New Year’s Eve in Sydney sorted: 2023 guide to celebrating

All the secret spots to watch the fireworks without fighting the crowds, the parties you can still get tickets to, and road closures you need to know about. Your NYE celebrations, sorted.

Million-dollar views of Sydney’s iconic New Year’s Eve fireworks don’t have to cost you a dime – however, you will need to rise and shine early, with more than one million people expected to gather in surrounding parks and streets to watch the show.

Prime locations for viewing the fireworks for free — such as the Circular Quay promenade and Opera House forecourt — will begin to fill up from 7am, with some eager revellers known to camp out from the night before.

For those who don’t want to chance 17-plus hours of fickle weather, there are a few secret spots around the city where latecomers can rock up in the evening.

West of the bridge, Ballast Point Park isn’t on the official list of vantage points in Birchgrove, of which there are three, keeping it far quieter longer into the night than other spots.

In the northeast, with direct views through the trees to the Opera House, Cremorne Point Reserve will mostly be attended by locals and offer a more relaxed vantage than the far closer the official spots at Mary Booth Reserve and Bradfield Park.

The Sydney Harbour shoreline at Kirribilli is always packed with revellers. Picture: Monique Harmer.

And if you don’t need to be perched right on the harbour, the highest hills of Sydney Park in Alexandria offer a stunning view of the city skyline, and a panoramic view of the midnight display.
As usual, though, it will be a tale of two budgets for New Year’s Eve revellers on Sunday, as the well-heeled fork out thousands for top views and entertainment to ring in 2024.

Queues to get into first-come, first-serve locations on NYE. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Limited tickets remain for Bennelong’s swanky $2200 seven-course menu by chef Peter Gilmore, with champagne delivered as the clock strikes 12 beneath the Opera House.

Other ticket cash splashes you could still make include W Sydney’s rooftop bar packages ($550-$3500); Dean and Nancy on 22’s hotel party ($200-$2000); Whale Bridge’s huge NYE dinner ($600–1000); and View Sydney’s end-of-year soiree ($637).

If your clan would rather take in the $7 million of explosives from the comfort of home, ABC’s live broadcast from Sydney Opera House’s Northern Broadwalk kicks off from 8.30pm.

The public broadcaster’s concert — viewed last year by 3.2 million Australians — will showcase some of the biggest names in Australian music including Jessica Mauboy, Genesis Owusu, King Stingray, Harry Connick Jr, and Casey Donovan.

“Ringing in the New Year with a great band, great music, and one of the best backdrops in the world speaks for itself,” Donovan told The Daily Telegraph.

Casey Donovan is performing at the ABC’s Sydney New Year’s Eve Party. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Lucia Hawley will be starting 2024 with a European trip. Picture: Richard Dobson

Meanwhile, journalist Lucia Hawley – the niece of screen superstar Nicole Kidman – is viewing the fireworks “with [her] boyfriend by the harbour at his friend’s house”.

Hawley is scheduled to fly to Europe with boyfriend of more than three years, Henry Poole, early next week.

“I don’t want to be dipping into that four-day hangover before that,” she said.

Cheekily asked if a wedding proposal was on the cards, Hawley laughed: “Don’t I wish. No, I think we are a few years away from that.”

The 24-year-old has had a huge 2023, after landing her dream job as host of 7 Bravo and face of Live from E! red carpet coverage in Australia.

Her mum, Antonia, was also a television presenter.

Not one for New Year’s resolutions, Hawley said she’d rather “let it all sink in and feel grateful for what I have”.

Entry to pubs and clubs from the northern beaches to the CBD and inner west will set you back $30 to $50 on average, with many tickets still on final release. Picture: Supplied.

Although the Harbour City isn’t renowned for night-life, New Year’s Eve will be the exception.
The Abercrombie’s first birthday party will feature 10 hours of music until 6am; underground rave cave Club 77 has Berlin-based DJ Claire on the decks until 4am; local favourites Set Mo are headlining the Harbord Hotel until 2am; The Imperial will host three levels of drag and DJs; and Sydney stalwart Crowbar is bringing two of the hottest rock bands out right now to Parramatta Road with dual headline sets.

Entry to pubs and clubs from the northern beaches to the CBD and inner west will set you back $30 to $50 on average, with tickets to all of the above on final release as well as limited door sales.

In the under-$200 price bracket, Merivale’s multistorey mega club is hosting two NYE parties. Legendary DJ Carl Cox will host the main space, while LF System hosts the NYE Pool Party.

UK DJ Carl Cox. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Thomasina Myresa, wearing Dawn Marie swimwear, at Ivy Pool Bar ahead of 2023 New Years Eve celebrations. Picture: Richard Dobson

NSW Police and transport officials are urging the public to “ditch their cars” and “travel early”.

Unlike last year, most public venues are not ticketed and will fill to capacity on a first-come, first-served basis.

“We’re expecting to move hundreds of thousands of people into and around the city for the fireworks,” Transport for NSW Coordinator General Howard Collins said.

Sydneysiders should expect major road closures, including: The Cahill Expressway from 6am, Circular Quay and The Rocks from 2pm, major roads in North Sydney, Milsons Point and Kirribilli from 5pm, and by 7pm most roads in the Sydney CBD centre and some roads in Pyrmont will be closed.

“We have one thousand extra train services running, 1200 extra buses, extra light rail, we are doubling metro frequency and ferries running until 5pm, so please use public transport,” Mr Collins said.

“Police will have a high presence across the transport network and in transport hubs such as train stations. Those who want to ruin the night for others won’t be tolerated.”