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The new year has started with a bang, as a 12-minute fireworks extravaganza ushered in 2023 on Sydney Harbour.
Sydney hosts Australia’s largest fireworks display and they didn’t disappoint the estimated one million people lining the foreshore, with pre-pandemic crowds in attendance.
The fireworks also featured a special rainbow coloured display off the Harbour Bridge in honour of Sydney hosting World Pride later this year, sending “a message of diversity and inclusion”.
There were more than 7000 fireworks which explode off the iconic bridge, culminating in the classic golden waterfall at the end.
A further 2000 were set to fire off from the Sydney Opera House in addition to plenty of others along barges on the water, creating a kaleidoscope of colours across the skyline.
It was the biggest crowds in years as Aussies celebrated a restriction-free NYE for the first time since 2019 and vantage points across the City of Sydney were full well ahead of midnight.
Around 7pm, authorities had to ask those without tickets not to come into the city as capacity for the free locations had been reached.
“After the challenges of the last few years, last night’s unforgettable show not only rung in a New Year it signalled to the world that Sydney is well and truly back,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
While there were a million people viewing the display in person, it’s expected half a billion people around the world will watch the world-famous fireworks display.
Melbourne’s skyline was also lit up by fireworks jumping off some 30 buildings and barges around the city.
Fireworks displays also delighted those in Canberra who had lined Lake Burley Griffin foreshores since the afternoon.
While in Tasmania, large crowds gathered around Hobart’s waterfront, which was the backdrop of the state’s main midnight fireworks display.
Across Queensland at midnight (1am AEDT), there were 130 fireworks displays which went off across the state.
The main show took place in Brisbane along the river, which was lined with large crowds.
Earlier, Sydney’s 9pm family-friendly fireworks put on a colourful display with a celebration of Indigenous heritage and provided a preview of what was to come at midnight.
But Sydney wasn’t the only Australian city getting the party started early.
Melbourne and Hobart both had their early fireworks at 9.30pm, while Brisbane’s family fun started at the same time – 8.30pm local time.
Over in Adelaide, there was a hybrid fireworks and lights show at 9.30pm at Rymill Park/Murlawirrapurka before the main event at midnight.
Fireworks took place shortly along the Swan River as Perth joined in the early New Year celebrations a couple of hours later.
Due to the threat of monsoonal damaging wind and surf, Darwin Waterfront’s New Year’s Eve celebrations have been cancelled but that didn’t stop locals from heading into bars and restaurants.
Source: 9News
