With the western catwalk, hangars & lower arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge being used for fireworks for the 1st time ever, crowds have been heading to North Sydney for their prime views of the western side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge around Lavender Bay including in Bradfield Park, on Blues Point & in heritage-listed amusement park, Luna Park, for tonight’s Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks.
As all vantage points in North Sydney are now full, please do not travel into these areas. This happened at 4:28pm AEDT.
This early reaching of capacity in North Sydney is a surprise given the long history & popularity of the event. However, it does show that western Sydney audiences have really been wanting the western half of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to be used for pyrotechnics for a long time, more than organisers realised.
Corresponding to this news, the southern side of the Harbour has been unusually slower in filling up to capacity this year.
The Sydney Central Business District is now full as of 5pm. As of 5:59pm, Barangaroo as well & Observatory Hill Park at 6:38pm. Please do not travel into these areas. However, Dawes Point (Tar-Ra) Park & The Rocks are still not at capacity.
Sydney New Year’s Eve 2024 begins at 7:30pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time tonight, the 31st of December.
Tonight’s Pink Moment as part of Sydney New Year’s Eve 2024 has been rescheduled to 10:25pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).
Originally scheduled for 10pm AEDT, the Pink Moment sees Sydney will glow pink in support of & to raise awareness of the event’s charity partner, the National Breast Cancer Foundation. To honour the 58 people in Australia diagnosed with breast cancer each day, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Harbour Lights parade boats, 10 city buildings, the 6 pyrotechnic barges & the Luna Park Ferris Wheel will be lit pink, remaining that colour for half an hour to celebrate the Foundation’s 30th anniversary.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation was formed in 1994.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projections during the Pink Moment will include a photo of NBCF Community Ambassador, Tarryn Fowler, accompanied by key breast cancer statistics & the Foundation’s logo.
Sydney New Year’s Eve 2024 begins at 7:30pm AEDT tonight, the 31st of December, with the Pink Moment on at 10:25pm AEDT.
While thousands of extra public transport services will run throughout the day & into the early hours, services close to the Harbour do pause for periods & extensive road closures are in place.
We’re expecting big crowds & it can be a long, hot day so please make sure you’re prepared with water & sun protection.
Celebrate safely by coming into the city centre early on public transport, regularly checking how busy viewing spots are online & planning your trip home.
Stephen Gilby, City Of Sydney Producer
City Of Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore Photograph: Chris Southwood for City Of Sydney
Once again, the eyes of the world will be on Sydney as we ring in the new year & we’re ready for our biggest New Year’s Eve event ever.
Tonight’s spectacular event will feature world-leading fireworks, incredible musicians, spectacular light shows & hours of cutting-edge Sydney Harbour Bridge projections.
Sydney sets the global benchmark for New Year’s Eve & whether you’re joining us along the foreshore or watching on TV, I hope you enjoy the show. Happy New Year!
Clover Moore AO, City Of Sydney Lord Mayor
(From left to right) ‘Calling Country’ Creative Director ‘Nooky’ & City Of Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore and Producer, Stephen Gilby Photograph: Chris Southwood for City Of Sydney
If you weren’t planning to bring a radio to Sydney Harbour, you better now.
Wherever you are around the world this New Year’s Eve, you can farewell 2024 by singing with, yes, with 18-time Brit Award winner, Robbie Williams!
At 11:25pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT), Robbie Williams will take to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) stage on the Northern Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House for a 35-minute set.
But that’s not all!
His performance will be projected live onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons & the whole world will be encouraged to sing along to his hits in the final 35 minutes of 2024 in Sydney’s time zone.
In case you don’t know the words to his songs, the lyrics will be projected onto the pylons alongside the live images from the Sydney Opera House. The lyrics will not be part of the television/Internet broadcast so if you need help while watching the broadcast, do a quick Google search of the song title.
1 million people are expected around Sydney Harbour and 280 million people are expected to tune in globally for the Midnight Fireworks.
During the concert, but not necessarily from 11:25pm, Robbie Williams will promote his critically acclaimed satirical musical ‘biographical’ film, Better Man, in cinemas now, with a behind the scenes look at how it was made. The concert begins at 9:10pm AEDT.
Ok so on Sydney Harbour, I can see (at least on the pylons) & sing with Robbie Williams but how can I hear him?
