Sydney’s family fireworks display lit up the sky in an array of new, vibrant colours designed to excite revellers of all ages.
The fun-filled eight-minute display at 9pm followed a daring aerial show above Sydney Harbour.
A stunning animation featuring a grandfather and grandson’s journey along the rivers of the Eora Nation was projected on to the pylons of the Harbour Bridge as part of the night’s Welcome to Country ceremony.
“Sydney New Year’s Eve is one of the largest and most technologically advanced fireworks displays in the world and it just gets better every year,” Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
“Our bright and colourful family fireworks display means that families with young children can come down to one of the many free vantage points around the Sydney Harbour and beyond, or tune in on the ABC from home, before tucking the kids into bed.
It was a great way to kick off our always spectacular New Year’s Eve celebrations - and I'm looking forward to ringing in the New Year in a few hours.”
The winning entry from the ABC’s design your own firework competition featured in the 9pm display. Competition winner seven-year-old Lucia from South Australia, designed a multi coloured umbrella with a palm cross.
From sunset, video projections of the popular designs by Sydney New Year's Eve official artist Nadia Hernández were projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons.
Central to her New Year's artwork were the words wonder, radiate, hope, dance and together.
"These are words that are celebratory, but also capture the essence of Sydney," Ms Hernández says.
"There is a great sense of unity about New Year's Eve and this is a message of hope for the future. It starts with everybody coming together to celebrate a new beginning with friends, family and complete strangers and wish each other a happy new year. It’s very powerful and very special."
Nadia’s artwork also inspired a new colour palate for the 9pm fireworks and light shows, with bright orange, pink, lime green and light blue featuring for the first time.
The 9pm fireworks featured water flares, flares off the bridge, and shells off the barges creating a magnificent waterfall effect.
The fireworks were synchronised to a soundtrack created by Alex Gooden simulcast on KIIS-FM and broadcast on the ABC.
Sydney New Year's images are available for download here. Please credit: City of Sydney/Getty Images
Visit sydneynewyearseve.com for event details.
For more information and images, please contact Belinda Wallis, City of Sydney Senior Media Relations Advisor, on 0467 810 160 or bwallis@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
For interviews with Lord Mayor Clover Moore, please contact Julia Lenton on 0410 748 039 or email jlenton@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au