A Guide to NYE on Sydney Harbour

A Guide to NYE on Sydney Harbour

Post
Subscribe

Posted 2014-12-17 by Greta Mayrfollow
New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour is a celestial event that garners the attention of celebrants from all over the globe. Sydney's fireworks extravaganza draws in over 1 billion viewers worldwide, 1.6 million of whom flock to Sydney Harbour to watch the spectacular show firsthand. To guarantee yourself a prime view of Sydney's incredible New Year's show and secure an unforgettable evening, it is imperative to plan ahead.

Theme: Inspire

Organisers of Sydney's New Year's Eve 2014 are asking the question: what inspires you about Sydney? You can provide your answer by tweeting with the hashtag #SydNYE and have it beamed onto the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the whole world to see.

Lord Mayor Clover Mayor said: "through the whole theme of inspire, we hope people will think about and appreciate that we live in such a wonderful place. They will come together safely and celebrate together – the fact that we are so multicultural the fact that we do have so many advantages here." She added that the twitter feed broadcast reaffirms Sydney as a global and connected city.

When asked what inspires him about Sydney, the New Year's Eve creative ambassador Jack Thompson replied with: "the people and the party." The iconic Aussie actor said, "we are incredibly privileged people living in an incredibly privileged place and we need to celebrate what we have – and believe me, New Year's Eve we will."

Best Places to See the Fireworks

Lord Mayor Clover Moore has highlighted the presence of the many vantage points around Sydney Harbour , deemed 'managed sites' for revellers to take advantage of this New Year's Eve. There are over 60 locations, each varying in their capacity, amenities, price and options for food or beverages. There is also a suite of events, harbour cruises and venues you can make the most of this New Year's Eve to guarantee an unforgettable evening of unparalleled celebration and excitement.

North Side

Some of the best areas on the North side of Sydney Harbour at which to celebrate New Year's Eve include Bradfield Park, Blues Point Reserve and Mary Booth Lookout. Alcohol is prohibited at all of these locations but all of them have access to toilets and are family friendly. They also feature unobstructed views of the Sydney Harbout and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Because of this, however, these areas will fill up incredibly quickly so be sure to get there early in the day to secure your spot.

Kurraba Point Reserve, Cremorne Point Reserve and Balls Head Reserve offer obstructed views of the harbour and bridge, yet this will make it easier to find and secure a seat. Bradley's Head: The Mast Precinct offers stunning views of the whole harbour from the East and the whole headland transforms into a family-friendly festival on New Year's Eve.

South Side

Popular locations around which to celebrate New Year's Eve are Circular Quay and Darling Harbour. Darling Harbour will have a huge capacity on the night stretching around from Pyrmont to Cockle Bay Wharf to Barangaroo. This area is ideal for families, particularly if you are looking to watch the 9pm fireworks and then miss the midnight crowds. Other popular areas include the Botanical Gardens, Mrs Macquaries Point, Dawes Point Park and at various parks in Balmain, such as Thornton Park and Simmons Point. It is worth noting that ticketed vantage points such as Barangaroo Point, Lawn with the View and The Point at the Botanical Gardens are already sold out.

On the Water

Celebrating New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour allows you to feel one with the city's stunning waterscape and enjoy the unrivalled fireworks display away from the crowds. Taking part in a harbour cruise provides celebrants with a luxurious and extravagant way to ring in a New Year. MV EPICURE I is an example of an opulent harbour cruise with a sumptuous five-course dinner, comprehensive beverage menu, soulful, entertaining line up of live music and front-row view of Sydney's spectacular fireworks and New Year's Eve events.

Program of Events

- At 6pm the thrilling timetable of events on the 31st December kicks off with air displays above Sydney Harbour.
- At 7pm the attention will then turn to the water with a fire tug display in which a Sydney Ports Corporation fire tug will blast tonnes of water into the sky, set against the stunning Sydney sunset.
- At 8pm the excitement continues with another dynamic air display over the harbour.
- At 8.30pm the harbour will be lit up by the dramatic images and tweets being projected on to the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
- At 8.40pm the Acknowledgement of Country ceremony takes place, showing respect to the city's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and heritage and honouring the relationship with the traditional custodians of the land.
- At 8.45pm the bridge effect will begin, creating mesmerizing lighting illusions to capture your imagination and give you a taste of the spectacular shows appearing later in the evening.
- At 9pm the first fireworks display takes place. This 8-minute family-friendly show features fireworks erupting from the harbour bridge and four barges on the harbour. This is ideal for families who wish to experience the Sydney skyline come to life in an explosion of colour and fantasy but want to avoid the midnight crowds.
- At 9.15pm the Harbour of Light Parade follows, involving an illuminated flotilla of colourful vessels floating across the harbour.
- At 10.40pm the second fireworks show will build the excitement and suspense of the evening, promising a show-stopping blast capturing the theme of Inspire.
- The moment of dazzle and spectacle that everyone has been waiting for will finally be upon us as the clock strikes midnight. As it rolls into a new year, the Sydney night sky will erupt into a 12-minute long fireworks show that will be sure to bring you the ultimate good fortune in 2015.

Crowd Control

New South Wales Assistant Police Commissioner Mick Fuller revealed there will be 3000 addition shifts throughout the Sydney metro area over New Year's Eve. He said authorities have put in a lot of effort to guarantee public safety. However, to ensure you have a safe and memorable evening, Fuller emphasises the importance of forward planning.

The Assistant commissioner said, "There is a clear message around public safety, around planning your event and ensuring you look after the people you come in with."

Fuller also supported authorities' decisions to temporarily lift the lock out laws for what he said, "is a really unique evening." The exemption of the lockout laws aims to guarantee safety for families to avoid hordes of people rushing to licenced venues following the completion of the fireworks display.

Public transport is another major concern when it comes to New Year's Eve in Sydney. Authorities implore people to use public transport to ease congestion and take advantage of the extra 4,500 services running on the night. There will be significant road closures on New Year's Eve around the Sydney CBD, North Sydney, Lower North Shore, Inner West and harbour foreshore. The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be closed between 11pm and 1am and many public transport routes will stop during this time. However, there will be extra services following the celebrations. There will be many staff around Sydney harbour directing celebrants to their nearest transport locations, however, planning ahead it still heavily encouraged.

#darling_harbour
#fireworks
#new_years_eve
#nightlife
#city
#december
#lists
%wnsydney
192489 - 2023-06-16 03:44:12

Tags

Free
Outdoor
Festivals
Music
Markets
Nightlife
Fundraisers
Family_friendly
Community
Arts_culture
Food_drink
Educational
Random
Theatre_shows
Holiday
Copyright 2024 OatLabs ABN 18113479226