The concert will be broadcast on ABC Radio Sydney (105.7 FM) from 9:10pm AEDT until Midnight. The concert has always been synchronised to the light show on the Sydney Harbour Bridge so don’t wait until 11:25pm to tune in, tune in right after the Calling Country Fireworks finish at 9:08pm AEDT & dance under the spectacular synchronised lights of the Sydney Harbour Bridge until Robbie Williams takes the stage!
IMPORTANT NOTE: As far as we are aware, ABC does not broadcast the official fireworks soundtracks on radio. To hear the official fireworks soundtracks, you need to tune into KIIS 106.5FM at 9pm for the Calling Country Fireworks & just before Midnight precisely at the end of Robbie Williams’ set (otherwise you will miss him sing!) to welcome in 2025.
I want to listen to the radio,but I am not down on Sydney Harbour?
If you are in Australia, all ABC Local Radio stations are broadcasting the concert. If you cannot access an ABC Local Radio station, you can find Internet options on our ‘Watch LIVE’ page.
I am not down on Sydney Harbour but want to sing along on television (TV)/Internet?
However, if you do not live in Sydney’s time zone in Australia, to watch & sing along live you need the Internet stream as the TV broadcast is delayed to your time zone.
There will be no lyrics shown during the TV & Internet broadcast so if you need help, do a quick Google search of the song title.
Can I get tickets to the concert?
Sorry. The ballot for tickets closed 9 days ago.
I missed out on concert tickets, but projections aren’t enough for me. Where is the closest I can see him in person?
GATES TO THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE CLOSED AT 11:55AM AEDT. BOATING IS NOW YOUR ONLY OPTION.
The Sydney Opera House vantage point is the only place. However, just being there isn’t enough. The very north-western corner of the Sydney Opera House is open to the general public & is right behind the concert stage so you can definitely hear & likely see him from that spot. However, it has a very small capacity so only the first people who get there will get the spots. To get this spot, it is best to be there at the Sydney Opera House when gates open at 7am AEDT.
If you miss out on getting there early for that very exclusive north-western corner, most of the general public won’t be able to access the Sydney Opera House north of the Bennelong Sails (the small stand-alone set of sails) once that north-western comer is full due to ticketed events taking up that space so getting any closer to being in sight of Robbie Williams is impossible after then. The Sydney Opera House’s southern forecourt is still open to the general public after then but there are no views of Robbie Williams from there – just great pyrotechnic views. Gates to the Sydney Opera House close when the capacity of 6000 is reached & if not, at 2pm AEDT regardless.
If you are boating, the best place to be likely to see him is if you float around Mrs Macquarie’s Point. If you can see the ABC stage from there, you will have the best view you can of him on the water. Again, like with land vantage points, it is first-come, first-served and spaces are limited so be quick! Event exclusion zone is enforced from 8pm AEDT. Vessels under 15min length are only allowed in nearby Farm Cove & all vessels must stay clear of the naval exclusion zone around Garden Island & Fleet Base East. Some areas around Garden Island outside of the naval exclusion zone you cannot anchor at. For more details, check the boating map.
All that is left to be answered is – will Robbie Williams do the Midnight countdown?
I love and adore Australia & the Sydney fireworks are truly magical. To be ringing in the New Year in the country where my biopic, Better Man, was shot will be the perfect end to 2024 & the ideal start to 2025. I can’t wait to perform & celebrate with my incredible Australian fans.
Robbie Williams
If you are wondering why this was only published just now, it was only just announced. Not enough time, I know! Gates open in a few hours & you might never have thought to bring your radio.
On the official Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2024 website, new details about the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projections have been revealed along with the fact that First Nations rapper, BARKAA, will feature in the Calling Country Fireworks soundtrack.
The 8-minute soundtrack, titled Our Greats, will feature First Nations supergroup, 3%, along with children, Olivia (7), Calula (6) and Eliana Webster & Lenny and Paycen Wright. First Nations rapper, Alinta-Jade Quaylee is also part of the soundtrack. She is the daughter of BARKAA, whose real name is Chloe Quayle. Her artist name is the Barkindji word for the Darling River & her 2021 debut album, Blak Matriarchy, honoured powerful First Nations women who paved the way for future generations, which is a central message during the fireworks of this upcoming edition of Sydney New Year’s Eve.
My main inspiration has been my mum, raising us kids, working, going to Uni & juggling like a superwoman. We have a lot of women like that in our lives. Our aunties, grandmothers & mothers are people who carry community on their backs.
