Eddie Perfect will help bring in the New Year when he hosts SYDNEY NEW YEAR’S EVE 2015 – ‘CITY OF COLOUR’ in a special 4-hour entertainment bonanza.
The team who brought you the Saturday Night Crack Up now brings you Australian Broadcasting Corporation Television (ABC TV)’s Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ broadcast spectacular. Counting us down to the sensational fireworks on Sydney Harbour, Eddie Perfect will guide us through the biggest night of the year.
SYDNEY NEW YEAR’S EVE 2015 – ‘CITY OF COLOUR’ will again be a 4-hour live show from the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House on Bennelong Point, Sydney Harbour. The program will feature some of ABC TV’s key network talent as well as live musical, theatrical & comedic performances.
ABC KIDS/ABC3 will kick off the celebration with 30 minutes packed with family friendly content from 8:30pm leading us into the 9pm Family Fireworks, launched by the winner of the ABC3 ‘Design Your Own Firework’ competition.
This 4-hour entertainment bonanza will feature a range of family friendly entertainment with the Pub Quiz, ‘Year In Review’, live crosses & musical performances leading up to the Midnight Fireworks.
While the Harbour is showered with fireworks, home viewers will be dazzled by a night of comedy, music & more celebrities than you can shake a sparkler at.
SYDNEY NEW YEAR’S EVE 2015 – ‘CITY OF COLOUR’: 240 minutes duration – Thursday 31 December 2015 from 8:30pm
***Please note: Dates and times are a guide only and subject to change, please check TV listings nearer the time to confirm.
Media Release: Australian Broadcasting Corporation Television
Tickets to one of the best value events on Sydney Harbour go on sale this week
You are invited to share in Sydney’s brand new view of one of the world’s most spectacular fireworks displays.
The Barangaroo Delivery Authority, on behalf of the New South Wales (NSW) Government, will release 10,000 tickets this week for Sydneysiders & visitors to celebrate New Year’s Eve at Sydney’s sensational new harbour headland park, Barangaroo Reserve.
The theme of this year’s Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks is City Of Colour. The Reserve will offer superb value for a prime view of the iconic harbour fireworks. A selection of locations in the Reserve will also give visitors views of this year’s new projections on the western pylons of the Harbour Bridge for the world-famous 12-minute Midnight Fireworks display.
Gates on Hickson Road will open at 6pm on Thursday, 31 December 2015 with picnic spaces on the Walumil & Stargazer lawns. The site will feature light entertainment, family-friendly alcohol-free zones & licenced areas.
Food & beverages will be available for purchase onsite and ticketholders have the option to pre-order a gourmet picnic hamper. Guests will be welcome to bring their own picnics, however BYO alcohol will not be permitted.
The event is for all ages & entry is strictly by ticket only. Ticket prices are: AUD$14.50 (Child 3-15, Concession); AUD$29.50 (Adult 16+); Family AUD$79 (2 adults & 2 children). A total of 10 tickets can be purchased in 1 transaction.
Craig Van Der Laan, Chief Executive Officer of the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer the public one of the most affordable & best value-for-money New Year’s Eve tickets in Sydney. The Authority has run ticketed New Year’s Eve viewing in previous years while Barangaroo Reserve was still under construction. These were a tremendous success. This year will be so much better with Barangaroo Reserve now complete. Guests will be able to sit on the lawns, buy food & beverages & enjoy one of the most spectacular new views of Sydney in comfort”.
“We are ticketing the event & limiting the numbers to 10,000 so we can ensure the comfort & safety of guests while minimising disturbance to our neighbours,’’ he said.
Pre-sale tickets will be available to Barangaroo e-Newsletter subscribers on Wednesday, 11 November 2015 at 9am. General ticket sales will open on Thursday, 12 November 2015 at 9am. All tickets can be purchased through Moshtix at http://bit.ly/nye15barangaroo.
