Image: New Year's Eve fireworks in Sydney. Image: City of Sydney
This year, Sydney will celebrate the 2025/26 New Year’s Eve with the biggest firework show to date, as fireworks will cover a larger area and more launch sites on the western side of Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The 2026 show will include 9 tonnes of fireworks that will be shot from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, 6 city centre buildings and 8 platforms on the harbour. Fireworks will be launched along a 7km stretch of the harbour starting at Cockatoo Island in the west going to Point Piper in the east.
On 6 platforms, 25,000 dazzling aerial pyrotechnics will be launched in made-for-Sydney shots that shape into native plants and animal species such as cockatoos, koalas, and waratah’s. The Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons will also become canvas for projections showing off endemic species at 9pm and at the midnight show.
“Sydney’s New Year’s Eve is like nowhere else. This year will be another spectacular showcase of our brilliant harbour city to people enjoying the celebrations in person and the millions of people watching around the world,” said Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
A New Year’s celebrating Sydney and tradition
The evening on the harbour will have several highlights including the kick off at 7.30pm where three Tribal Warrior vessels will start the evening with a traditional smoking ceremony as they sail around key points on the harbour.
Gadigal woman Aunty Joan Bell will offer a heartfelt Welcome to Country on behalf of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council as the Calling Country show will follow this ud at 9pm, bringing themes of creation and connection to life with an 8-minute firework display and custom soundtrack created by Yuin/Thunggutti rapper Nooky and producer Tasker.
“The 9pm Calling Country fireworks will remind us how Country unites us all and we’re proud to have some of Sydney’s most talented Aboriginal artists bringing their culture to life with 8 minutes of animated projection content, fireworks and a bespoke soundtrack,” the Lord Mayor said.
At 10pm, the harbour and Sydney Harbour Bridge will turn blue, and at midnight, Sydney will light up with a 12-minute fireworks show and musical extravaganza.
The evening will be broadcasted live by ABC who will also host their annual ABC New Year’s Eve concert. This year’s headliner’s include both local and international names like former Spice Girl Melanie C, Matt Corby, and Australians Marcia Hines and Casey Donovan.
“I want us all to begin the year on a high note, and I can’t wait to welcome 2026 alongside Sydneysiders and the visitors who’ve chosen to spend New Year’s Eve in our city,” said the Lord Mayor.
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