to display it at the moment but it has been built and dismantled three times so far. Definitely in my top 5 favourite sets despite having gone on to buy rather a lot more.....

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By in United States,

@Brickchap said:
"Aussie Aussie Aussie! :)"

Erm... Oi! Oi! Oi!

Doesn't that entitle me to a free beer, or citizenship, or something?

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By in United Kingdom,

@PurpleDave said:
" @Maxbricks14:
Bag End still exists, though. Peter Jackson kept the large version that was scaled for Hobbits and Dwarves. I think the Human-scale version, and much of the exterior of Hobbiton, also exist and are being preserved as a tourist attraction. Conversely, there isn’t a hint of evidence that Meduseld ever existed. They had to restore that site back to pre-filming condition as a very strict requirement for getting permission to film there, so every last screw, nut, and bolt got packed out afterwards."


Some of us have had a beer in the Green Dragon

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By in Germany,

I'm surprised it hasn't gone higher up in price. Is it because it is so big and people don't really have anywhere to display it?

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By in United Kingdom,

I remember getting this second hand in early 2014 and having to walk a mile back from the post office with the already crumpled box wedged under my arm which was not easy... It took me a couple of years to get around to building it, still made up now in my Lego room, on a shelf with a dust coating but I can't think about breaking it down - it's an iconic building and one of the wonders of the world in my opinion.

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By in United States,

A semi classic set.

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By in Canada,

I bought this set on sale through Costco and have this still in the box, the problem is once I build it what can I build with it afterwards.

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By in United States,

@Lego_lord said:
"Sets this size (Tower Bridge, Colosseum, Taj Mahal) are impossible for me, no matter how much I like them. Even if I can buy them, I do not have the space to display them. And if cannot show them, what's the point?"

That's the beauty of the Skyline sets. Multiple iconic buildings that don't take much space to display. Literally half of my Architecture collection is from that subtheme, and one of the non-Skyline sets I have is 40585, which also packs for famous buildings into a small footprint.

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By in United Kingdom,

@TheOtherMike said:
" @Lego_lord said:
"Sets this size (Tower Bridge, Colosseum, Taj Mahal) are impossible for me, no matter how much I like them. Even if I can buy them, I do not have the space to display them. And if cannot show them, what's the point?"

That's the beauty of the Skyline sets. Multiple iconic buildings that don't take much space to display. Literally half of my Architecture collection is from that subtheme, and one of the non-Skyline sets I have is 40585, which also packs for famous buildings into a small footprint."

And, of course, if even the skyline set is too big, there's always the postcard series where 40651 gives you the iconic dunny!

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By in Italy,

This is one of the sets permanently on display in my living room (mostly because it's too big to take apart and rebuild during rotations), but incredibly not much people recognize it...
I told somebody once, "Come on, it's pretty famous" and he said "Is it from Harry Potter?"

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By in Hong Kong,

I saw one on display in a branch office of the firm that engineered the Opera House! Maybe other branch offices have one as well?

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By in United States,

@RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
" @RaiderOfTheLostBrick said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"Ooh! That looks stunning. But if they can do Australian architecture why can't they do New Zealand's?"

They've done some before. 79003 is the first that comes to mind, as do 10316 and 9474 ."


I mean actual places, not film sets."


They're film sets?"


I am shocked, shocked to discover the LotR and Hobbit movies are films based in fiction and not documentaries about actual events. Shocked, I say!

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By in United States,

@AustinPowers said:
" @Sandinista said:
" @yellowcastle said:
" @mlemley43 said:
"Built upon six 48x48 baseplates! Sure don't make them like that anymore!!"

It looks like 48 x 80 to me."


It’s not. It’s a 48x48, a 32x32, and a 16x32.

Source: I owned it
"

So 48x80 after all ;-)

Source: I own it too. "

You made my day, thank you. :o)

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By in United States,

@biffuz said:
"This is one of the sets permanently on display in my living room (mostly because it's too big to take apart and rebuild during rotations), but incredibly not much people recognize it...
I told somebody once, "Come on, it's pretty famous" and he said "Is it from Harry Potter?""


You just can't help some people...

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By in New Zealand,

@PurpleDave said:
" @Maxbricks14:
Bag End still exists, though. Peter Jackson kept the large version that was scaled for Hobbits and Dwarves. I think the Human-scale version, and much of the exterior of Hobbiton, also exist and are being preserved as a tourist attraction. Conversely, there isn’t a hint of evidence that Meduseld ever existed. They had to restore that site back to pre-filming condition as a very strict requirement for getting permission to film there, so every last screw, nut, and bolt got packed out afterwards."


I know it exists. But that's a film set.

Gravatar
By in United States,

@Maxbricks14 said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Maxbricks14:
Bag End still exists, though. Peter Jackson kept the large version that was scaled for Hobbits and Dwarves. I think the Human-scale version, and much of the exterior of Hobbiton, also exist and are being preserved as a tourist attraction. Conversely, there isn’t a hint of evidence that Meduseld ever existed. They had to restore that site back to pre-filming condition as a very strict requirement for getting permission to film there, so every last screw, nut, and bolt got packed out afterwards."


I know it exists. But that's a film set."


I’m pretty sure Jackson is keeping it as a vacation home now.

Gravatar
By in New Zealand,

@PurpleDave said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Maxbricks14:
Bag End still exists, though. Peter Jackson kept the large version that was scaled for Hobbits and Dwarves. I think the Human-scale version, and much of the exterior of Hobbiton, also exist and are being preserved as a tourist attraction. Conversely, there isn’t a hint of evidence that Meduseld ever existed. They had to restore that site back to pre-filming condition as a very strict requirement for getting permission to film there, so every last screw, nut, and bolt got packed out afterwards."


I know it exists. But that's a film set."


I’m pretty sure Jackson is keeping it as a vacation home now."


No. It's one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Zealand!

Gravatar
By in Australia,

@Maxbricks14 said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Maxbricks14 :
Bag End still exists, though. Peter Jackson kept the large version that was scaled for Hobbits and Dwarves. I think the Human-scale version, and much of the exterior of Hobbiton, also exist and are being preserved as a tourist attraction. Conversely, there isn’t a hint of evidence that Meduseld ever existed. They had to restore that site back to pre-filming condition as a very strict requirement for getting permission to film there, so every last screw, nut, and bolt got packed out afterwards."


I know it exists. But that's a film set."


I’m pretty sure Jackson is keeping it as a vacation home now."


No. It's one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Zealand!"


You don't get the joke do you?

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