For more information about New Year’s Eve 2015 At Barangaroo Reserve & to register for the Barangaroo e-Newsletter for the chance to purchase pre-sale tickets, visit www.barangaroo.sydney.
Date/Time: Thursday, 31 December 2015, 6pm to 12:30am
Tickets: Via Moshtix at http://bit.ly/nye15barangaroo. Adult aged 16+ – AUD$29.50, Child aged 3-15 – AUD$14.50, Child aged under 3 – Free, Family – AUD$79 (2 adults + 2 children), Concession – AUD$14.50 (Full time student, concession card holder), Ticket limit – 10 tickets in 1 transaction.
Discover a new view of the City Of Colour this #SydNYE at #Barangaroo
Important Note
For all the latest information, you need to plan your trip into the Sydney Central Business District (CBD) on New Year’s Eve – & for details of other great vantage points on the night – go to Sydney New Year’s Eve’s website: http://www.sydneynewyearseve.com/.
More than 1.6 million people gather around Sydney Harbour every year to see the globally renowned Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks display. As the 3rd coin in the Sydney New Year’s Eve Coin Series, the Royal Australian Mint has again worked with the City Of Sydney to depict the City Of Colour, during that iconic memorable midnight moment on this 2016 $1 Coloured Fine Silver Frosted Uncirculated Coin.
Sydney is bursting with colour that attracts people throughout the world to visit and explore its diverse environment. With iconic beaches, a glorious harbour, unique flora and fauna, beautiful landscapes with colour to be seen and music to be heard throughout, a unique culture of diversity and creativity, Sydney’s colourful qualities are beautifully reflected in its world-renowned New Year’s Eve celebrations. With a mintage of 5000, this 1/2 an ounce 99.9% silver coin with a diameter of 35.89mm is a fantastic souvenir to keep of this year’s event.
Obverse Side Of The 2016 $1 Coloured Fine Silver Frosted Uncirculated Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ Coin. Image: Royal Australian Mint.Packaging Back Of The 2016 $1 Coloured Fine Silver Frosted Uncirculated Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ Coin. Image: Royal Australian Mint.Packaging Front Of The 2016 $1 Coloured Fine Silver Frosted Uncirculated Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ Coin. Image: Royal Australian Mint.Packaging Open Of The 2016 $1 Coloured Fine Silver Frosted Uncirculated Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ Coin. Image: Royal Australian Mint.
Orders are dispatched after the release date of 2 November 2015.
Minister For Roads, Duncan Gay, today encouraged New South Wales residents to enter the Roads & Maritime Services New Year’s Eve competition and try their luck winning tickets to celebrate the start of 2016 from one of Sydney’s best vantage points above Circular Quay.
“New Year’s Eve is only 65 days away so now is the perfect time to make plans for what is always a spectacular night on the Cahill Expressway by the Harbour” Mr Gay said.
“This is a hugely popular competition & we receive thousands of entries from across the state each year – so get in fast to make sure you don’t miss out.”
“Enter and have a chance to share a spectacular New Year’s Eve to remember with your family & friends” Mr Gay said.
Entrants go into the draw to win 1 of nearly 1700 family passes to watch either the 9pm Family or Midnight Fireworks displays.
Every winner receives a family pass of 5 tickets to share with family & friends.
The lucky winners will get the privilege to enjoy the fun & family-friendly atmosphere with a range of pre-fireworks entertainment.
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe today issued a warning to the public about the risks associated with mystery parties, particularly on New Year’s Eve.
Mr Stowe said Fair Trading received numerous complaints early this year about a failed mystery New Year’s Eve party in 2014 that failed to deliver on promises and was eventually closed down by authorities.
“While a mystery party may sound spontaneous and exclusive, consumers should be very wary of buying tickets to mystery events where the promoter’s details and event locations cannot be readily identified,” he said.
