Sydney shines for the world to see | City of Sydney

Sydney Harbour Bridge has come alive in a blaze of colourful fireworks, special lighting, pylon projections and a moving Welcome to Country.

The two spectaculars featured 60 tonnes of equipment, five barges, 25,000 shooting effects, 9,000 aerial shells and more than 80,000 pyrotechnic effects.

The evening’s celebrations commenced with a smoking ceremony on the harbour, followed by the 9pm Welcome to Country fireworks curated by First Nations artist Blak Douglas.

At the stroke of midnight, 7th-generation master pyrotechnician, Fortunato Foti and his team, created a jaw-dropping, 12-minute display. More fireworks fired off the Sydney Opera House sails than ever before while fireworks erupted above, below and through the Sydney Harbour Bridge, all synchronised to a soundtrack by The Presets.

Titled You Belong, the original soundtrack was simultaneously released by the electronic music duo at midnight.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said Sydney had shown once again why it is the best place in the world to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

“This year’s theme of ‘see Sydney shine’ couldn’t have been more fitting,” the Lord Mayor said.

“I hope Sydney’s New Year’s Eve has sent a positive message to the world that brighter days are ahead and there is hope and happiness beyond the challenges of this pandemic.

“This truly spectacular start to the new year is only possible because of the many thousands of hours of hard work by our City of Sydney team, our partners in State Government and the Foti fireworks family.

“I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the many creatives, event professionals and sponsors who help to deliver this event, and I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year.”

The fireworks for both displays were digitally launched by 15 computers linked with more than 25 kilometres of wire and cables, to ensure synchronisation with the music soundtracks.

More than 3,000 hours went into designing, staging and launching the two displays, with 178 firing locations on the Harbour Bridge alone, and using different sequences to launch the fireworks to produce new effects and create never seen before moments.

Overall, many months of planning went into producing the event that had to constantly adapt to the ever evolving and changing situation around the pandemic.

Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks are manufactured from biodegradable paper and compounds that dissipate after use to minimise the environmental impact. The City of Sydney also draws on improved technology, energy saving LEDs and low wattage lighting.

For New Year’s event information, visit the Sydney New Year’s Eve website.

For media inquiries or images, contact Elaine Kelly. Phone mobile 0477 362 550 or email ekelly@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

For interviews with Lord Mayor Clover Moore, contact Jack Begbie.
Phone 0481 759 580 or email lordmayormedia@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au