New Year’s Eve at the Darwin Waterfront one of the biggest celebrations in the country, with 10,000 in attendance

THE NT’s major New Year’s Eve event at the Darwin Waterfront was one of the biggest in Australia, with a 10,000-strong crowd

Fireworks light up the Darwin Waterfront on New Year’s Eve. Picture: Che Chorley

• Farewell to 2020: All the colour from New Year’s Eve in the Territory
• GALLERY: All the fun from New Year’s Eve at the Waterfront
• GALLERY: Tones & I rocks Darwin on New Year’s Eve

THE NT’s major New Year’s Eve event on Thursday was one of the biggest in Australia, with a 10,000-strong crowd gathering at the Darwin Waterfront to farewell 2020 with fireworks and some of the country’s hottest acts.

Darwin Waterfront Corporation events and marketing manager Jessica McAneney said the event, which featured performances by Tones & I and Sheppard and two different fireworks displays, had been a big success.

“The event sold out at 10,000 people,” she said.

Darwin NYE fireworks (above): Vision by Che Chorley

.

“It sold out on December 29 … but about 50 per cent of ticket sales happened in the first 10 days of sales.

“We had a huge reception and are incredibly lucky the NT has given us the opportunity to deliver this event. We could only do this because we have COVID-safe status.”

MORE NEW YEAR’S EVE NEWS

Two assaulted in NYE celebrations, but NT police largely happy with crowd behaviour

NYE revellers mostly well behaved in Alice Springs, police say

New Year’s Eve to be a blockbuster with NT venues expecting biggest celebrations since Inpex boom

“I can’t confirm it was the biggest (New Year’s Eve) event in Australia … but it would have been one of the biggest.”

She noted the 10,000 crowd figure did not include the capacity of restaurants on the Waterfront and Stokes Hill Wharf. “If you include their numbers, well over 10,000 people visited the Waterfront,” she said.

The Waterfront traditionally hosts the NT’s biggest New Year’s Eve event, but this year’s featured a different, more concert-style format and was ticketed due to COVID-19 requirements.

It was the first time the Waterfront has hosted a paid New Year’s Eve show, with adult tickets costing $20 each.

NT NEWS sizzling new deal: Get all your news for just $5 a month

Ms McAneney said the headline acts had enjoyed being part of the Darwin celebrations.

“Both Tones and I and Sheppard were stoked. They both said it was one of the best gigs they have ever done and that the crowd was fantastic and really warm and respectful,” she said.