Melbourne New Year’s Eve 2017: Your comprehensive guide
HUNDREDS of thousands of people have descended on Melbourne’s CBD to welcome 2017 with a bang tonight. Follow our coverage here.
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MELBOURNE’S CBD is buzzing ahead of tonight’s midnight fireworks.
Spectators are out in force across Melbourne’s CBD despite the recent foiled Christmas Day terror plot.
Federation Square is hosting free entertainment while many have gathered on the banks of the Yarra to secure a prime position ahead of the fireworks.
Read more: Melbourne New Year’s Eve 2017: How we celebrated
Disgruntled passengers trying to leave the city following tonight’s fireworks are have furious as they had to walk more than 1km to the nearest tram stop.
Trams were meant to be departing from the Arts Precint station, however weren’t operating last night.
Yarra Trams sources told the Herald Sun police were being “shady” and hadn’t told them what was going on.
The nearest tram station people could board was three stops down the line at the Domain interchange, more than 1100m away.
Victoria Police media has been approached for comment.
Police have a strong presence with members of the air wing and mounted brigrade on patrol as well as external security guards.
The main entance to Flinders St station is closed.
Swanston St between Collins St and the Arts Centre is also closed to traffic and trams are not running in this area.
Crowds remain well behaved.
Meanwhile in Gippsland, a 46-year-old man will be flown to hospital after a firecracker exploded in his face.
John Mullen, an Ambulance Victoria spokesman, said the man, from Hollands Landing, is in a critical condition with head and facial injuries following the incident at 9.30pm.
Elsewhere, a man will also have to be flown to hospital in Melbourne after he was seriously injured in a car crash in Meredith.
Mr Mullen said the man has serious arm injuries and a helicopter had been dispatched.
Hundreds of thousands of people will see in 2017 with a bang as Melbourne’s biggest-ever fireworks display lights up the sky tonight.
More than 450,000 people will flood the city to get a front-row seat and watch tonight’s New Year’s Eve spectacular.
They will be monitored by police from a new $15 million state-of-the-art New York-style surveillance hub at the Victoria Police Centre in Flinders St, which will go live for the first time today.
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As well as allowing analysts to watch footage from hundreds of CCTV cameras across the state, social media will also be monitored to prevent planned public order crimes.
The centre will channel data 24 hours a day, seven days a week from across Victoria Police, including the Air Wing, the State Police Operations Centre, State Control Centre and Police emergency communications centre.
Hundreds of thousands out and about in Melbourne's CBD tonight @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/k0KGSFkIM3
— Brianna Travers (@briannatravers) December 31, 2016
It is hoped live feeds from CCTV across Melbourne’s CBD will keep revellers safe tonight.
Families will flock to Yarra Park and Footscray Park from 9.30pm to enjoy an early fireworks show.
And those who want to celebrate as the clock strikes 12 will be able to see the spectacular main event from anywhere where the city skyline is visible.
Treasury Gardens, Flagstaff Gardens, Docklands and Kings Domain will provide safe spaces for revellers to enjoy the fireworks, with entertainment, live music and DJs.
Those who don’t want to battle the crowds can watch the sky from Frankston, Dromana, Heidelberg and the Dandenong Ranges.
The City of Melbourne has splashed out $3 million on the New Year’s Eve celebrations, including $532,000 towards fireworks, public safety and event management.
Public transport will also be free with trains, trams and buses running all night from 6pm until 6am. But revellers have been warned to be on their best behaviour.
They will be watched from the new Victoria Police Monitoring Assessment Centre, which is similar to New York’s Real Time Crime Centre.
It is a networked monitoring centre that gives police real-time access to information so they can stop crimes in the first place, detect incidents more quickly and respond before they escalate.
Ambulance Victoria State Health Commander Paul Holman urged revellers to take care.
“Let your hair down, by all means, but take precautions to avoid seeing in the new year in the back of an ambulance,” Mr Holman said.
The RSPCA has also urged pet owners to plan for the comfort and safety of their animals.
Sophie Buchanan, head of prevention, said: “Settle your pet in a quiet room with as few windows as possible — garages and laundries often work well.
“Make sure that your boundary fences and gates are secure and that your pet cannot readily escape through them or over them.”
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WHAT’S ON IN THE CITY
Early evening at Yarra Park
Free stage entertainment, films and fireworks display.
Location: Next to the MCG. Yarra Park is bound by Punt Rd Oval, Brunton Ave and Wellington Pde.
Time: 6-10pm
Early fireworks: 9.30pm
Getting there:
Train: Richmond and Jolimont stations. Bus: 246.
Tram: 48, 70 and 75.
Early evening at Footscray Park
Maribyrnong Council fireworks display.
Location: Ballarat Rd, Footscray.
Time: 6.30pm -10pm
Early fireworks: 9.30pm
Getting there: Train: Footscray station.
MIDNIGHT FIREWORKS
13.5 tonnes of fireworks
$532,000
10-minute midnight display
Launching from 22 city rooftops and six “aerial shell firing sites”
70 pyrotechnicians to design, prepare and fire them
Synchronised to a unique soundtrack
Broadcast live on FM 99.7 and Channel 7
WHERE TO SEE THEM AND HOW TO GET THERE
Yarra Park for the 9.30pm show
Live sites with entertainment at Docklands, Treasury Gardens, Kings Domain and Flagstaff Gardens for midnight display. Anywhere with views of the city skyline
DOCKLANDS
Southern Cross station
Time: 9pm — 1am
KINGS DOMAIN
Flinders St station
Time: 9pm — 1am
TREASURY GARDENS
Parliament station
Time: 9pm — 1am
FLAGSTAFF GARDENS
Flagstaff station
Time: 9pm — 1am
Flinders St, Southern Cross and Richmond stations will be open all night, while City Loop stations (Parliament, Flagstaff and Melbourne Central stations) will close from 11.45pm
City-bound services every 15 mins from 8pm-11pm
Additional services from Flinders St after the 9.30pm fireworks
Trains from the city every 10 mins 12.30am — 1.30am,
every 30 mins 1.30am — 3am and hourly service after that
TRAMS
5.30pm and 2am, trams will run every 5-10 mins with some routes diverted because of road closures
2am to first normal Sunday service, trams will run
every 30 mins
BUSES
Leaving Elizabeth St and Melbourne Central, stops on Lonsdale St
Note: Free metropolitan transport from 6pm on New Year’s Eve until 6am New Year’s Day
WEATHER
Min 16
Max 26
Partly cloudy, with a possible shower and light winds in the afternoon and evening
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