‘Quietest in years’: Police praise 2021 NYE crowds as arrests plunge in some states

COVID-free Brisbane has celebrated the new year in style with rowdy revellers flocking to the city, but crowds were more subdued across the rest of the nation.

Revellers in COVID-free Brisbane have let loose as the clock ticked over into 2021 as police praised the mostly subdued crowds across the nation.

Crowds were down, most notably in Sydney and Melbourne, as Australians celebrated after a difficult year — some at parties, others enjoying more sedate gatherings with a handful of friends, and others still staying home.

Police largely praised the behaviour of those who were out and about, with arrests plunging in South Australia and Victoria, though doubling in Western Australia.

In Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley night-life district revellers took to the street to bring in the new year, with large crowds seen dancing and kissing as the clock struck midnight.

A number of people appeared to party a little too hard, with some captured vomiting into bins and gutters, while others were led away by police in handcuffs.

But despite a handful of arrests in Brunswick Street Mall, Queensland Police Acting Chief Superintendent Chris Stream said partygoers were largely “well behaved” on New Year’s Eve.

He said 71 people were arrested in the Brisbane region with most for public order offences in and around the entertainment precincts.

Police lead a woman away in handcuffs in the Brunswick Street Mall on New Year's Eve in Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston.

People kissing in the street in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley as they bring in the start of 2021. Picture: Liam Kidston.

In Victoria, the start of 2021 was dubbed the “quietest New Year’s Eve police have seen in years”.

Officers made 59 arrests, 12 of them in relation to alleged assaults and 25 for drug offences.

The figure was a sharp dip from the 193 arrests recorded in Victoria last NYE.

Meanwhile in New South Wales, police declared they were “generally pleased” with how revellers behaved.

But across the evening 219 were arrested and multiple illicit fireworks seized.

Only 5000 people used passes to enter the Sydney CBD to witness the iconic fireworks that usually draw hundreds of thousands to the Harbour Bridge and surrounds.

In Victoria, the start of 2021 was dubbed the “quietest New Year’s Eve police have seen in years”. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

A friend holds woman's hair in Brunswick Street Mall after a having a bit too much to drink during New Year's Eve celebrations in Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston.

The number of people watching from boats on the harbour also declined, to just 20 per cent of the usual crowd.

Instead people watched the fireworks on TV at home, or from afar from locations around the city.

In South Australia 78 were people arrested, a dive from last year’s 106.

But in Western Australia there were 101 arrests across the state, almost doubling last year’s figures.

The increase was attributed to a larger number of disturbances at homes, instead of out and about.

In the Australian Capital Territory at least four people were arrested, one of them charged with assaulting police and another for graffiti.