Brisbane revellers brave the rain amid boosted police presence for NYE

Showers across inner-Brisbane did not dull the buzz of residents and visitors picking prime viewing positions for the city’s four fireworks and drone shows to welcome 2026.

Shortly before 7pm those gathered near the banks of the Brisbane River raised umbrellas as a light shower swept through, including work friends Ram, Shiv, and Sunny – who were forced to share the one umbrella while seated at their vantage point in Queens Wharf.

“One [of the umbrellas] is given to the kids,” Shiv said.

The trio – from West End, Mount Ommaney, and Chermside, respectively – arrived shortly before the show with their families, and expected to stay until the end of the night.

“This is the first time we’re seeing the new year in the Brisbane, so we’re pretty excited,” Sunny said.

“To be honest, I’m looking forward to the drone show.”

More than 200,000 people are expected in the Brisbane CBD across the evening and early morning, where police have bolstered security patrols after the fatal Bondi Beach shooting.

Queensland Police Service said there was no known direct threat to the city’s revellers, but Acting Chief Superintendent Heath McQueen said the attack had rightfully raise safety concerns across the country.

“On the back of [the Bondi shooting], we’ve also obviously had a good look at our planning,” McQueen said.

“We are expecting big numbers, but we have a major and events planning unit. This is what they do regularly, this is not their first event.”

He would not confirm whether Queensland police would be armed with long-arm weapons, following reports NSW police would carry large, long-arm weapons for the first time at New Year’s Eve celebrations in that state.

People began filing into South Bank about 9am on Wednesday to get the best spots for the fireworks and drone display.

Christo Jonck and his family were in the city from Chinchilla for the show and secured their spot early for the second year in a row.

“We emigrated two years back from South Africa — this is kind of a big thing for the year that we always come and see,” he said.

Police on Wednesday morning reiterated that the horror of the Bondi Beach attack on December 14 was at the forefront of preparations.

“The QPS recognises that the recent devastating and distressing events at Bondi continue to have a flow-on effect into every community’s feeling of safety and wanting to be out and celebrate,” read a statement from the police.

The state government has promised to crack down on hate speech and gun crime following the Bondi attack.

Premier David Crisafulli on Tuesday said the government was looking at what NSW has done with banning slogans and symbols.

“[We’re] also working with the federal government in relation to their federal legislation around hate speech.”

He said the LNP had been on the record for a decade calling for action against increasing gun crime, and the government was looking into harsher action against people stealing guns, and considering the introduction of a drive-by shooting offence.

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