New Year’s Eve as it happened: Sydney welcomes 2026 with spectacular fireworks display
SOURCE:Sydney Morning Herald|BY:Emily Kaine, Jack Gramenz, Josefine Ganko
Look back on our live coverage as Sydney celebrated New Year’s Eve and welcomed 2026 amid a heightened police presence following the Bondi terror attack.
That’s a wrap on our live coverage of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Here’s what we covered:
Another spectacular fireworks display rang in the new year, with revellers packing out the key vantage points around the harbour to watch the show.
In honour of the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting, and in solidarity with the Jewish community, a moment of unity was observed at 11pm. A menorah, a dove and the words “Peace” and “Unity” were displayed on the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Crowds observed a minute’s silence and lifted torches and candles into the sky.
The harbour spectacle also included a smoking ceremony, a welcome to country, the 9pm Calling Country family fireworks, and a 10pm tribute to Beyond Blue.
In the wake of the Bondi Beach shooting, a significantly increased police presence was in place during the festivities. 3000 officers, some of whom carried long-arm rifles, were deployed in the biggest security operation ever conducted in the city on New Year’s Eve.
NSW Health issued a warning to the public to take care during celebrations after multiple high-dose MDMA (also known as ecstasy) tablets were detected in NSW.
To handle New Year’s Eve crowds, more than 1000 extra train, bus and light rail services were put on – about 40 per cent higher than the busiest weekday – and public transport operated continuously for 46 hours.
Six kilometres of criss-crossing cables, nine tonnes of explosives and 40,000 pyrotechnic effects were involved in the fireworks display, for what is widely considered the most iconic New Year’s Eve spectacle in the world.
Latest posts
12.48am
The long journey home
By Josefine Ganko and Matt O'Sullivan
With the fireworks wrapped up, Sydneysiders who gathered around the harbour to watch the show are making the long journey home.
Most revellers will be travelling via public transport.
Loading
To handle New Year’s Eve crowds, more than 1000 extra train, bus and light rail services are in service – about 40 per cent higher than the busiest weekday – with public transport operating continuously for 46 hours.
It is the second New Year’s Eve that the city section of the M1 metro line has been operating, which boosts capacity on the rail network by 10 per cent.
Unlike last year, Barangaroo metro station will remain open through the night to help get people in and out of the inner harbour precinct.
12.29am
The view from above
Photographer Edwina Pickles had a unique viewpoint of the fireworks, capturing the display from above.
Here are her incredible pictures:
The midnight New Year’s Eve fireworks.Credit: Edwina Pickles
A side-on view across the harbour from the CBD.Credit: Edwina Pickles
Green fireworks spread from all sides of the bridge.Credit: Edwina Pickles
12.21am
The incredible pictures keep coming
Golden fireworks spray from the Sydney Harbour Bridge.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
An explosion of colour and light.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
12.05am
In pictures: Midnight fireworks thrill Sydney
The midnight New Year’s Eve fireworks on Sydney Harbour, photographed from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
The Sydney Opera House during the midnight fireworks.Credit: Getty Images
An overview of the harbour during the fireworks display.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
12.00am
Happy New Year, Sydney!
By Josefine Ganko
Welcome to 2026! It’s officially midnight and the fireworks display has begun.
It’s been a heartbreaking few weeks for our city, but on New Year’s Eve, Sydneysiders have come together and are looking forward to the new year with hope.
Our photographers are positioned at the harbour’s best vantage points to see the display, and we’ll be posting the money shots in a matter of minutes.
Until then, watch the display with the ABC’s livestream below:
yesterday 11.55pm
Five minutes to go...
By Josefine Ganko
2026 is so close you can almost taste it, as Sydneysiders get in position for the countdown.
Many revellers have been in position at various vantage points around the harbour for hours, all in the hope of catching a glimpse of the 12-minute display.
And for those hoping to ring in the New Year with a kiss, now is the time to lock down your partner!
yesterday 11.43pm
What to expect from the midnight fireworks
By Josefine Ganko and Cindy Yin
We’re just minutes away from what is widely considered the world’s best fireworks show.
Foti International Fireworks is responsible for Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, an arrangement that’s been in place for 28 years now. The fireworks are launched from various landmarks, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, with the show lasting about 12 minutes.
The spectacle is scored by Jono Ma, with this year’s soundtrack title Higher Together.
Loading
In an exclusive story, urban affairs reporter Cindy Yin got the behind-the-scenes scoop on the fireworks display, with photographer Dominic Lorrimer climbing to the top of the Harbour Bridge to capture the preparations.
As Yin writes, a team of up to 80 pyrotechnicians can clock up to 35,000 steps a day walking up and down the 1332 stairs on the bridge during the installation process, using a production line method to put the equipment into place.
But all roads lead back home to the “Cracker Hut” – a room inside an unassuming brown structure at the halfway point at the base of the bridge, where signals to set off the fireworks are triggered.
A tribute to the victims of the Bondi terror attack is displayed on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
yesterday 11.15pm
Lights shine on Sydney harbour in moving Bondi tribute
By Josefine Ganko
The New Year’s Eve crowds fell silent for one minute to remember the 15 people killed in the Bondi Beach shooting earlier this month, in a show of solidarity with Sydney’s Jewish community.
With the Sydney Harbour Bridge illuminated white and the lights of thousands of torches glowing, the city stopped to remember and reflect.
As the minute of silence ended, singer Matt Corby gave a moving performance of INXS’ Never Tear Us Apart on the ABC’s New Year’s Eve coverage.
‘Peace’ and ‘Unity’ were written on the bridge during the minute of silence.Credit: Edwina Pickles
Concertgoers hold up torch lights during the minute of silence.Credit: ABC