It’s always from the heart, still. I want people to still connect with me & on a different level. I’ve shown how proud I am as a Blak woman & how proud I am of my culture with Blak Matriarchy.
‘BARKAA’
BARKAA, along with the already-announced Calling Country soundtrack artists are the next generation, expressing their pride of being young, Blak & bold.
Produced by 18YOMAN, Nooky, Tasker & One Above, Our Greats is written by Nooky, Dallas Woods, Angus Field & One Above with mixing & mastering done by Tasker.
I wanted to give them (his daughters, Olivia & Calula Webster) the opportunity to get up here & show the world their culture and the strength they carry.
‘Nooky’, Yuin and Thungutti rapper & ‘We Are Warriors’ Co-Founder
I felt a little bit afraid, but you’ve just got to stand up, tell them what you’re feeling, what your culture is & what you want to do.
Calula Webster, singer
I was a bit nervous & when I found out that my favourite singer (BARKAA) was on the song too, I really wanted to do it.
Olivia Webster, singer
BARKAA previously performed live at Sydney NYE2021’s Welcome To Country, performing the song Blak with DOBBY:
Meanwhile, new details about the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projections have been revealed. The pylon projections will feature “ancient & futuristic themes” & bioluminescence as well as the “shape” of water itself.
Portrayed in dance by Alice Robinson, The Woman Of The Water will morph in-between coral, kelp, fish, octopus & finally to water. This sequence combines human dance, motion capture, photographs of ocean flora, marine fauna and the texture of water & a custom cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence (AI) system allowing creative studio VANDAL to produce the largest & most complex generative AI motion capture animations yet.
Sydney New Year’s Eve 2024 begins at 7:30pm on the 31st of December.
As part of the Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2024 fireworks displays, for the 1st time ever in Australia, 4 pyrotechnic drones (“aerial pyrotechnic platforms”) will be used.
Replacing 3 pontoons to the east of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the drones will launch around 600 pyrotechnic effects.
The drones will feature in both Calling Country & the Midnight Fireworks.
Pyrotechnic drones have been used around the world since 2021. Mostly seen in the Middle East so far, the 1st prominent display of firework drones was utilised at the 2021 Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix:
Golden waterfalls have been used on these aerial pyrotechnic platforms already but the most creative use of these drones so far was held in Paris earlier this year & surprisingly not at The Games Of The 33rd Olympiad! On Bastille Day, the annual fireworks display off the Eiffel Tower & around the Trocadero Gardens, which, since 2019, Sydney Spectaculars has deemed as the best annual pyrotechnic display on earth, was jaw dropping with their use of drones, even if it got repetitive after a while. Themed to the values of the City of Lights, Olympism & Paralympism, the full 20-minute display can be watched below as a preview to the potential these pyrotechnic drones provide to Sydney NYE:
The above Paris display used 1000 drones, not all pyrotechnic drones, while Sydney will use just 4 pyro drones in their Australian debut so don’t expect Paris-sized pyro drone spectacles yet in Sydney.
Anyway, back to the Harbour City. Despite the removal of 3 pontoons on the eastern side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge for these 4 aerial pyrotechnic platforms, 1 pontoon will remain there.
Georgia Rapisarda, Fortunato Foti & Nicolette Anastasio of Foti International Fireworks at the Glebe Island Sydney NYE2024 Pyrotechnic Barge Preparation Site Photograph: Chris Southwood for the City Of Sydney
A special waterfall creating the name, ‘Sydney’, will also feature during the fireworks displays. This is highly likely not the traditional ‘streaming candle’ waterfall effect but rather the ‘Roman candle’ waterfall effect that used to feature frequently during the 9pm fireworks. However, it is more likely this ‘Sydney’ waterfall will feature during the Midnight Fireworks.
One of the fish-shaped fireworks will form the shape of sharks. Looking out for the sharks will be fireworks in the shape of fishhooks while accompanying fireworks of emu’s feet are fireworks in the shape of tracks of emus.
