5 Reasons to Visit Sydney During New Year's

We all love Diwali. But imagine watching more than 100,000 fireworks explode in the sky, in time to music, around a magnificent natural harbour on a pleasant summer night! That’s how you would be celebrating New Year in Sydney with about 1.5 million people! Though most of the excitement is around the spectacular fireworks display, there are different ways to enjoy Sydney’s much talked about New Year Party! Let’s take a journey to Sydney to experience an exciting New Year’s Eve and all the events that lead up to it.

Vantage points to watch the fireworks... along with a picnic basket!

The Sydney Opera House is the best place to watch the fireworks. Other places worth mentioning out of the long list are Robertson’s Park, Dawes Point (Tar-Ra) Park, East Circular Quay, Campbell’s Cove, Simmon’s Point Reserve, Lawn with a View, Blue Point reserve, Bradfield Park and Goat Island. Most of these are free and it’s a good idea to reach early to get a great spot to watch the dazzling fireworks at 9 pm and then again at midnight, this being the longer one of the two! Here's a tip: Don't forget to carry your picnic basket along. However, if you aren't able to make it for this, don’t worry as there is pre-firework entertainment at most of the places, which starts by early afternoon.

Fun parties with the family…

Kids love fireworks but added entertainment never harms! Darling Harbour is for booze-free fun with free live music and entertainment with artists in the league of Chuck Love, Tara McDonald and Sandy Rivers. You can also head for an after-hours tour to meet your furry mates at the Taronga Zoo with live entertainment and a view of the fireworks. Take a picnic basket along or just buy your food and drinks inside.

...and Rocking Parties without the family

The Harbour Party at Luna Park is undeniably the ultimate New Year's Eve party in town – the perfect place to enjoy the fireworks (of course) along with some amazing talent. Dance into the new year with gigs by Ian Carey, Havana Brown, Grafton Primary and Pendulum. Ride the rattling wild mouse or go up 50 metres to get a bird's eye view of the partying city and then be unceremoniously dropped down back to earth at 80 kilometres an hour on the hair raiser! All the rides are included in your ticket!

One of the great 18+ dance parties is Shore Thing at Bondi beach where Dj Carl Cox, Roger Sanchez and Danny Tenaglia make you dance the night away. Purple Sneakers NYE House party is literally like a party at home but with different Djs and bands playing at different levels, rooms, balconies and 1600 people grooving their way in to the New Year.

A great tradition in Sydney is the Gala Concert Dinner at the Sydney Opera House. Dress up to the T and head to 'Poshville' to enjoy a night of the greatest opera hits, gourmet food by the likes of celebrity chef Matt Moran and a mid night party, all included in the Gala Concert Dinner.

Keep a copy of one of the free gig guides like 'The Drum' handy with you at all times and get all the updates on the latest parties and events in town.

All-in-one Packages

If you prefer a place where everything is laid out for you and you can just sit back and enjoy the fireworks, there are many hotels and restaurants that offer packages that include fine dining and fantastic views of the fireworks.

The Quay or Wildfire in the Harbour area or Peter Doyle’s at the terminal would of course be the obvious choices as that's where all the action is. However even places like Blu Bar at the Shangri-la hotel, the revolving restaurant at the Sydney Tower, North Sydney Harbour View Hotel on the North Shore are great options with amazing views.

If you miss out on booking the above then you could choose restaurants like the Catalina at Rose Bay. They have their own fireworks display at midnight.

Cruise into the New Year

There are many harbour cruises for the New Year that include dinner, drinks, and on-board entertainment. Many of these vessels have special designated areas where they dock inside the harbour for viewing the fireworks. Along with the Heritage fleet of Australia some of these ships also take part in the annual Harbour Light Parade. After the first 9 pm show of fireworks, they switch on their lights and complete a 15 kilometre circuit of the harbour, making sure they are back well in time for the midnight extravaganza!

Camping under the stars!

And finally, there is one way to escape the crowd and traffic and still enjoy the amazing fireworks- Camp out at Cockatoo Island! Spend a relaxing evening with your family or friends under the sparkling sky and not worry about heading home after. Another advantage of being at Cockatoo Island is the private viewing of the Harbour of Lights parade, as it passes by the island. After the fireworks, all you have to do is head for your tent and have a good night’s sleep. Stick on another day to explore the island or catch the ferry back to the main land in the morning, without any of the hustle bustle you would have had to face the night earlier. 

• You can book a cruise, dinner and other parties over the internet. But if for some reason you aren't able to, make sure you reach early enough as everything sells out fast. 
• Most Sydney parties and events do not require formal clothing. Casual wear is accepted, though some places like the Sydney Opera House require you to wear shoes and not slippers or flip-flops.
• If you are going to one of the free areas make sure you get there early to get a good spot. Every place has a certain capacity, going into thousands of course, and once they are full, the gates are closed.
• Most of the streets in Sydney are closed for traffic in the evening. There is a Transport App that you can download on your smartphone which will help you reach your chosen spot. Taking a bus, ferry, or train is an option but expect delays, even though there are extra services added at this time of year. Taxi’s are hard to find, even from the ‘Secured Taxi ranks’ And remember you may have to walk back, as transport is not allowed in the Harbour Exclusion Zone between 8 pm and 12:45 am.
• Make sure you wear comfortable shoes, a hat, sunscreen and carry plenty of water. Carry something warm as it does get cooler late into the night.

So go ahead and book your trip to Sydney to witness and enjoy one of the most amazing New Year's Eve celebrations around the world!