Sydney NYE LIVE updates: Thousands flock to vantage points; Heavy police presence expected

Good afternoon and welcome to our New Year’s Eve live blog. My name is Emily Kaine, and I’ll be helming our coverage for the next few hours. The countdown to 2026 has well and truly begun here in Sydney, and we’ll be bringing you the latest from around the city right up until we welcome in the new year!

Here’s what you need to know this afternoon.

• Thousands of people have flocked to vantage points around the city to secure the best viewing spots for Sydney’s world-famous fireworks display. From as early as yesterday morning, tourists began queuing to lock down spots at vantage points such as Mrs Macquaries Point. The City of Sydney estimates that 1.1 million Sydneysiders and tourists will watch the fireworks from 48 different vantage points tonight.
• NSW Premier Chris Minns has promised a heavy police presence around the city, with 3000 police officers to be deployed on New Year’s Eve and some set to be carrying long-arm rifles while on patrol. The increased security measures come after two shooters opened fire on a Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach on December 14 in an attack that killed 15 people and injured dozens more.

People gather at Mrs Macquaries Chair as they wait ahead of the New Year’s Eve fireworks display in Sydney.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone

• To honour the victims of the shooting, at the 9pm family fireworks, one minute of silence will be held, marked with the sound of three bells at the beginning and end. A menorah – a Jewish lamp – will be projected on the bridge pylons, along with a dove and the words “unity” and “peace”.

• For information on road closures, and to plan ahead for travel to and from your celebrations, you can check out Transport for NSW Sydney’s interactive NYE map. The City of Sydney’s NYE website will also be providing live updates on when viewing areas have reached capacity, in case you are planning on heading out to watch the fireworks display tonight.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said this week that Sydneysiders should be prepared for a major police presence around the city, as 3000 officers are set to be deployed in what will be the biggest security operation ever conducted in the city on New Years’ Eve.

Some cops will be carrying long-arm rifles, weapons the likes of which “Sydneysiders have never seen before”, Minns said.

Police were already patrolling this morning as people staked their claim at Kirribilli vantage points for the NYE fireworks display.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone

The heavy police presence follows the worst terrorist attack in Australian history on December 14, when 15 people were killed and dozens more were injured after two gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach.

If you are in and around the CBD for New Year’s Eve, you can expect to see police carrying long-arm rifles today and tonight, not because of any specific threat to the community, but to keep people feeling safe, Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said at a press conference yesterday.

Thousands of people queued to secure their viewing spots for Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks this morning.

The line of people waiting to access the viewing area at Mrs Macquaries Point stretched over more than a kilometre through The Domain.

Groups of friends huddled in the line together could be seen sleeping, playing card games, listening to music, reading, sketching, and eating to pass the time.

Many had built makeshift sleeping areas to rest in during the long wait, with camping chairs, blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, and even tarps.

After hours of queuing, revellers were waiting – and snoozing – in their positions at Mrs Macquaries Chair.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone

German and Austrian tourists, Jana Bebek and Helen Ratzberger, met in the queue early on Wednesday morning.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone

The first camper in the queue, 24-year-old Soren Chen, arrived in queue yesterday morning at 10am.

Chen is from Taiwan and is visiting Sydney for the first time. He and his friends camped overnight in the line to secure their spot.

“They’re the most famous and best fireworks in the world,” Chen said. “We have never seen it before, only on television.”

German and Austrian tourists, Jana Bebek and Helen Ratzberger, met in the queue early on Wednesday morning and became friends. It will be their first time seeing the fireworks display.

If you’re planning on heading out to a viewing spot to watch tonight’s fireworks display, you can follow live updates on when vantage points reach capacity on the City of Sydney’s NYE website.