Fortunato Foti, Sydney NYE2024 Fireworks Director & Stephen Gilby, City Of Sydney Executive Producer
Photograph: Chris Southwood for City Of Sydney
The official pyrotechnics provider, Foti International Fireworks, has worked 4500 hours in preparation for the iconic displays, including unpacking 120 tonnes of equipment from 18 shipping containers to link 80 kilometres of wires & cables to 16 computers & 32 firing panels since the 20th of December. On NYE, when 70 staff from the pyrotechnic company will work for the event, 1000 fireworks will be fired off the Sydney Opera House’s western sails while the Sydney Harbour Bridge will feature 30,000 pyrotechnic effects fired from 7500 cues.
The Calling Country Fireworks soundtrack was also revealed to be called Our Greats.
It’s no wonder our New Year’s Eve display is regarded as one of the largest & most technologically advanced fireworks shows on earth.
Every year, the Foti family works its magic to produce an event that continues to be bigger, brighter & more innovative and entertaining.
Clover Moore, City Of Sydney Lord Mayor
We spend weeks meticulously planning the displays to ensure they are perfectly synchronised with each show’s specially created soundtrack.
We work through every segment of the soundtracks – the lyrics, the highs & lows of the music, the breaks & the crescendo – to ensure the display visually matches the mood & energy as perfectly as possible.
We’re always looking at how we can evolve our show & believe this will be one of the most innovative New Year’s Eve displays in the world.
Not only do we have more fireworks than ever before, we’re extremely excited to introduce the aerial platforms concept – the 1st time this has been done in Australian fireworks history.
The introduction of 80 new positions on the Bridge & an additional firing location on the western side has enabled us to extend the footprint of the display & offer people a better view of the fireworks. No matter where you are around the harbour, you’re in for a great show!
Fortunato Foti, Foti International Fireworks Director
NOTE: This will be our last post on the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race until 2025. For further updates including during the race, see our ‘Watch LIVE’ page.
There have been 2 deaths overnight in the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race onboard the vessels Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline, both since retired & at port. The former at Jervis Bay while the latter is at Batemans Bay, both since 7am.
Bowline as it heads down the Sydney coast during the 2024 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race/Salty Dingo
This report of the tragedies came through at around 4:20am Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).
Flying Fish Arctos during the 2017 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race/Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
These are tragically the 1st deaths since the infamous 1998 race when 6 died.
The Race Committee were advised both crew members, who were general deckwork crew members, were hit by the boom during a sail change, both receiving head injuries with the Flying Fish Arctos sailor, who was a 55-year-old male from Western Australia, receiving injuries that were significant. The other sailor was a 65-year-old male from South Australia.
Flying Fish Arctos was sailing approximately 30 nautical miles (56 kilometres) east/south-east of Ulladulla while at 2.15am, Bowline was approximately the same distance east/north-east of Batemans Bay. Fellow crew members performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but they could not revive their fellow crew members. About 11.50pm, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) in Canberra received a mayday from Flying Fish Arctos, who requested urgent assistance. AMSA then immediately notified New South Wales (NSW) Police Marine Area Command (MAC) of the events onboard Flying Fish Arctos & Bowline. In Flying Fish Arcto‘s case, the NSW Water Police were deployed from Port Kembla, who escorted the vessel to Jervis Bay.
The wind was a 25 knot (46.3km/h) north-easterly with 45 km/h gusts from the north, which produced a heavy swell.
At 2.15am, in Bowline‘s case, officers from the NSW Police MAC were then informed that the yacht was requesting urgent assistance & that the substantial CPR attempt was unsuccessful. In both cases, the deaths are now being dealt with by NSW Police. The NSW Police vessel, Nemesis, who was in short range of that yacht was deployed & escorted Bowline to Batemans Bay, where it was moored at Snapper Rocks. A 2nd male person was also injured on Bowline with a suspected broken or dislocated shoulder. That person was medivac onto a Police vessel & then onto an ambulance at Batemans Bay at 8:40am.
NSW Police said both crews, who have been offered counselling, were doing it tough and were shaken by what they have seen and had to do.
The Race Director contacted the vessels to give them support by, for example, finding out the situation and what help they needed.
All family members were yet to be contacted by 5:32am AEDT including next of kin but all were contacted by 8:30am AEDT. Western Australia Police helped in contacting the Western Australian sailor’s next of kin. NSW Police held a press conference in daylight between these hours at which point the South Australia sailor’s family had been all contacted:
At the time of the press conference, Crime Scene investigators were still on board the yachts, which were seized as evidence & will collect instrumentation data. NSW Police will also take all the data from their satellite imagery. Water Police, Far South Coast Command & Batemans Bay detectives were interviewing all crew members. These all be assessed and evaluated before 2 evidence briefs will be prepared for the Coroner, after the race has concluded.
The Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA) will conduct an investigation & implement any measures recommended to prevent future similar tragedies.
A press conference, held by the CYCA’s Vice Commodore, David Jacobs, was held at the CYCA at 8:30am AEDT:
The 10am AEDT update show was cancelled. This post will be providing the update of all events up to 4pm AEDT 27th December from 2pm AEDT the day prior.
It has been a significant challenging period for search & rescue conducted by New South Wales Police but it’s also timely that I, I, I reach out to, um, other members of our rescue agencies at this time of year. Men & women of New South Wales Police are still out there with the fleet continuing south. It’s going to be a challenging night in Bass Strait. There’s big seas coming, um, but our ambulance, our marine rescue people keeping our waters safe. They need to be recognised & remembered for giving up their weekends, their days, there nights to be out there looking after our community.
Superintendent Joseph McNulty, NSW Police MAC
Other Race News
Since the race start, there have been 16 retirements including 3 dismastings reducing the fleet to 88 yachts.
At 4:10pm AEDT, Alive retired due to engine issues then at 6:20pm AEDT off Kiama, Transcendence Rudy Project was the 1st of 3 to lose her mast. Transcendence Rudy Project co-skipper, Martin Cross, said he and his son, John, who is the other skipper, were “ok & were heading to New Shellharbour for the night”. At the time, LawConnect, in 2nd place, was 9.5 nautical miles (18 kilometres) in front of 3rd placer, Wild Thing 100.
At 8:14pm AEDT, Ciao Bella retired after her steering cable snapped.
Nearly simultaneously at 10:20pm AEDT, the next retirements occurred on URM Group & Philosopher. Both lost their masts. At the time URM Group was 4th in the race sailing 65 nautical miles (120 kilometres) southeast of Montague Island while Philospher was 6 nautical miles (30 kilometres) east of Jervis Bay, which is where they headed to while URM Group went to Eden.
The most prominent retirement overnight then came at 12:20am with Master Lock Comanche, who was race leader at the time, 63 nautical miles (117 kilometres) off Green Cape retiring as 1 of 2 with main sail damage. It was Comanche‘s 1st retirement ever in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. LawConnect became the new race leader.
10 minutes later, Wild retired with rigging damage.
At 3:14am AEDT, 51 nautical miles (95 kilometres) south-east of Eden, onboard Porco Rosso, a 37-year-old male crew member, Luke Williams, was swept overboard. 2.31 kilometres after the incident, the Race Committee informed the yacht that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) received a satellite message from an activated personal location beacon. Porco Rosso immediately begun their search while AMSA set out a jet & Race organisers diverted a racing yacht to help while NSW Police dispatched a launch & were ready to also dispatch a helicopter from Water Police in Eden. Some racing or retired yachts diverted to assist with the search. Just after 4:14am, Porco Rosso ended up finding the person, who was cold but alive, healthy & well. They also retired & are at port in Eden.
Before 8:30am, along the New South Wales coast, there was 25 knot (46 kilometres/hour) northerly wind. The leading yachts were travelling between 25 to 30 knots (56 kilometres/hour). The sea was not unusually large. Some crew members have received minor injuries. At 8:30am the fleet hit a westerly which turned south & as they reach Tasmania, south-westerly.
I was downstairs. We were about to get the A4 off then there was a big bang & a big collapse. The mast broke 1½ metres above the deck, right above the instruments. The boys did a really good job of cutting the rig away & we are heading to Eden. We’re all pretty gutted. The boat was really lit up. We were doing really well. We were averaging 20 knots in 25 knots of breeze.
Alice Parker, ‘URM Group’ Navigator
The mast broke in 3 places – we had to cut away the top section that was in danger of damaging the hull. Shame, as we were going so well.
Martin Cross, ‘Transcendence Rudy Project’ co-skipper
The Bureau Of Meteorology has forecasted a fast start for the 2024 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race.
After they leave Sydney Harbour & begin the trek down the New South Wales coast, a brisk south westerly change is forecast to come through, which for Wild Thing 100 skipper, Carl Crafoord, could be a challenge according to him.
Carl Crafoord, Wild Thing 100 Skipper at the Line Honours Contenders Press Conference Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race
For Master Lock Comanche co-skipper, James Mayo, he was happy with the overall forecast. His take from it was that their strategy would be key.
