Millennium: 25 years since December 31, 1999 New Year’s Eve celebrations

It was the end of the Millennium in 1999 when the Queensland Government released a checklist of what to do in case the Y2K bug threw society into chaos. FIND OUT MORE

Have enough drinking water to last a week – that was the grim warning from the state government on the final day of the 20th century.

This week marks 25 years since we said goodbye to 1999 with the biggest party of them all and ushered in the 21st century.

But of course this was no ordinary New Year’s Eve. It was the night authorities feared the Y2K bug could bring civilisation to its knees.

The Year 2000 computer bug was a glitch relating to the storage of calendars on computers and the concern was to do with computer programming.

Revellers celebrate in Surfers Paradise on December 31, 1999

Programmers had a habit of using just two digits to denote the year. So for computers, the year 2000 was going to be recognised as 00.

It was feared when computers clicked over at midnight they might confuse themselves and think it was 1900.

While this obviously didn’t come to pass, the worry was real and there were plenty of people who took it seriously, including the Gold Coast City Council, state and federal governments.

Premier Peter Beattie and Communications Minister Terry Mackenroth released a checklist of measures people could take to be ready in case of disaster.

Sarah and Paul Smith see the first sunrise on Surfers Paradise beach

These included:

• Have enough drinking water to last a week.

• Get copies of your most recent bank statements.

• Have a battery-powered radio handy.

• Back up important computer information to a floppy disk.

Both the Premier and Mr Mackenroth saw in the new year from the state counter-disaster centre in north Brisbane.

Two angelic beauties celebrate

But it wasn’t all doom and gloom – both young and old were looking forward to the Millennium.

Gaven couple Carol McLaughlan and Harland Marshall married just after the stroke of midnight, along with many other couples.

Helensvale pair Elaine and Jack Batten celebrated 50 years of marriage that night with a New Year’s Eve party.

Surfers Paradise was packed on New Year's Eve Dec 31 1999

December 31 was also a big news day. Former Beatles guitarist George Harrison was stabbed in the chest by a burglar at his London home, beginning a period of ill health that sadly ended with his death from cancer less than two years later.

On the Gold Coast it was all about the party to end all parties.

More than 150,000 revellers were expected to converge on Surfers Paradise for the occasion, with hundreds of police officers brought in from across the state to keep the party under control.

A tired reveller in Surfers Paradise on January 1, 2000.

People were going all out to make the party extra special.

Kyra Payne showed off the latest fashion – Year 2000 contact lenses which cost $200 a pair.

When the clock struck midnight, the party went off and the Y2K bug didn’t eventuate.

In the early days of January 2000 there was significant ­criticism from some sectors, ­including Federal Senator Ian Campbell, claiming the $600 billion spent proofing the nation from Y2K was too much.

Sunrise on Surfers Paradise beach for Sharon and Nick Williams of Carrara, who had been to a ball.

Also failing to eventuate was the giant crowd. Only around 50,000 people made it to Surfers Paradise beach, with many choosing house parties instead.

The Avenue owner Mike Russo, whose Glitter Strip institution has lasted more than three decades on Orchid Ave in Surfers Paradise, told the Bulletin why he believed the event was a flop.

Sleeping in on Surfers Paradise beach

“In 32 years the only New Year’s Eve that was ever a downer was the year 2000. We were expecting massive things but everyone got scared about the millennium bug and no one came out,” he said.

“We didn’t even open the restaurant that night because we wanted to go all out and thought we were going to be packed but it ended up being the biggest fizzer of all time.”