Melbourne’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display to be the best ever

Melbourne’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display is tipped to be the best ever. But the council says you won’t necessarily have to come into town to view the show. Here’s where you can see the show.

City of Melbourne has promised a great New Year’s Eve fireworks show in 2018.

Melbourne has been promised its most exciting fireworks display ever with more than 350,000 revellers expected to flock to the city for New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Four official live sites in the CBD will feature entertainment leading up to the midnight display, while families will be able to enjoy a special fireworks show at 9.30pm at Yarra Park.

But Melbourne City Council is encouraging more people to view the festivities from outside the inner city as this year’s fireworks display will be tweaked for maximum exposure.

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Where to see the fireworks.

New Year’s Eve celebrations at Federation Square in the CBD. Picture: Rob Leeson.

The midnight show will cover seven square kilometres of the city, ensuring that people across the city and surrounding suburbs have a spectacular view.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said that 14 tonnes of fireworks will light up the city skyline to make it the most exciting and innovative show ever.

“It will take a team of 75 pyrotechnicians an extra week to install this year’s display, with more than 36,500 effects launched from 22 city rooftops at the stroke of midnight,” she said.

“Believe me, if you can see the city skyline, you’ll see our midnight fireworks.”

New fireworks effects in 2018 include ones that explode in a swirly line looking like a dragon taking off in the sky, and masses of silver spots that explode and crackle representing dragon eggs.

Other new effects are spider shells, rainbow fans and saturn rings, while the fireworks will be synchronised to a 10-minute soundtrack by Australian Aboriginal hip-hop artist Adam Briggs.

Young revellers enjoying New Year’s Eve on the Yarra. Picture: Jay Town

Cr Capp warned people to plan ahead, expect delays and use public transport on the night.

“With such a high volume of people in the city, it’s important that we act respectfully and look after each other as we ring in 2019,” she said.

“We continue to work closely with Victoria Police, Emergency Management Victoria and the State Government to ensure everyone has an enjoyable - and most importantly safe — New Year’s Eve.”

Opening at 9pm, the live sites of Treasury Gardens, Flagstaff Gardens, Docklands and Kings Domain will have DJs and food trucks.

All of the city council’s New Year’s Eve celebrations are alcohol-free events and fines apply.

The council will spend $3.4 million on the 2018 display, but just $235,000 of that will

be spent on the actual fireworks, with most going on operational, safety and security costs.

The 2017 event generated $8.6 million in economic benefit.

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@JMasanauskas