Meanwhile, LawConnect skipper, Christian Beck, was relishing the forecast.
Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA) Commodore, Sam Haynes, who is also racing onboard Celestial V70, which isn’t a line honours contender, said he was expecting a fast race but no records.
CYCA Commodore, Sam Haynes, at the Line Honours Contenders Press Conference Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race
In other race news, the broadcast will also be hosted from North Head from 12:30pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) before shifting to commentators, Gordon Bray, Peter Shipway & Lisa Darmanin on Sydney Harbour for the race start.
The vendors at the Hobart Race Village have also been had some changes. Brown Brothers Family Winemakers, Devil’s Corner, Dark Lab, Orlando Plenty & Monica’s Fairy Floss are no longer going to be there while Robbie’s Woodfire Pizzas & Fried and Loaded Tasmania have been added.
Also, another yacht, Unicoin, has withdrawn, bringing the fleet to now 104 yachts.
The 2024 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race (real & virtual) begins at 1pm AEDT on the 26th of December (Boxing Day) with a live-streamed final weather briefing at 8am AEDT.
We’ll see those winds strengthening & potentially getting gale force speeds, particularly along the southern parts of the New South Wales (NSW) coast on Thursday.
(Brisk south westerly change) This will push across Bass Strait & turn more southerly on the New South Wales coast on Friday morning.
The exact time is still yet to be determined, but the model’s consistency at the moment is pretty remarkable, noting that it’s still a few days away & as we see that change come through, we could be seeing some showers and maybe even the chance of a thunderstorm.
Gabrielle Woodhouse, Bureau Of Meteorology Senior NSW Meteorologist
I think from our point of view, the harder it is, the better it is. We’ve had a crew that’s been together for 6 years. We’ve got largely the same crew. We hope our crew is our main strength. The harder it is, the more that comes to our advantage so we’re pretty happy with the forecast overall.
Christian Beck, ‘LawConnect‘ skipper
Well, it’s definitely good conditions, better than waking up on Boxing Day knowing that you’re facing a southerly.
It’s about keeping the boat in 1 piece, you know, there’s going to be some good rides & getting there safely & working through those transitions as we enter Bass Strait and getting through those best as possible.
James Mayo, ‘Master Lock Comanche‘ Co-Skipper
The forecast is pretty clear & the (prediction) down in the path of the 1st 12 hours was fantastic. I think the tricky bit will be getting further down the coast. It depends if it’s southwest or west or northwest & depends how far away we can get from the land so, we believe that we can get a little bit further out & try and use the…boats ahead of us as flags to determine how close we can get back into Tassie.
Circular Quay drone shows, Vivid Sydney water shows, Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour, Australia SailGP & fireworks from barges over Sydney Harbour at any time of the year are under threat from a proposed high-density housing development at Glebe Island. This does not affect Sydney NYE2024 (the upcoming edition).
Glebe Island is home to a port with 260 metres of deep waterfront wharf space, where Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour‘s enormous stage is prepared before been moved to Fleet Steps. Barges & pontoons are also moored at Glebe Island for the preparation of pyrotechnic displays & drone shows held from them. For the pyrotechnics, cranes are used to load the fireworks onto the barges & pontoons while for both drones & fireworks, the barges & pontoons are then moved into Sydney Harbour (or in the drone shows’ case, moored at Campbells’ Cove) for the displays. The same also applies for the annual water show held in Cockle Bay during Vivid Sydney, whose water pump infrastructure is first prepared at Glebe Island while Australia SailGP requires the delivery of 120 shipping containers.
Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE), the most significant annual pyrotechnic event on Sydney Harbour, uses 6 barges and 4 pontoons. Without these, the display would be reduced to just the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House & city buildings. Fireworks displays at any other time of year & drone/water shows as well as Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour & Australia SailGP will be impossible to be held.
And according to Adam Huie of Banks Events, who has helped produce Sydney Spectaculars (the events, not the blog) since 1997, that’s what will happen if Glebe Island is no longer a port.
First things first, Glebe Island is a bit of a misnomer. It was an island originally, but it doesn’t exist anymore. It was joined to the mainland just over a century ago but now, fast forward to 2016.
On the 14th of November 2016, the New South Wales (NSW) Government announced Sydney Metro West, an underground rapid transit line. One of its proposed stations is to be at The Bays precinct, “Sydney’s new innovation hub where 95 hectares of land is being regenerated”.
