New Year’s Eve celebrations live up to expectations

Sydney lived up to its expectation as the New Year’s capital of the world last Friday evening with a spectacular fireworks display that drew crowds of over 1.5 million around the foreshore.

Fifteen months of New Year’s Eve preparation was showed off in a 12-minute firework display over the Harbour Bridge that used seven tonnes of fireworks- the largest since 2000.

The fireworks display is the largest and most technologically advanced on the planet with a pyrotechnic crew of 40, led by director, Fortunato Foti.

“We camped out to watch the fireworks from 10am and despite the heat, it was definitely worth the wait,” Glebe resident, Michael Tori said.

Throughout the course of the evening NSW Police arrested 40 people while paramedics responded to almost 1000 calls for help.

Central Metropolitan Region Commander, and commander of Operation Arch, Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said the celebrations were comparatively calm in what was a “family-friendly NYE in Sydney”.

“What we saw… demonstrated how hundreds of thousands of people can enjoy themselves- despite the crowds and its consequences- with grace and good humour,” he said.

“Sydney showed the rest of the world how to have a good time, safely.”

He attributed the success largely to presence of more than 2500 police on the streets.

Among the 40 arrested in Sydney, 20 bags of cocaine and $10,000 in cash was seized from a man in Redfern.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the fireworks display attracted over one billion viewers in 160 countries.

“Sydney made its mark on the world and that was our intention,” she said last weekend.

“By going live for the first time we were able to increase our audience across the world, especially in China, which is very exciting.”

According to St John’s Ambulance, who provided first aid at NYE celebrations in Sydney, casualties were down from last year.

This year they treated approximately 375 people, compared with over 500 people in 2009.

“It’s great to see that the numbers are down from last year when we treated over 500 people,” said NYE St John Commander, Brent Murray said.

“That shows that people are following the safety messages issued prior to the event and are coming more prepared.”

The event, which cost the city over $5 million, is expected to bring in $156 million worth of economic and promotional benefits.

Almost 1000 accredited people worked over the evening to help the event run smoothly, with the help of over 300 volunteers.

A total of 56 tonnes of rubbish was collected, which was less than last year, and the clean-up was completed by 7am.

The City of Sydney NYE plans for 2011 are already underway.

By Sophie Cousins