SPOILER ALERT: The below article contains debuting features of Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2025.
The updated Sydney NYE website has revealed the 2025 edition will have its biggest expansion since NYE2006 with the addition of the 1st new major fireworks location since that Diamond Night In Emerald City.
The firing location is located at White Bay, about 3 kilometres southeast of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where all the pyrotechnic barges are actually set up. It is understood a barge is not being used but the land on the water’s edge instead, thus reducing costs for the event.
It is the 1st major pyrotechnic location in the history of the event to not run east-west along the Harbour. Darling Harbour & 5 regional cities of New South Wales were used during the Closing Night Harbour Spectacular of The Games Of The XXVIIth Olympiad: Sydney 2000.
Whilst White Bay’s appearance in the Midnight Fireworks has been confirmed, it has not been confirmed if it will feature in the Calling Country Fireworks at 9pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).
The reasoning for the addition is unknown particularly as it is out of the way. Maybe they are considering adding barges down to Darling Harbour and/or the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) Bridge?
The nearest vantage point to the White Bay pyrotechnic location is Giba Park, a free accessible vantage point with bring-your-own food/alcohol allowed. It has good views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s western side. However, the Sydney Opera House is not visible. With a capacity of 1,540, gates open at 4pm AEDT with it reaching capacity at around 11:27pm AEDT based on last year, though with closer fireworks this year that could happen earlier. There are bag checks on entry at this vantage point, which also has drinking water stations & toilets.
Image: Sydney NYE
Other Vantage Point Information
The City Of Sydney is also now discouraging overnight camping in make-shift queues prior to NYE.
Whilst the Vantage Point Finder has been updated on the website, the City Of Sydney says more vantage point information will be released closer to NYE so keep an eye on the website for updates.
Welcome To Country & The Broadcast
Meanwhile, the event schedule has revealed the Welcome To Country is going to be held at 8:45pm AEDT, 15 minutes later than last year. This also aligns with the television/Internet broadcast, which has also been announced to be produced once again by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation & will start at the same time as the Welcome To Country, therefore the broadcast is 15 minutes shorter than last year, making it the shortest broadcast in 12 years.
Sydney puts on a New Year’s Eve like nowhere else & with more than 1 million people travelling to the foreshore to watch the fireworks, a little planning goes a long way.
Whether you’re committed to securing a family-friendly front row spot at 1 of the many free viewing areas at parks & headlands around the Harbour or planning to go big with your booking, the official website has you covered.
We’d love you to celebrate with us in Sydney.
Clover Moore, Sydney Lord Mayor
This announcement was made on September 4.
Sydney New Year’s Eve 2025 will be held on December 31st, 2025, at 7:30pm AEDT.
Sydney Spectaculars 
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