Green: Glebe Island, Brown: Reclaimed Land, Blue Line: Sydney Metro West (under construction), Blue Boxes: Sydney Metro West Stations (under construction).
At the time, the land regeneration wasn’t to include Glebe Island, which was instead marked as “for further study”.
The Bays Precinct Urban Renewal Area In 2014 Image: The Sydney Morning Herald
And indeed, further study it was, in secret. On the 25th of July this year, The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that the NSW Government had secretly commissioned a review into Glebe Island. The now not-so-secret review is being undertaken by Michael Schur, a consultant who was a former NSW Treasury secretary in 2011, who will also review the non-cruise ship terminal portion of the White Bay foreshore. He will be assessing options including:
Retaining the ports with no nearby high-density housing
Moving the ports for nearby high-density housing
Building a hybrid model
The proposal by the NSW Government to turn it into high-density housing is made due to the now-under construction The Bays Metro Station, which would be able to handle large amounts of passengers & therefore, potential residents. The NSW Government later admitted the review was real.
Tom Forrest, Urban Taskforce Chief Executive said Glebe Island had the potential to be Sydney’s next Barangaroo which he described as “vibrant, open & perfect” but industry wants to stay at Glebe Island.
For example, the Port Authority of NSW, a corporation of the NSW Government, while supporting the Schur review, is opposed to the Glebe Island port closing down or being relocated. As noise, pollution & truck movements are all key considerations in whether the hybrid model can work, they even warned against that option, saying “sensitive uses” near ports & shipping threatened to upset operations. It is this position that has led event producers to not make a collective submission.
The NSW Liberal Party is also opposed to the relocation while Stuart Aryes, Urban Development Institute Of Australia, Chief Executive said a mixed-use precinct “could be a new jewel in the Sydney Harbour crown”.
The City Of Sydney, in a statement (below), gave a response which sounds like a wait and see approach with supreme confidence. The confidence is justified as Glebe Island/White Bay has not always been the location the pyrotechnic barges been prepared from. For example, in 1996, Wooloomooloo was the location for the set-up of the main barge used in the 9pm Family Fireworks that year. It relocated to White Bay/Glebe Island the following year.
However, Adam Huie told Sydney Spectaculars (the blog this time) that Wooloomooloo is “now occupied by other uses and unavailable”. You can read his full comments, which were published by The Daily Telegraph, at the bottom of this article.
The review is likely to be published by the end of the year.
The Sydney NYE2024 Glebe Island media call is on Friday the 27th of December at 10am & it wouldn’t be a surprise if questions are asked there about this situation.
Sydney NYE2024 is on at 7:30pm on the 31st of December while Australia SailGP returns on the 8th-9th of February with Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour 2025 being held between March 21 and April 20 & will be musical Guys & Dolls this edition.
There is a range of things that you could do with Glebe Island that are better than the way it has been used for a long period of time & one of those is obviously housing.
Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister Of Australia
If the government has an announcement to make, it will be made at an appropriate time.
NSW Government Spokesperson
The harbour is our jewel in the crown & Glebe Island supports that gem. Our harbour is also more complex & multifaceted than people realise so while we excel at events, they need a platform supporting them.
Margy Osmond, Tourism & Transport Forum Australia Chief Executive Officer
The government’s own department is telling them that this is a bad idea – that should tell you all you need to know.
Natalie Ward, NSW Legislative Councillor
Any proposed plans for the Glebe Island site is a matter for the state government.
Our experience over the years has meant we are adept at working around evolving changes to the event’s production to ensure we continue to deliver one of the world’s most spectacular New Year’s Eve celebrations.
City Of Sydney Spokesperson
(Barangaroo) That’s the sort of vision we need to see. Maintaining Sydney as a quasi-working harbour was a prospect that was abandoned by governments 30 years ago. Continuing to operate a hybrid model ensures the Bays Precinct will fail to deliver its potential. The last thing we want is to keep that giant hardstand area in order to satisfy the old Maritime Services Board.
Tom Forrest, Urban Taskforce Chief Executive
Sydney will struggle to be a better city without Glebe Island. The thought that the fireworks & other major events could be in jeopardy is truly alarming. Access to Glebe Island for preparing events is vital for the events sector & for Sydney’s economy, tourism and culture.