Tips for interested party-goers include:
Purchase event tickets from reputable ticket outlets only – avoid buying tickets through social media
Pay for tickets using a credit card where possible – financial institutions may be able to arrange a credit ‘charge back’ if you don’t get what you paid for
If you decide to attend a mystery party, make sure you let a loved one know where you will be
Be aware that if the mystery party does not deliver what it promises, you may not be able to recover the money paid for tickets, food, drinks etc.
“It is an offence under the Australian Consumer Law to accept payment for goods and services if those goods and services are not supplied,” Mr Stowe said.
“However, it can be very difficult for consumers to obtain a refund and regulators to pursue rogue traders in these cases as those traders are often unable to be identified or located.”
In November 2014 a promoter advertised a mystery New Year’s Eve Mansion Party through his social media page on Facebook. The promotional materials included a short video showing a mansion on the Sydney Harbour foreshore.
Consumers bought tickets ranging in price from $99 to $199 covering entry to the venue only. Vouchers for alcoholic drinks were sold on the night at an additional cost of $10 per drink with a minimum spend of $50.
On 31 December 2014, ticket holders were e-mailed advice about the location of the party, a property in Rose Bay, as well as instructions on how to get public transport to the event.
On the night it was evident the promoter had oversold the event with approximately 700 ticket holders attending the location, resulting in insufficient seating, toilet facilities and security.
Consumers complained the venue was not the same venue promoted on social media, the venue had an obstructed view of the harbour and people were unable to redeem pre-paid drink vouchers. The pool had been partially covered with a dance floor leaving the uncovered area presenting a health and safety risk.
“The promoter subsequently closed his business and reportedly moved overseas,” Mr Stowe said.
Media Release: NSW Government – Finance, Services & Innovation: Fair Trading
Destination NSW has been awarded for its marketing & promotion of Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music & ideas, receiving 7 accolades at the 2015 International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) Pinnacle Awards.
Destination NSW was presented with 7 IFEA Pinnacle Awards for Vivid Sydney:
• Grand Pinnacle – Silver
• Best Social Media Site – Gold
• Best Newspaper Insert/Supplement – Gold
• Best Event Promotional Photograph – Gold
• Best Event Website – Silver
• Best Outdoor Billboard – Silver
• Best Press/Media Kit – Silver
NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism & Major Events, Stuart Ayres, congratulated Destination NSW & said the accolades reflect the exceptional work of the state’s tourism & major events agency in promoting Vivid Sydney to the world.
“Vivid Sydney is firmly established as 1 of the world’s leading festivals & continues to break records, attracting an incredible 1.7 million attendees this year.”
“Destination NSW has done a great job in turning the event into a global spectacle & these awards are well deserved” Mr Ayres said.
Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Chipchase, said “Vivid Sydney is a highlight of the New South Wales (NSW) Major Events Calendar, showcasing light, music & ideas all around our harbour city. These awards are a testament to the hard work of the Destination NSW team in creating, curating & promoting the event, with the support of the NSW Government & its agencies”
Presented by the IFEA, the Pinnacle Awards recognises the outstanding accomplishments & high quality creative, promotional, operational and community outreach programs and materials produced by festivals & events around the world.
Vivid Sydney is owned & managed by the NSW Government’s tourism & major events agency, Destination NSW.
Sydney Harbour National Park is set to go off with a bang this New Year’s Eve as tickets go on sale today for a number of unique harbour-side locations including Clark Island, Shark Island, Bradleys Head and Nielsen Park.
Deputy Chief Executive, New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife Service, Mark Peacock said these venues, set amongst Sydney’s bushland and heritage sites, are special places to ring in the new year.
“Celebrating New Year’s Eve on the Harbour captures the very essence of Sydney and this year we’re hosting a range of events to attract visitors into our waterfront parks,” Mr Peacock said.
“Tickets to the National Parks & Wildlife Service premier event, The Garden Party, at Clark Island have been made more affordable for visitors wanting a once-in-a-lifetime experience with uninterrupted views of the Harbour and fireworks displays.”
“This year, Shark Island will be transformed into a fiesta-style celebration where guests will be treated to a fun, themed event with South American-inspired food, live music and DJs.”
