Revellers are jostling to secure a prime spot to enjoy celebrations taking place across Australia to mark the start of 2026.
A record number of police officers will patrol Sydney, as tensions remain high after the Bondi terror attack, with more than one million people expected to attend.
More than 2,500 officers in uniform and plain clothes will conduct patrols, with some carrying long-arm firearms.
Authorities said measures were in place to help people feel safe, but said there was no greater, active or imminent threat to safety.
NSW Premier Chris Minns encouraged people to attend New Year’s Eve events and to not cower to the terrorists.
“We can’t be in a situation where this horrible criminal terrorist event changes the way we live in our beautiful city,” he said.
Upwards of 2,500 NSW Police officers are expected to patrol New Year’s Eve events in Sydney. (ABC News: Fletcher Yeung)
Revellers queue for hours
There were frenzied scenes when the gates opened at 10am at coveted vantage point Mrs Macquarie’s Chair in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens, which hit capacity by midday.
One woman said people started running as soon as the gates opened.
Some revellers waited more than 24 hours to secure their spot in the line for the best fireworks vantage points. (ABC News: Fletcher Yeung)
“[It was] crazy. I live in Germany. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”
“I was thinking, this is insane. I think we were some of the first 100 people in the line.”
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Two women said they had been overwhelmed by the number of people rushing for the best spots.
“It was a bit scary,” said one. “I was a bit scared that I would get run over, but it was all right.”
Queues at Hobart’s Taste of Summer
At Hobart’s waterfront, foodies and early New Year’s Eve revellers formed long queues to get into the Taste of Summer festival.
The festival gates opened at midday with food and music on offer up to and including the fireworks tonight.
Thousands of people are expected to attend New Year’s Eve events in Hobart. (ABC News: Meg Whitfield)
Thousands of patrons are expected through the gates this evening.
There will be two fireworks displays along Hobart’s skyline — the first at 9:30pm and the last at midnight.
Fireworks operator Allan Spiegel has been organising the display for 17 years.
He said more than 1,000 shells would be fired off in each of the shows.
“Enjoy the night, enjoy the spectacle, you’ll be able to see if for miles around Hobart,” he said.
Pyrotechnic show to light up Adelaide
At Adelaide’s Elder Park along the River Torrens, preparations are in place for live entertainment and fireworks displays tonight.
A night of entertainment is planned for Adelaide revellers. (ABC News)
“Lots of beautiful new pyrotechnic effects, glittering comets, mines, aerial shells, a very colourful start to the new year,” pyrotechnician Andrew Howard said.
South Australia Police said officers would be visible at key celebration hotspots.
A number of areas have been proclaimed Declared Public Precincts which give police extra powers to search people for weapons or to order them to leave the area.
Spectators trickle into Brisbane vantage points
In Queensland, Brisbane loves to ring in the new year along the banks of the river.
This year, six barges moored along the river will treat the crowds to displays boasting “more than 100,000” pyrotechnic effects.
Traditionally, South Bank is where the biggest crowd gathers to watch the fireworks and celebrate the new year.
As always, those committed enough to spend an entire day waiting in the Queensland sun have already turned up to claim a spot.
Colleen Klasen and her husband secured their spot early on Wednesday morning. (ABC News: Stephen Clarke)
Colleen Klasen and her husband, from Tamworth in NSW, arrived at 9am.
“We thought it would be crowded because we’ve been to Sydney before and it’s been a lot more crowded,” she said.
“People start lining up really early. But Brisbane’s a bit more laid-back.”
Fireworks displays are also planned on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts.Â
Huge fireworks display for Canberra
Additional barges have been floated on Lake Burley Griffin to launch the fireworks. (ABC News: Monte Bovill)
Canberra will farewell 2025 and ring in 2026 with the city’s biggest ever New Year’s Eve fireworks display.
Some 50,000 people are expected to celebrate New Year’s on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin tonight.
There will be two fireworks displays — at 9pm and midnight — launched from barges in the lake’s central basin.
Martin Brady from Fireworks Australia said it was the “biggest show” they have ever done in Canberra.
“There’s two more barges than last year and bigger barges as well,” he said.
“We can’t fit anymore on, it is chock-a-block.”
Chilly celebrations for Melbourne
In Melbourne’s CBD, what has been promoted as the city’s biggest fireworks display will take place, with a family show at 9:30pm and the main game at midnight.
There will be a heavy police presence, with an additional 500 officers throughout the CBD and an extra 2,500 officers across Victoria.
Friends Harold and Kay Bingul and Josef Hofs, managed to snag a spot along the Yarra River. (ABC News: Andi Yu)
After some warm weather earlier in the week, the city is expecting a windy and chilly night, headed for a low of roughly 14 degrees Celsius.
This afternoon, eager revellers were snagging spots along the Yarra River to see the main fireworks, including Harold and Kay Bingul and Josef Hofs, who told the ABC they were rugged up and ready.
Perth locals take to the river
The river will be a popular place for people to celebrate in Perth. (ABC News: Cason Ho)
With a top of 33C, Perth is set for a warm day, though midnight should see a far more comfortable 21C.
Many people have already taken to the river in the sunshine in craft ranging from fishing boats to yachts and jet skis.
Perth’s main New Year’s Eve celebrations centre on Elizabeth Quay, on the banks of the Swan River in the heart of the CBD.
Festivities are due to kick off later today with a DJ on a floating stage, followed by a range of family-friendly entertainment.
Two fireworks displays are scheduled at 8.30pm and midnight.
Young revellers will be making their way to the city’s nightspot of Northbridge, while a variety of DJs are scheduled to appear at the Snack NYE event at Claremont Showgrounds featuring Peking Duk.
‘We will rise,’ PM says
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s new year’s message promoted togetherness while acknowledging excitement about the new year had been “tempered by the sadness of the old following the terror inflicted on Jewish Australians on Bondi Beach”.
“Yet what Bondi also showed us was the best of the Australian spirit in all its courage and compassion,” he said.
There is a hopeful mood from crowds on the ground this New Year’s Eve. (ABC News: Fletcher Yeung)
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said in her message there was “real reason for hope” in the new year.
“Australia is at its best when we look out for one another, when we reject division and when we meet challenge with courage and common purpose,” she said.
“The year ahead brings new challenges, but it also brings opportunity — opportunity to strengthen our communities, to restore trust and to build a future that is safer, fairer and more hopeful for the next generation.”