Paul Nicolau, Business Sydney Executive Director
We live here because of the working harbour.
Elizabeth Elenius, Pyrmont Action Group Founder
We use Glebe Island for a lot of events that mean so much to this city.
Because the Port Authority has had management of the site and their support for events is strong. We’ve seen that as the state government supporting our events but this report that’s coming has given everyone the jitters. We don’t know what is going on. These events are too important to Sydney. People around the world know us for our NYE celebrations. It would be terrible if we had to scale that back because a necessary work site was not available.
There’s quite a number of events that use that space as an essential part of their work. There’s Australia Day, Vivid, SailGP and Opera On The Harbour. They would all have major issues putting on some of their events without Glebe Island.
The drone show for Vivid in June required 110m of wharf space at Glebe Island for 4 weeks to build a barge & install the equipment allowing 800 drones to take off. Every city in the world that SailGP operates in, they deliver essentials by ship & set up on a wharf. If Sydney doesn’t have Glebe Island port, where are they going to go? All these events need waterfront access on the harbour.
People have spent years trying to work out how to deliver the New Year’s Eve fireworks if Glebe Island suddenly wasn’t available. We’ve never come up with a solution. The only sensible option would be to scale back on the event & surely no one wants that. Sydney has one of the best fireworks displays in the world, but the event could not be done the way it’s currently done without that Glebe Island facility.
I’d laugh at anyone suggesting (Port Botany, Kembla, Newcastle) that. There’s no way you’d be loading barges there & then shipping them here. Logistics require clear weather windows of opportunity. It would be unworkable, virtually impossible but why does that even have to be considered when we’ve got a working wharf right here?
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race has been given a forecast of mostly downwind.
The crew of URM Group, a Reichel/Pugh 72, are looking forward to this forecast coming true.
Owned by Anthony & David Johnston, URM Group will have, as part of its crew, 2 more brothers of theirs, uniting all 4 as part of the race.
Meanwhile, Whisper‘s skipper, David Griffith, isn’t as keen on the downwind forecast but says his crew & Whisper, a JV62, have got what it takes.
David Griffith at the International Rating Certificate Contenders Press Conference Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race/Ashley Dart
URM Group & Whisper are considered contenders of the International Rating Certificate handicap category, the most popular handicap category & the category whose winner is awarded The George Adams Tattersall Cup.
A major update of the weather forecast will be made on the 24th of December (Christmas Eve) at 9am when a compulsory race briefing is held for all crew members of the non-virtual race.
Meanwhile, another yacht has withdrawn bringing the fleet to 105 yachts. The yacht that withdrew was Ariel.
We’ve done a couple of boat modifications that should improve our downwind performance.
Anthony Johnston, ‘URM Group’ Skipper
I think it’s a very hot fleet. We personally prefer more shifty, dodgy sort of weather to sneak around a few of the boats but we’re feeling pretty good. The boat’s done amazing things. It’s a strong boat & we hope we’ll get through without any problems.
18-time Brit Award winner, Robbie Williams, will headline the New Year’s Eve (NYE) concert hosted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on the Northern Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House, performing his hits as well as promoting his critically acclaimed satirical musical ‘biographical’ film, Better Man, which opens in cinemas to the general public on the 26th of December (Boxing Day), with a behind the scenes look at how it was made.
With this news, the ABC has extended the concert’s ticket ballot to close at 11:59pm on the 22nd of December. It originally closed on the 18th of December. If you are successful, you will only receive a maximum of 4 tickets per person, each costing AUD$50 with the full cost going to the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation.
Other artists already announced to be performing at the concert are Casey Donovan, Nooky, G Flip, Becca Hatch, Fanning Dempsey National Park, Cyril, 1300 & Randy Houser.
The concert will be broadcast on local ABC Radio nationwide so people down on the Harbour (105.7 FM) can tune in. It will also be streamed online & televised globally via the ABC.
The ABC’s NYE concert is held at 9:10pm Sydney time on the 31st of December, hosted by Charlie Pickering & Zan Rowe, with Concetta Caristo roving around Sydney Harbour.
I love and adore Australia & the Sydney fireworks are truly magical. To be ringing in the New Year in the country where my biopic, Better Man, was shot will be the perfect end to 2024 & the ideal start to 2025. I can’t wait to perform & celebrate with my incredible Australian fans.
Sydney Spectaculars 
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