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New Year’s Eve Guide Sydney 2021/2022
Where to see the fireworks from 12 free vantage points and everything you need to know to send off 2021 in style.
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Millions of people flock to the Sydney foreshore every New Year's Eve. This year both the 9pm fireworks and the midnight show are set to light up Sydney on 31 December.
We're expecting to hear more news about how New Year's Eve will play out in Sydney in the following weeks. Be sure to check back to find the latest updates and information so you can plan the best New Year's Eve yet.
What would you like to do on New Year's Eve in Sydney?
Where are the New Year's Eve fireworks in Sydney?
Each year Sydney welcomes the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display centred around Sydney Harbour.
This year the theme is "See Sydney Shine", the full program is as follows:
- 7:30pm – Smoking Ceremony
- 8:30pm – Projections and lighting effects on the Sydney Harbour Bridge
- 9pm – Welcome to Country fireworks, curated by artist Blak Douglas
- 12am – Midnight Fireworks, launched from Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and barges within the harbour.
Not in the CBD? Lots of councils put together their own fireworks displays to celebrate New Years.
The City of Parramatta is hosting a fireworks display at 9pm from 5 locations including Old Toongabbie, Northmead, North Parramatta, Dundas Valley and Ermington.
Check your local council's websites to see if they have anything special planned for your area.
How do I get tickets for New Year's Eve?
If you want to get front-row seat to the main event it's a good idea to book tickets online for a party or dinner in the CBD on New Year's Eve as soon as possible.
Some free locations are ticketed this year to limit numbers (see below)
Best places to see the Sydney fireworks including 15 free spots
| Vantage Point | Location | Cost | Alcohol allowed | BYO allowed | Open from | Designated accessible viewing area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barangaroo Reserve | Millers Point | Tickets from $20.90 per person | Yes | No | 5:00 PM | Yes |
| Beare Park | Elizabeth Bay | Free (Ticket required) | No | No | 7:00 PM | No |
| Bicentennial Park | Glebe | Free (Ticket required) | Yes | No | 7:00 PM | No |
| Blues Point Reserve | McMahons Point | Free | No | No | 8:00 AM | No |
| Botanic Garden | Bridgeview – Sydney | Tickets from $260 per person + booking fee | Yes | No | 6:00 PM | Yes |
| Botanic Garden: Foundation and Friends NYE Picnic | Royal Botanic Garden Sydney | Tickets from $130 per person + booking fee | Yes | No | 5:00 PM | Yes |
| Botanic Garden: Harbour View | Royal Botanic Garden Sydney | Tickets from $25 per person + booking fee | Yes | No | 11:00 AM | Yes |
| Botanic Garden: Lawn with the View | Sydney | Tickets from $250 per person + booking fee | Yes | No | 7:00 PM | Yes |
| Botanic Garden: The Point | Sydney | Tickets from $385 per person + booking fee | Yes | No | 5:30 PM | Yes |
| Bradfield Park & Mary Booth Reserve | Milsons Point | Free | No | No | 8:00 AM | No |
| Bradleys Head: Ampitheatre Precinct | Mosman | Tickets from $22.43 per person | No | No | 3:00 PM | No |
| Bradleys Head: Athol Lawn | Mosman | Tickets from $12.23 per person | No | No | 3:00 PM | No |
| Bradleys Head: Mast Precinct | Mosman | Tickets from $14.78 per person | No | No | 3:00 PM | No |
| Campbells Cove | The Rocks | Tickets from $10 per person | No | No | 6:00 PM | Yes |
| Circular Quay Wharf 2 | Circular Quay | Tickets from $10 per person | No | No | 6:00 PM | No |
| Dawes Point (Tar-Ra) Park | The Rocks | Tickets from $7.50 per person | No | No | 6:00 PM | No |
| Dudley Page Reserve | Dover Heights | Tickets from $42.86 per person | No | No | 6:00 PM | No |
| East Circular Quay | Circular Quay | Tickets from $10 per person | No | No | 6:00 PM | No |
| Embarkation Park | Potts Point | Free (Ticket required) | No | No | 7:00 PM | No |
| Giba Park | Pyrmont | Free (Ticket required) | Yes | No | 7:00 PM | No |
| Hickson Road Reserve | The Rocks | Tickets from $25 per person | No | No | 6:00 PM | No |
| Lavender Bay Parklands | Lavender Bay | Free | No | No | 8:00 AM | No |
| McKell Park | Darling Point | Free | No | No | 12:00 PM | No |
| Murray Rose Pool & Blackburn Gardens | Double Bay | Free | No | No | 3:00 PM | No |
| Observatory Hill Park | Millers Point | Free (Ticket required) | No | No | 7:00 PM | Yes |
| Pirrama Park | Pyrmont | Free (Ticket required) | No | No | 7:00 PM | No |
| Rose Bay Foreshore | Rose Bay | Free | No | No | 3:00 PM | No |
| Strickland Estate | Vaucluse | Tickets from $12.23 per person | No | No | 5:30 PM | No |
| Sydney Opera House | Sydney | Tickets from $10 per person | Yes | No | 12:00 PM | Yes |
| Taronga Zoo | Mosman | Tickets from $110 per person | Yes | No | 6:00 PM | No |
| West Circular Quay | The Rocks | Tickets from $10 per person | No | No | 6:00 PM | No |
| Yarranabbe Park | Darling Point | Free entry | No | No | 3:00 PM | No |
Frequently asked questions about New Year's Eve in Sydney 2022
What are the popular free vantage points for the New Year's Eve fireworks?
