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More than a million people are believed to have packed the Sydney Harbour foreshore for one of the world’s best-known New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Excitement built as the minutes ticked down to midnight and the gathered masses, some of whom had waited more than 18 hours, partied on towards the climax of the night.
Hopes were high for what was expected to be the biggest celebration in years, played to an expected in-person crowd of 1 million people.
As midnight hit, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House lit up and the music blasted to kick off a 12-minute fireworks and musical spectacular months in the making.
“It’s New Year’s Eve again,” crowds at the harbour and tuning in on TV and radio heard as the music pulsed and the bridge pulsed its lights in time.
At the same time, duelling spectacles lit up the Sydney suburbs and Victorians partied at Docklands, Flagstaff Gardens, Kings Domain and Treasury Gardens further south in Melbourne.
Even so, much of the attention was turned on Sydney Harbour for the show beamed around the world as one of the first major cities to greet the new year.
In what organisers said was a first for the NSW capital, both the midnight fireworks and the family-friendly Indigenous-produced 9pm Calling Country display were set to bespoke musical soundtracks.
Revellers had begun gathering at prime vantage points across the city in the very early hours of the morning in the hopes of scoring the best views of the fireworks. Some had even been there since yesterday.
For the first time in several years, ticketing was scrapped at 38 free locations across Sydney Harbour, with authorities expecting this year’s event to be bigger than ever.
More than 1000 accredited personnel and around 250 volunteers worked behind the scenes to get things ready
“Our New Year’s Eve team and pyrotechnic experts have been working on tonight’s event for the past 15 months, and it promises to be bigger and better than ever,” Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
The 9pm Calling Country display was set to an original soundtrack produced by Yuin artist and Triple J radio host Nooky and Aria Award winner and Grammy nominee Vincent Goodyer, better known as 18yoman.
The anthemic hip-hop track featured elements of traditional First Nations audio weaved throughout and tributes to prominent Indigenous people such as Archie Roach, Eddie Mabo and Adam Goodes.
The midnight display was set to an original score by composer The Sweats and was created to work as a choreographed “dance” between fireworks, lighting and projections.
Early risers secured top spots
Early morning rain didn’t deter people from queueing at Mrs Macquaries Point and the Royal Botanic Garden surrounds with lines that snaked as far back as Domain Park just after 6.30am.
One group of men took shifts and brought each other food and supplies to mind their position at the Botanic Garden over three days.
“We are landscape photographers,” they told Weekend Today.
“This is one of our biggest dreams to capture the best photo of this location.”
Others said they had been gathered by the Sydney Opera House since midnight.
At Dawes Point dozens were camped out under the Sydney Harbour Bridge about 7am, almost two hours before the viewpoint even opened to the public.
On the Lower North Shore, people donned raincoats and brought along sleeping bags to scoop up the best spot on the fence line at Cremorne Point, while some resorted to placing sticks on blankets to reserve their place.
In the heart of Sydney Harbour, campers on Cockatoo Island set up their tents yesterday afternoon to avoid any disappointment.
By early afternoon, maximum capacity was reached for New Year’s Eve celebration spots at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair on Sydney Harbour.
Meanwhile Coogee and Parramatta are also expecting large crowds for fireworks displays and entertainment.
Public transport plea
Transport for NSW coordinator general Howard Collins urged everyone to use public transport, with dozens of road closures in place.
“Time to leave at home, ditch the car, come into Sydney’s New Year’s Eve, the most spectacular fireworks in the world by public transport,” Collins said.
One thousand extra trains and 1200 extra bus services were scheduled for the night.
The government also doubled the timetable of Metro and ferry services.
Public transport was set to run through the night, particularly trains, which will be the only way to get over the Harbour Bridge for a period of time.
Chance of showers
There was little New Year’s Eve sunshine for Sydney and rain was forecast for other parts of the country.
