How to Best Enjoy New Year’s Eve in Sydney

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The fireworks for New Year’s Eve in Sydney are some of the most beautiful, complex, and iconic in the world. Seeing this show is a bucket list opportunity. If you have the chance to experience New Year’s Eve in Sydney, take it! As the first major city to turn to the New Year, it is an exciting place to be for this occasion. The city puts on the best fireworks display in the world and you won’t want to miss it. So here is some information for the best experience for you.

The Two Main Firework Shows

There are actually two fireworks shows in the Sydney Harbour. The first is at 9 PM and is considered the family show because it happens earlier in the evening. They are a celebration of sky, land, and sea, organized by the Aboriginal community of Australia and are coordinated with a light and music show throughout the water.

Tip: If you have your heart set on watching the fireworks from the water, getting a boat to view just the 9 PM show is the most economical way to do it. In addition, boats that only view the 9 PM show tend to not sell out as quickly as those that are for the midnight firework display.

The main show at midnight includes the more iconic fireworks displays. This is the one that is streamed around the world with amazing fireworks coming off of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the opera house, and all throughout the harbor. This 12-minute show is a true star, coordinating with the lights of the boats and predetermined music.

Both of these shows can be seen on television if you would rather experience the New Year’s Eve fireworks from the comfort of your home.

Seeing the New Year's Eve Fireworks for Free

Besides watching the fireworks from home, there are many places throughout the Sydney Harbor where you can see the show. There are dozens of parks around the harbor that are organized by the city as viewing points with restrooms, food trucks (at certain locations), and police presence to keep the space safe. Check what is provided at your chosen vantage point so you can bring the appropriate food and hydration for your day. It takes dedication to get a good viewpoint in these parks as people may camp out to get the best spots and they may reach capacity before noon!

The map on the official New Year’s Eve in Sydney website shows the different vantage points throughout the city. You can also see where fireworks are set off throughout the harbor so you can determine the best vantage point for you. In addition, you can filter the map to see the locations that are free. It is important to note that only certain areas allow you to bring your own alcohol so make sure you look into that prior. And for those who are looking for an alcohol-free experience, there are some vantage points that do not allow anyone to bring alcohol and do not sell any on premise.

No matter where you choose to go to see the fireworks, make sure you stay hydrated throughout your wait time for the fireworks as it can be quite hot throughout the day when waiting for the show.

Guaranteeing a Great View of the New Year's Eve Fireworks

The best way to guarantee an amazing view New Year’s Eve in Sydney fireworks show is to reserve a spot on a boat in the harbor. For this option, you will want to plan in advance for the most options and best deals. There are many different boats that provide a variety of experiences. You can find party boats with young adults, family friendly catamarans, luxury yacht experiences, and more.

Consider the type of environment that is best for you based on the food provided, drink packages, size of the boat, live music vs. a dj., and other variables. Some boats have the option to upgrade your viewing area to get a guaranteed viewing spot of the fireworks on that particular boat. Others are small enough for everyone to be able to see the show. Finally, some boats only view the early or later show while others will be on the water for over 6 hours to be able to see both shows throughout the evening.

You will also want to ask if the boat that you are reserving will be able to navigate within the “exception zone”. This is a permit-only zone for the day of the fireworks that is limited to a certain number of boats. However, being in this area will give you a front row vista of the show, if this is important to your experience.

This is not an inexpensive bucket list experience for most people so take careful consideration and plan in advance so you will not be disappointed with your New Year’s Eve in Sydney celebration.

Transportation: How to Get Around on New Year's Eve in Sydney

The only way that we would promote getting around Sydney, especially on New Year’s Eve, is with public transportation. The network within Sydney is extensive, far reaching, safe, and affordable and on particular holidays, the city greatly increases the number of services it runs to move people efficiently into and out of the city. The city also closes down specific roads to ground transportation, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, making it challenging to take your own transportation into the city.

Looking for where to stay for New Year's Eve in Sydney? You can check out various hotels here.

When leaving the city center after the fireworks, you may need to be patient but there will be a lot of transportation provided and crowds should move quickly. If you are on a boat, you will not get off the boat until after 1 AM and crowds will have already dissipated by then. For those who have seen the fireworks from the parks around the harbor, you can consider waiting until around 1 AM to try to take transportation as crowds will have significantly decreased.

Overall, the city and public transportation is well organized and planned for New Year’s Eve in Sydney.