“Those attending the ever-popular Bradleys Head can look forward to a change in entertainment and facilities so families can enjoy a safe, child-friendly and alcohol-free evening.”
“The price of 1,500 tickets to the Bradleys Head Mast Precinct have been reduced this year, offering a more affordable option for those wanting to spend New Year’s Eve on Sydney Harbour.”
“Tickets to the Bradleys Head Amphitheatre are also available, offering what’s probably the best view of the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and city skyline from within a bushland setting.”
“Many Sydney Harbour National Park venues have improved accessibility and for the first time, wheelchair accessible viewing areas are offered at Goat Island, Bradleys Head (Mast Precinct) and Nielsen Park.”
“Ticketing for sites will keep crowd numbers within comfortable and safe limits as well as provide a range of options for people looking for different experiences.”
“If you’re thinking of heading to 1 of the spectacular harbour-side spaces or islands of Sydney Harbour National Park this New Year’s Eve, we encourage you to book your tickets as early as possible to avoid disappointment” Mr Peacock said.
Despite two controversial broadcasts in a row, the ABC has been awarded the TV broadcast rights for this year’s Sydney NYE event.
This, along with this year’s Sydney NYE theme, ‘City Of Colour’, was confirmed following the release of details of an ABC3 ‘Design Your Own Firework‘ Competition:
The ABC first broadcasted Sydney’s NYE celebrations in the 1970’s in 4-hour broadcasts but that was back when the event was more of a music concert. Fast forward to 2013 and the ABC surprisingly got the rights of the now high-profile event for the 2013 & 2014 events.
They took the ambitious step of returning the event to 4-hour broadcasts for the first time in nearly 30 years despite no time-consuming TV-quality scheduled Sydney Harbour entertainment in the 3 hour gap between 9pm and Midnight so ABC resorted to their own entertainment choices.
As an event watched by 1 billion people worldwide, it is a given that it rates well on TV so despite 2 years of ratings success, ABC’s entertainment choices for the night have not been so good and over time, did not improve but got worse. Immediately after both broadcasts, speculation on the next broadcast rights holder begun. Here is where they went wrong:
2013
Offensive & insensitive comments
Rushed 9pm Family Fireworks countdown – have to be on time.
Hosts seemed to be influenced by alcohol
Long interviews
Dull quizzes with guests
Concerns that the broadcast was politicised
2014
Constant repetition of the ‘ABC Budget Cut’ joke – once would have been enough
Concerns that the broadcast was politicised
Little but some coverage of the Acknowledgement Of Country ceremony (At least they showed some – Channel 9 ignored the ceremony completely between 2009 & 2012. Channel Ten & ABC showed it in full in 2008 & 2013)
No 9pm Family Fireworks countdown this time – who does not like the countdown?
The ‘Pub Quiz’ broadcast – an expansion of the guest quiz from the previous broadcast – great idea for a game show but not for NYE entertainment.
Long interviews
A 15-minute segment dedicated to the negatives of NYE
Bad camera work and technical issues (excluding the drone usage – that was something new remember)
And finally something that all media outlets missed, delayed footage of the 9pm Family Fireworks inserted into the live Midnight Fireworks.
Of course, the 2014 broadcast was summed up in it’s conclusion when host Julia Zemiro infamously said: “Oh, thank god” after the credits started rolling.
The broadcast isn’t shown internationally except the fireworks segments. In 2013, the post-10:30pm broadcast was shown to Asia & Oceania. Ironically, the Telstra YouTube broadcast of the event, which is shown internationally, was extremely well produced with continuously entertaining musical performances from high-profile artists, short interviews with those artists and YouTube personalities & more complete coverage of activities on Sydney Harbour. One downside of the YouTube broadcast though is that the official fireworks soundtrack is not broadcast due to copyright reasons.
