The recently released Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2026 boating map has revealed that the Smoking Ceremony will go directly past the Lower Bradfield Park & Mary Booth Reserve vantage points in an amended route.
It will also return going past the Sydney Opera House’s Northern Broadwalk as well as Kirribilli east of Mary Booth Reserve for the 1st time in more than a few years.
The Smoking Ceremony, which begins at 7:30pm local time, is presented by the Tribal Warrior Association & features 3 vessels, Tribal Warrior, Mari Nawi & Wirawi, who smoulder native plants as part of an Indigenous ritual to purify Country as Sydney unites in anticipation for 2027. It will begin at its usual start location of the Barangaroo ferry wharves before travelling the usual route northeast along the foreshore to Hickson Road Reserve.
This is where the change begins. Last year, it entered Circular Quay and spiralled to its centre where it concluded. This year, it will instead cross Circular Quay over to the Sydney Opera House.
Images: New South Wales Government
It will then take its former route turning north to Kirribilli Point before travelling west along the Kirribilli foreshore.
Then, it will take the new portion past Mary Booth Reserve & Lower Bradfield Park to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where it will turn south, sailing underneath the Bridge’s eastern catwalk, heading to Dawes Point.
The Smoking Ceremony then does its usual lap of Circular Quay but instead of spiralling to its centre, it will instead finish off the Western Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House at its usual time of 8:30pm.
With a capacity of 5000, Lower Bradfield Park is a paid ticketed vantage point this year with tickets on sale now here for AUD$65 for those aged 3+, with live music & disc jockeys included in the price. Those aged 2 or under can enter for free if there is still capacity available on the day.
Photograph: City Of Sydney
The Mary Booth Reserve vantage point is accessed through the Upper Bradfield Park vantage point, both of which are free entry, though both have capacity limits & the latter has limited iconic views (restricted views of the Opera House and city buildings pyro, most of the Bridge’s light show and all of the Bridge hangar pyro). The capacity of Mary Booth Reserve is 2500. Upper Bradfield Park’s capacity is 6400. Both vantage points’ gates open at 9am & should reach capacity around 1:55pm, though Mary Booth Reserve should reach capacity earlier around 10:40am.
Photograph: City Of Sydney
There is an accessible viewing area for these vantage points but as it is at Milsons Point Wharf, it will not have a direct view of the Smoking Ceremony as it is on the north-western side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. In any case, expressions of interest to get a ticket for this accessible viewing area has already closed.
Photograph: City Of Sydney
You can also buy tickets to be on the Smoking Ceremony vessels themselves. Tribal Warrior is already sold out but tickets are still available for Mari Nawi (capacity 80) & Wirawi (capacity 150). Both vessels are for persons aged 18+ years only & cost AUD$1160 per ticket with a sit-down 3-course meal, disc jockey & drinks included in the price. The vessels would likely also be a part of the Sydney Harbour Lights parade at 9:15pm. These vessels are also accessible.
Sydney New Year’s Eve 2026 will be held on Thursday the 31st of December at 7:30pm.
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