Crews are busy preparing a jaw-dropping display that will light up the sky in a kaleidoscope of colour this New Year's Eve, with fireworks launched from pontoons, Sydney Harbour's architectural icons and four city rooftops.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the darling of the midnight show, hosting swirling circles of fireworks during the countdown before being lit up, along with the rest of the harbour, in a riot of rainbow colour.
Inspired by sky, land and sea the 9pm Calling Country fireworks display will dazzle with crackers erupting over the harbour representing clear blue skies, twinkling stars, sunburnt-coloured flowers and ocean creatures.
"We're delighted to be welcoming spectators back to the harbour foreshore to join in the excitement of a world-class celebration," Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney said.
"There's nothing quite like the sound and colour of Sydney's famous fireworks displays to bring in the new year.
"For those heading into town, please plan your night, double check whether you need a ticket this year and give yourself plenty of time to arrive and get settled at your vantage point."
This year's fireworks displays feature:
- 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects
- fireworks bursting from 4 building rooftops to frame the harbour
- 2,000 fireworks launched from Sydney Opera House sails
- 7,000 fireworks fired from more positions on the Sydney Harbour Bridge than ever before
- a display boasting a kaleidoscope of colour, including aquamarine, lemon and magenta crackers
- and a rainbow waterfall off the bridge.
"As one of the largest New Year's Eve celebrations in the world, we've put everything into designing and planning this logistically complex event," Fortunato Foti from Foti International Fireworks said.
"Using our beautiful harbour as a canvas, we think we've come up with something special and are excited to share what is sure to be a memorable experience for both those in Sydney and further afield.
"If we can bring everyone together in celebration and looking to the year ahead with renewed optimism and joy, then we'll see that as a job well done."
Platinum-selling, ARIA-nominated music producer, DJ and vocalist Stace Cadet will bring his own flavour of dance music to the midnight fireworks, creating an original soundtrack featuring vocal powerhouse KLP, which will be live-streamed and simulcast on KIIS 1065.
An original soundtrack produced by Kombumerri sound artist Rowan Savage (also known as Salllvage) will accompany the 9pm Calling Country fireworks display. Rowan will use recordings of birdsong collected on Gadigal Country alongside a song in language by Nadeena Dixon about fisherwomen who lived and gathered food on Sydney Harbour.
Many of the Sydney New Year's Eve vantage points in the city centre will be ticketed.
Visit sydneynewyearseve.com for up-to-date information on where you can view the fireworks.
The City of Sydney manages six vantage points around the harbour. Four of these are free but ticketed – Observatory Hill Park, Giba Park, Pirrama Park and Embarkation Park. Beare Park and Bicentennial Park do not require tickets for entry.
If you plan to party at home, ABC TV and ABC iview will broadcast live from Sydney Harbour at 8.30pm. The 9pm and midnight fireworks will also be live streamed at sydneynewyearseve.com
