North Sydney Council push to slap $50 fee on Blues Point NYE fireworks view in cost-cutting crackdown

Locals and tourists could soon be charged $50 to access one of Sydney’s top New Year’s Eve fireworks spots, as North Sydney Council considers a controversial new ticketing trial.

Sydney revellers could be forced to fork out $50 to score a front-row seat to the city’s famous New Year’s Eve fireworks, as North Sydney Council looks to cash in on the annual spectacle.

In a move that’s already raising eyebrows, councillors will vote on whether to slap a ticket price on access to Blues Point — a prime vantage point on the north side of the harbour, with views straight to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Currently free to the public, Blues Point, along with nearby Bradfield Park and Lavender Bay, draws thousands of punters every year.

But under the proposal, only Blues Point would become a ticketed site, with the council eyeing off a $400,000 windfall from 8000 tickets at $50 a pop.

A report going before the council warns that the NYE event is blowing out the budget, with costs already topping $1 million thanks to crowd control, toilets, bins, fencing and traffic management.

Early bird fireworks devotees grab the best spots early in the day. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer

If Blues Point is ticketed, that figure could rise to $1.18 million — but the council report claims the extra revenue would ease pressure on ratepayers, slashing the final bill to roughly $781,000

“If 8000 tickets were sold to access Blues Point at $50 per ticket, this would generate $400,000 in revenue, reducing council’s net expenditure to manage NYE crowds to circa $781,000,” the report said.

Councillors will vote on whether to slap a ticket price on access to Blues Point. Picture: Supplied

But not everyone is likely to welcome the new fee.

The report admits the change could spark “dissatisfaction” among locals and tourists used to free entry — and even warns of “unsettled behaviour” around entry gates from disappointed partygoers.

“Ticketing for an event which has been free of charge could see large numbers of non-ticket holders arriving at the sites, potentially manifesting in unsettled behaviour near entry gates, dissatisfaction voiced to staff on the ground or complaints to council’s customer service centre,” the report said.

The upcoming North Sydney Council meeting will consider three possible approaches for managing New Year’s Eve crowd access in 2025-26.

Sydney’s NYE fireworks draws in huge crowd numbers across Sydney. Picture Morris McLennan

The first option would see all three major viewing areas — Bradfield Park, Lavender Bay and Blues Point — become ticketed zones in a bid to fully recoup event costs.

A second, more moderate option proposes ticketing only Blues Point to offset part of the expense.

The third would retain the current system of free but controlled public entry.

Council officers are recommending a trial of the second option, which introduces a $50 entry fee exclusively at Blues Point.

“Subject to community consultation and feedback following NYE 2025-26, council could then decide whether to change the ticket price for future NYE managed access, expand or maintain the number of ticketed locations or return to free-access options for all managed sites,” the report says.

Originally published as North Sydney Council push to slap $50 fee on Blues Point NYE fireworks view in cost-cutting crackdown