Sydney Harbour has dozens of prime fireworks viewing areas scattered along Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, Balmain and the North Shore. The City of Sydney council has already announced some of the vantage points that will be open. You will need to have a ticket to enter but they're free. These include:
- Observatory Hill Park, Millers Point
- Beare Park, Elizabeth Bay
- Bicentennial Park, Glebe
- Giba Park, Pyrmont
- Pirrama Park, Pyrmont
- Embarkation Point, Potts Point
This year there are no tickets required on the North Shore so you'll want to arrive early. Vantage points include:
- Bradfield Park
- Blues Point Reserve
- Mary Booth Reserve
- Quibaree Park
- Kurraba Reserve
- Cremorne Reserve
Before heading out, check the council's website to ensure the vantage point you've chosen is open on the night.
Where can I watch the New Year's Eve fireworks at home?
If you want to catch the action from the comfort of your own home you've got several options.
- Streaming. Watch the 9pm and midnight fireworks at the official Sydney New Year's Eve website from anywhere in the world. You can stream them live from the ABC TV Facebook page and YouTube channel as well.
- TV. Watch the fireworks and New Year's Eve coverage on the ABC. The broadcast starts at 8:30pm.
- Radio. If you'd like to listen to the coverage, tune into KIIS 1065 from 3pm to 3am and enjoy the exclusive fireworks soundtrack from 9pm to midnight.
Will recreational boats be allowed on the harbour?
Yes. Recreational boats are permitted on the Harbour on New Year's Eve, though they must follow all maritime laws.
What are some of the best restaurants with harbour views?
Waterfront or rooftop restaurants are your best bet for securing a table with a view. Here are some of our favourites for 2021:
- Harbourfront Seafood Restaurant
- City Extra
- Tayim Restaurant and Bar
- Bennelong at the Opera House
- Opera Bar
- Opera Kitchen
- Aria
- Aqua Dining
- Quay
- Cruise Bar
- O Bar and Dining
- Cafe Sydney
Will roads be closed on the night?
Yes. As with every New Year's Eve in Sydney, certain roads into the city will be closed in the evening. It's highly recommended that you leave your car at home.
Here's which roads are closing and at what time:
| Location | Closed from |
|---|---|
| Roads in the Royal Botanic Garden and the Domain including Art Gallery Rd | 5:00am |
| Hickson Rd from Millers Point to Barangaroo | 12:00pm |
| George St/Hickson Rd through The Rocks | 2:00pm |
| Macquarie St north of Bridge Street at Circular Quay | 2:00pm |
| Wheat Rd at Darling Harbour | 2:00pm |
| Upper Fort St at Observatory Hill | 2:00pm |
| Blue St, North Sydney Station | 3:00pm |
| Roads north of Bridge St at Circular Quay including sections of Young, Pitt, Loftus and Macquarie Streets | 5:00pm |
| Roads around Hyde Park and the Domain including Hospital Rd, College St and Prince Albert Rd | 5:00pm |
| Roads in North Sydney and Milsons Point including sections of Miller St, Lavender St, Pacific Hwy southbound, Blues Point Rd and Alfred St South | 5:00pm |
| Bridge St/Grosvenor St in the Sydney CBD, and roads in The Rocks, Millers Point and Pyrmont | 7:00pm |
| Citybound lanes on the Anzac Bridge and Western Distributor | 8:30pm to 9:30pm + 11pm to 1:30am |
| Roads around Wynyard including sections of York, Clarence and Margaret Streets | 10:00pm |
| Sydney Harbour Bridge closed in both directions and roads in Millers Point closed | 11:00pm to 1:30am |
Roads reopen at various times:
- North Sydney and Milsons Point roads reopen from 3am.
