NYE: Spectacular Sydney Harbour fireworks show to ring in 2023
Huge crowds have settled into the harbour foreshore as Sydneysiders prepare for a spectacular show of colour, light and music across the city skyline this New Year’s Eve.
NSW
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Sydneysiders will launch into 2023 celebrating diversity, with just under 150,000 fireworks and effects to light up the city skyline this New Year’s Eve.
More than 35,000 shooting ground-based effects are expected to launch 30m to 80m into the air to dazzle one million spectators around the harbour, while 12,000 aerial shells also boom above them.
These fireworks will be accompanied by more than 100,000 pyrotechnic effects, with LGBT and Indigenous Australian communities front and centre, including the 9pm Calling Country Fireworks and 11pm WorldPride Harbour Bridge pylon projection.
As revellers queued on Saturday, even for ticketed viewing spots ahead of tonight’s festivities, some clueless Sydneysiders are in for a nasty shock with cars towed from event zones.
Special clearways are in place around the city including Pyrmont and North Sydney, however some had not heeded the warnings from Transport for NSW.
Tow trucks were spotted early afternoon towing away a handful of vehicles still parked in the special event zone in Pyrmont.
This year most of the prime fireworks viewing spots around the harbour are ticketed and with staggered opening times throughout the day.
Sydney Harbour’s two shows are among a number of events taking place across the city, with NSW Tourism Minister Ben Franklin asking everyone to make it a night out to savour.
“Sydneysiders and visitors are set to enjoy a memorable start to the new year,” Mr Franklin told The Saturday Telegraph.
Celebrations across Sydney Harbour will kick off from 7.30pm, with the Tribal Warrior group to conduct a traditional Indigenous smoking ceremony, performed to cleanse the space for the new year.
Then from 8.30pm, animations will be displayed on the Harbour Bridge pylons to represent “all facets of life”, followed by a Welcome to Country and family fireworks show at 9pm.
At 9.15pm, boats decked out with lights will create a visual spectacle as they sail across the harbour, in a display produced by the Commercial Vessels Association.
Almost two hours later, a three-minute light display and pylon projection will fill the harbour with joy in celebration of WorldPride as the countdown to 2023 draws closer.
Finally, as the clock strikes 12, Sydney’s skyline will explode into the new year as fireworks soar and crackle.
The music of DJ and vocalist Stace Cadet will accompany the pyrotechnic display by Foti International Fireworks.
NSW Police have launched their New Year’s Eve operation with a warning — officers will be out in force to crack down on alcohol-fuelled bad behaviour.
“Don’t be that person, no one wants to end up in the back of a police truck on New Year’s Day,” Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said.
New Year’s Eve also brings NSW Ambulance their busiest night of the year — and with it, a plea to leave triple-0 for emergencies only.
Not all Sydneysiders will be in the city centre, with couple Tori Anderson and Oli Roe heading to the northern beaches for a barbecue with friends at Turimetta Beach.
Ms Anderson, 25, is looking forward to the new year because it will be “the first year back to complete normality” since the pandemic.
“I’m excited to be with friends … and to get the fun vibes of Sydney back,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr Roe, 24, said he was excited to have a couple of beers with mates.
WHERE TO WATCH THE FIREWORKS
Sydneysiders can watch the display of fireworks at a number of vantage points, including
1. Beare Park, Elizabeth Bay (free)
2. Bicentennial Park (free)
3. North Head Manly
4. Gilba Park and Pirrama Park, Pyrmont (tickets required)
5. Embarkation Park, Potts Point (free)
6. Observatory Hill Park, Millers Point (free)
7. East Circular Quay: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 9am.
8. Sydney Opera House: Free entry, alcohol available, no BYO, opens at 7.30am
9. Darling Harbour: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 1pm.
10. Dawes Point (Tar-Ra) Park: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 1pm.
11. The Rocks: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 1pm.
12. McKell Park, Darling Point: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at noon.
13. Yarranabbe Park Darling Point: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 3pm.
14. Murray Rose Pool and Blackburn Gardens, Double Bay: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 3pm.
15. Duff Reserve, Point Piper: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at noon.
16. Rose Bay Foreshore: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, open 3pm.
17. Elkington Park, Balmain: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 8am.
18. Illoura Reserve, Balmain East: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 8am.
19. Lookes Avenue Reserve, Balmain East: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 8am.
19. Thornton Park, Balmain East: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 3.30pm.
20. Simmons Point, Balmain East: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 10am.
21. Birchgrove Park, Birchgrove: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 8am.
22. Mort Bay Park, Mort Bay: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 8am.
23. Yurulbin Park, Birchgrove: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, opens at 8am.
24. Pyrmont Bay Park: Free entry, alcohol prohibited, open noon.
25. Manns Point, Greenwich: Free entry, alcohol prohibited.
26. Waverton Park, Waverton:Free entry, alcohol prohibited.
27. Balls Head Reserve, Waverton:Free entry, alcohol prohibited.
28. Kurraba Reserve, Kurraba Point: Free entry, alcohol prohibited.
29. Cremorne Point: Free entry, alcohol prohibited.
Details at: sydneynewyearseve.com.
FIREWORKS IN THE SUBURBS
Liverpool: From 9pm, fireworks will light up the sky in Hammondville, Moorebank, Sadleir, Casula, Liverpool and West Hoxton.
Parramatta: Family events will be held at Binalong Park in Old Toongabbie; Max Ruddock Reserve in Winston Hills; Doyle Ground in North Parramatta; Dundas Park in Dundas Valley; and George Kendall Riverside Park in Ermington, with family fireworks scheduled for 9pm.
Randwick: A 15-minute fireworks display will kick off at 9pm at Goldstein Reserve, Coogee.
Northern beaches: Firework displays will take off from 9pm at locations in Dee Why, Manly, and Frenchs Forest, while a midnight show will also feature at Bayview.
Wollongong: The Wollongong Harbour will host a fireworks show from 9pm.
RAIN TO CLEAR IN TIME FOR SHOW
Don’t be discouraged by early drizzle on New Year’s Eve – the skies will be clear and the city dry in time for the clock to strike midnight.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a medium chance of showers that will clear by the afternoon, with a slight chance of storms.
Temperatures will reach 27 degrees in the city with light winds.
And the forecast is looking good for a sunny New Year’s Day.
While the city will enjoy mostly fine weather for the next week, communities in far west NSW are evacuating as yet more floods wreak havoc.
Flooding at the rural town of Menindee along the Darling River is expected to peak on New Year’s Eve, while Tilpa, Wilcannia, Wentworth, Mildura and Balranald are all flooding.
Caitlin Jeffery is spending New Year’s Eve in Sydney for the first time while visiting from the UK.
“We are going to have a picnic and a few drinks,” she said.
“We have our fingers crossed for great weather but we are excited to be part of the atmosphere.”
Ms Jeffrey said it was a bucket list moment to ring in the new year with the backdrop of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
“Everyone said that it is the place you’ve got to go to,” she said.
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