Key Points
- Saturday 31 December will see crowds flocking to celebrate New Year's Eve.
- Each city in Australia will have its own celebrations and fireworks displays.
- It comes after two years of muted events and cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After two years of muted celebrations due to the impacts of COVID-19 and lockdowns, cities around Australia are preparing for a roaring return to the first New Year's Eve celebrations since 2019.
Here's how and where you can watch fireworks, celebrate and enjoy festivities in each capital city.
Sydney
Sydney's iconic harbour is set to shine on New Year's Eve with 100,000 pyrotechnic effects lighting up the skyline and one million people expected to gather around Sydney Harbour.
There will be a total of 13,000 aerial fireworks, including 2,000 to be launched from the Opera House's sails and another 7,000 to be fired from 184 positions off the Harbour Bridge, as well from four rooftops.
People are encouraged to leave their cars at home and use public transport with major road closures and special event clearways in place throughout central Sydney.
Sydney weather forecast: Temperatures of 19C - 27C. Partly cloudy. Medium (60 per cent) chance of showers, most likely in the morning and clearing from the east in the late afternoon and evening.
Melbourne
The Victorian government and City of Melbourne are pouring $3.94 million into 2022's end-of-year celebrations, with about $280,000 going towards fireworks displays, and the majority going towards public safety and dedicated celebration zones.
Fireworks in celebration zones are set to go off at 9.30pm and midnight.
Melbourne's New Year's Eve fireworks display is also set to go ahead. Source: AAP
Public transport will be free and timetables and staff have been bolstered to help attendees make it home.
Melbourne weather forecast: Temperatures of 17C - 29C. Humid, partly cloudy. Medium (40 per cent) chance of showers and thunderstorms, more likely in northern and eastern suburbs.
Canberra
In Australia's capital city, Canberrans can ring in the new year along the shores of Lake Burley Griffin to enjoy fireworks displays at 9pm and midnight.
There will be hub areas along the foreshore at Regatta Point, Patrick White Lawns, Rond Terrace and Bowen Park, and members of the public can bring a picnic from 6pm.
Services and amenities will be available at each hub area, along with DJs.
There will be two firework locations – the central and east basins.
Bus services have been extended and light rail services will be free from 5pm.
Canberra weather forecast: Temperatures of 13C to 26C. Partly cloudy. Medium (50 per cent) chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening.
Hobart
Fireworks will again light up the night over the River Derwent this New Year's Eve, with the City of Hobart presenting two fireworks displays across the course of the evening and live-streaming the event on Facebook.
The fireworks will be set off at 9.30pm and midnight, with each display to last eight minutes.
According to the City of Hobart, the best vantage points are expected to be from the Regatta Grounds, the Taste of Summer, Parliament House Lawns and Princes Park.
Hobart weather forecast: Temperatures of 15C - 26C. Partly cloudy. Slight (30 per cent) chance of a shower, most likely in the afternoon and early evening.
Adelaide
In South Australia, which is half an hour behind Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, Adelaide's family-friendly Light Up event will return to Rymill Park/Murlawirrapurka from 6pm to 1am.
Attendees will enjoy live music, dining, roving performers, and fireworks displays at 9.30pm and midnight.
Pre-8pm tickets are fully booked, but non-ticketholders may be admitted after 8pm throughout the evening, subject to the event capacity
There will also be 'Midnight Moments' spread across the city and North Adelaide.
Adelaide weather forecast: Temperatures of 14C - 31C and sunny.
Brisbane
With no daylight savings, Queensland will ring in the new year half an hour after South Australia.
In Brisbane, the Lord Mayor's New Year’s Eve fireworks are returning to South Bank Parklands, which will feature two fireworks shows; one at 8.30 pm and another at midnight.
The event is alcohol-free and free to attend, with no bookings required.
There are multiple traffic changes for the staging of New Year's Eve celebrations, with road closures and changed traffic conditions.
Brisbane weather forecast: Temperatures of 21C - 28C. Partly cloudy. Medium (40 per cent) chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon.
Darwin
Half an hour after Brisbane, the clock will strike midnight in the Top End.
Darwin Waterfront will host the city's main New Year's Eve event, which is free to attend and does not require tickets.
Bananas in Pyjamas will entertain kids from 5pm, while Birds of Tokyo will headline the main event and a fireworks display scheduled for 9pm.
Picnics are welcome and there will be food trucks on site. No alcohol is permitted.
Darwin weather forecast: Temperatures of 25C - 31C. Showers and possible storm.
Perth
Western Australia is the final state to enter 2023, three hours after Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.
In Perth, fireworks will once again light up the skies above Elizabeth Quay and Northbridge at 9pm and midnight respectively.
The Elizabeth Quay Fun Fair will kick off early from 5pm and continue until midnight.
Perth weather forecast: Temperatures of 16C - 27C. Mostly sunny.