- Most roads in the Sydney CBD and Pyrmont reopen from 4am.
- Macquarie St north of Bridge St reopens from 6am.
Other closures to note include:
The Cahill Expressway is closed from 9pm 26 December until 4:30am 10 January.
Northbound lanes on the Cahill Expressway will be closed from 10pm 30 December until 4am 7 January.
What will public transport be like on the night?
People travelling into Sydney CBD on New Year's Eve are encouraged to plan in advance and catch public transport into the city instead of driving in. There are thousands of extra services, so leave the car at home. Your public transport options for getting to and moving around the city include:
- Bus
- Train
- Ferry
- Light rail
- NightRide
Extra train and bus services will run after midnight to ensure everyone can get home after the New Year's Eve celebrations. It's strongly encouraged to leave the city after 1am to avoid crowds.
Don't forget to plan ahead. There are some important transport changes to be aware of:
Train
- Circular Quay. Between 5pm and midnight trains will not stop at Circular Quay Station. Use Wynyard, St James or Martin Place stations for access to harbour vantage points.
- Milsons Point. Between 6pm and midnight, trains from the city to the north shore will not stop at Milsons Point. Get off at North Sydney station for access to Milsons Point and Kirribilli.
- Domestic Airport and International Airport. Between 12:30am and 4:30am, trains will not stop at the Domestic Airport and International Airport stations. Sydney Airport will be closed during this period.
Ferries
- Ferries won't stop at McMahons Point wharf after 10am or Milsons Point wharf after 3pm.
- After 5pm no ferries will run to or from Circular Quay.
- All ferries will stop between 8pm to 12:45am due to the harbour exclusion zone.
- Limited ferries will operate after midnight to Manly and Lower North Shore wharves only.
- There are no late-night ferries for Parramatta River (F3), Pyrmont Bay (F4), Double Bay (F7) or Watsons Bay (F9).
Buses and light rail
- Bus services to and from the city will run via different routes between 5pm and 7pm due to road closures; North Sydney buses will divert from 3pm.
- From 5pm light rail services will not run between Circular Quay and Town Hall.
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Images: City of Sydney And Sydneynewyearseve.com
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Ask an Expert
when does the ticket sale for NYE 2020 approximately start (your empirical values)? how long does it take until the locations are sold out?
Thanks in advance!
Björn
Hi Björn,
Thanks for reaching out! The exact dates hasn’t been announced yet so you can come back on our site from month to month to check if it the announcement is up! Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
When can I book tickets for Sydney Opera House Gala New Year 2019?
Hi Naharuddin,
Thanks for leaving a question on Finder.
You can purchase tickets for Premium, A-, B- and C-Reserve seats for both La Bohème and Opera Gala.
Just click on the seats you’d like to purchase above and you’ll be able to complete your order.
Cheers,
Joel
Hi
I am travelling with my daughters to see/experience Sydney NYE 2018/2019.It’s their first trip overseas. I would like to find a family friendly place with a good vantage point. We don’t mind joining the long queues just to get a good spot. Our accommodation is in Arncliffe so I guess we will need to travel in early. So any vantage point on the side of the bridge we will be staying in would be good.
Thanks
Hi MeriPNG,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Since there are a lot of options for you to see or experience Sydney’s New Year’s Eve, it would be a good idea to explore our page, specifically the map you will find above as it outlines the different vantage points. Take into consideration your personal needs, preference, and budget when looking for a place to stay as well.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
I am looking to find out when/where tickets go on sale for the fireworks at Sydney harbour for new year 2018/2019? I would be buying online from the UK.
Hi Rona,
Thanks for your question.
You are already on the right page where you may check for ticket deals for the New Year’s Eve fireworks views in Sydney.
You can click the “Get Deal” button on the page if you want to check the details of a particular deal. And yes, you may book online even if you are from the UK.
Cheers,
Anndy
Hi, I am looking for somewhere in Sydney for NYE and wondered if there is any free areas and BYO alcohol?
Hi Scott,
Thanks for your question.
The list of vantage points for the 2017 fireworks has not yet been released, however last year certain points such as Neilson Park, Elkington Park and Goat Island allowed for BYO drinks.
We will update our site with confirmation of details and locations when the official listing for this year’s event comes out.
Hope that helps,
Stephanie