Sydney NYE broadcasts are not new to controversy but 2 controversial broadcasts in a row was unprecedented. NYE1979 saw drunken crowd behaviour on live TV climaxing with The Angels’ frontman, Doc Neeson, being hit in the head and thus injured by a large object thrown by someone in the crowd. NYE2006 saw a Channel Ten broadcast which was clearly deemed ‘not family friendly’ and NYE2009 was more of a Channel 9 promo.
The TV rights went up for grabs again in April this year and instead of the usual tender process of the past 6 years, the City Of Sydney returned to sponsorship agreements (a practice they did between 1996 & 2008) and as we now know, ABC signed it. We understand it is a 1-year minimum contract.
Details and duration of the Sydney NYE2015 TV broadcast have not been revealed as yet but the 9pm Family Fireworks & the ABC3 ‘Design Your Own Firework‘ Competition winners have been confirmed as features of the broadcast. The Midnight Fireworks, whilst not confirmed, are all but guaranteed.
ABC is a professional television broadcaster and expectations of them are high. They can deliver but with the past 2 Sydney NYE broadcasts they have gotten it disastrously wrong. Hopefully when details are released, the program is different and entertaining even if it is 4 hours long. A 3rd chance is usually the limit – they have got to get it right or at least significantly improve.
ABC has been contacted for comment. No response was received.
Since the theme has been confirmed, our ‘Guess The Bridge Effect’ section has now opened up again. All that is left to be announced is the Creative Ambassador. With the theme ‘City Of Colour’, it could be a famous, bright & colourful Sydneysider. Can you guess who it will be? We’ll just have to wait & see.
ABC3, in conjunction with the City of Sydney, is giving 1 lucky ABC3 fan the chance of a lifetime – to design their very own firework and see it come to life on the Harbour this Sydney New Year’s Eve!
The winner and their family will even feature in the live New Year’s Eve broadcast and countdown to the start of the 9pm Family Fireworks display!
To enter, just get creative, put your imagination to the test and draw the very best firework design.
The winner will receive a trip to Sydney for a family of 4 including:
2 nights accommodation in the Central Business District
Return flights to Sydney
VIP tickets to the official Sydney New Year’s Eve Dawes Point (Hickson Road) Reserve viewing area
Be part of the live ABC TV New Year’s Eve broadcast at 9pm
The design which shows the most creativity, effort and potential to be reproduced as a firework, will light up the sky during the biggest fireworks display in the world.
Vivid Sydney today announced that the creative vision of Western Sydney artist Huseyin Sami will illuminate the heritage-listed façade of the Museum Of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), when the world’s largest festival of light, music & ideas returns in 2016.
NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism & Major Events, Stuart Ayres, said “Vivid Sydney is a remarkable opportunity for artists to create on a grand scale & it doesn’t get much grander than seeing your work projected onto 1 of Sydney’s most iconic landmarks. It’s exciting to see Huseyin Sami, an acclaimed artist from Western Sydney, given this opportunity & I look forward to the big reveal of his projection art next year.”
Each year, an Australian artist represented in the MCA collection or exhibition program, is chosen to work in collaboration with projection content creators to create the amazing 3D-mapped projections that adorn the MCA façade during Vivid Sydney.
Huseyin Sami is a former exhibitor in MCA’s annual Primavera exhibition, highlighting the work of young Australian artists. His work explores the material qualities of paint, crossing over the categories of painting, sculpture & installation. He has exhibited extensively both nationally & internationally.
MCA Director, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE, said “We are delighted that the involvement of artists in the creation of the work for the MCA façade for Vivid Sydney will continue with the commissioning of Huseyin Sami, one of a generation of younger artists working with materials such as paint in exciting new ways. We look forward to seeing how his vision comes to fruition on our façade.”
Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Chipchase, added that there is still time for projection content creators to submit expressions of interest for the MCA original façade, with the deadline extended to midnight AEDT, 7 October 2015.
Vivid Sydney is managed by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW & returns from 27 May to 13 June 2016.
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