NYE 2024: Crowds flock to Geelong waterfront to welcome the New Year
Revellers across the Geelong region ushered in the New Year in style, earning praise from authorities for their good behaviour - although there were a small number of exceptions. SEE ALL THE PICTURES
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Revellers across the Geelong region ushered in the New Year in style, earning praise from authorities for their good behaviour.
There were a small number of exceptions, with two more people being charged with drug trafficking at the Beyond the Valleymusic festival and a 16-year-old boy being found with a knife in Portarlington.
Fireworks across the region were a key attraction, particularly on the Geelong waterfront, where two displays wowed the crowdat 9.30pm and midnight.
People came from far and wide, some from interstate and many of them Melburnians keen to get away from the hustle and bustleof the city.
Vicki Giles from Frankston and Ty Weber from Werribee were among the crowd.
Adorned with glowsticks, the pair attended last year and said they would come back as long as Geelong put on the display overCorio Bay.
“It’s such a nice family atmosphere,” Ms Giles said.
Mr Weber’s New Year’s resolution was a simple one.
“I just want to enjoy life, mate,” he said.
“Maybe have North Melbourne win a few more games.”
Geelong council chief executive Ali Wastie said the tens of thousands of people who turned out were well behaved.
“This is always a fantastic time in our region,” she said.
“With more and more tourists visiting our stunning beaches, wineries, city and waterfront each day, I encourage all road usersto slow down on our roads.”
Victoria Police’s Western Division One Superintendent Michael Reid said behaviour across the region was good.
No weapons were found in the designated areas in Geelong and Torquay, where police had additional stop and search powers.
Across the state, Victoria Police responded to 52 assault-related incidents, but none were in the Geelong region.
“We did have a group of youths causing trouble down the Bellarine, around Portarlington,” Superintendent Reid said.
Police officers responded to reports of several people armed with knives around the Portarlington Caravan Park and surroundingarea.
A 16-year-old boy was searched and a knife was seized.
He will be issued with an infringement notice for possessing a controlled weapon.
Superintendent Reid said police had sighted some illegal fireworks overnight, but no seizures or arrests were made.
Police are also investigating two suspicious fires that occurred overnight, one in Breakwater and the other in Little River.
At Beyond the Valley, held at Barunah Plains about 45km west of Geelong, an 18-year-old from Lara was searched at 6.15pm onNew Year’s Eve and found to have MDMA on him.
He was charged with trafficking and possessing a drug of dependence and will front Geelong Magistrates Court in March.
Earlier, police found a 22-year-old man from Croydon Hills in possession of ketamine and MDMA.
He was charged with trafficking ketamine and possessing MDMA and was bailed to appear at Geelong Magistrates Court, also in March.
EARLIER: Huge crowds gathered on Geelong’s waterfront on Tuesday night to ring in the New Year in style and watch the firework displays.
The best spots were hotly contested with hundreds of revellers getting there early to snare the best view.
People came from far and wide, some from interstate and many of them Melburnians keen to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
With the picturesque Christmas tree still up, the carousel spinning and the sun out, punters were not disappointed.
Geelong council chief executive Ali Wastie said tens of thousands of people had turned out to see the two firework displays over Corio Bay.
“It was great to see that New Year’s Eve punters were well behaved and treated each other with respect and kindness,” she said.
“This is always a fantastic time in our region. With more and more tourists visiting our stunning beaches, wineries, city and Waterfront each day, I encourage all road users to slow down on our roads.”
Meanwhile, at Beyond the Valley festival in Barunah Plains, police swooped on a Lara teenager just after 6pm on New Year’s Eve and charged the 18-year-old with trafficking MDMA.
The 18-year-old was the fourth person arrested and charged at the festival, after a 22-year-old Croydon Hills man was arrested earlier on December 31, and two men were arrested and charged with drug trafficking on December 30 – a 27-year-old Rippleside man and a 28-year-old South Yarra man.
Back on the waterfront, Vicki Giles from Frankston and Ty Weber from Werribee were among the crowd gathering on Tuesday evening.
Adorned with glowstick accessories, the pair came last year, and have said they would come back as long as Geelong continues to put on the display.
Ms Giles said the environment was “beautiful”.
“It’s such a nice family atmosphere,” She said.
“They have the kids ones at 9.30pm, but the 12pm ones are just really beautiful.”
Their set up included a wireless speaker, from which the Britney Spears hit ‘toxic’ was blaring as of 6pm, however the pair say they take requests, and due to the high number of kids around are more than often blasting songs from TV show Paw Patrol.
As for resolutions, Mr Weber said he just wants to be “happy and healthy”.
“I just want to enjoy life mate,” he said.
“Maybe have North Melbourne win a few more games.”
If you’d like to remember the year that was, the Geelong Addy’s photographers have compiled their favourite pics of 2024.
For those hoping for a glimpse into next year, local psychic medium Miss Kelly revealed her predictions for 2025, foreseeing a “rollercoaster”.
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Originally published as NYE 2024: Crowds flock to Geelong waterfront to welcome the New Year
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