More than 1000 protesters chanting "save our sails" and "it’s our house" gathered in front of the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday night in protest at the Racing NSW projections on the World Heritage listed building.

When the sails were lit up at 7.39pm, the crowd let out an enormous boo and screamed "shame on you", "our house not for sale" and "turn it off" during the 20-minute illumination.

The protesters, who stretched from the western boardwalk, swarmed all over the podium stairs and as far back as eastern Circular Quay. Many in the crowd shone their mobile phones and torches onto the sails, calling it a "sale shaming" of NSW leaders.

Willy Hall, the son of Peter Hall, the Australian architect who completed the building, spoke movingly to the crowd before the illuminations.