New Year’s Eve as it happened: Sydney welcomes 2026 with spectacular fireworks display

Sydney rang in the new year with a spectacular fireworks display at midnight, 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.

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.

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.

Photographer Edwina Pickles had a unique viewpoint of the fireworks, capturing the display from above.

Here are her incredible pictures:

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:

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.

To watch the show, switch your TV to the ABC, or watch the YouTube livestream here.

And for those hoping to ring in the New Year with a kiss, now is the time to lock down your partner!

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.