Heavily armed police a result of Bondi ‘regret’, says Clover Moore
“They’ve made their decision, I’ve made our decision; we’ll move forward with the royal commission in NSW,” he said.
About 3000 police officers will be deployed around Sydney, including support from police cruisers in Sydney Harbor and Pol Air from the sky.
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By 1pm Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and some of the Royal Botanic Garden’s lawns had already reached capacity. Fireworks will be launched from the Harbor Bridge, the Opera House, six buildings in the CBD and along barges stretching for seven kilometers along the harbour.
The sombre cloud that has been cast over the city by the events of the last few weeks has done little to dampen the excitement of the thousands of people who lined up to watch New Year’s Eve fireworks in Sydney on Wednesday. The queue of people stretched for more than a kilometer at The Domain in Sydney on Wednesday morning.
Groups of friends gathered in the row could be seen sleeping, playing card games, listening to music, reading, sketching and eating to pass the time.
Many had built makeshift sleeping areas using camping chairs, blankets, sleeping bags, pillows and even awnings to rest during the long wait.
The first camper in line, 24-year-old Soren Chen, arrived at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning and spent the night at camp to guarantee a spot. Chen is from Taiwan and is visiting Sydney for the first time.
Visiting Sydney for the first time, Taiwanese Soren Chen and his friends were the first to watch the Miss Macquaries President’s fireworks.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone
“They are the most famous and best fireworks in the world,” Chen said. “We’ve never seen this before, only on TV.”
As people rushed towards Miss Macquaries Point to secure their seats after the gates finally opened, a young woman was heard shouting to her friends: “I’ve never seen the Sydney Opera House before!” He was heard shouting.
Monica Diaz, a 27-year-old Spanish traveler, arrived at the queue at 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. When he first saw the view of the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House, he jumped up and down and said, “Oh my God, I’m here!” He couldn’t control his excitement as he shouted.
Following the family fireworks at 9pm, there will be a moment of silence with three bells tolling at the beginning and end. A menorah, a dove and the words “unity” and “peace” will be projected onto the bridge pillars.
“Given that we are still reeling from the recent tragic events in Bondi, New Year’s Eve offers an opportunity to come together as a community, pause for reflection and look forward to a safer and more peaceful 2026,” Moore said.
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