31-time Sydney-Hobart sailor, Peter Shipway & commentator, Gordon Bray, have been announced as the official commentators for the 2024 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race & will commentate the race start for the 1st time since 1983, which was the last & only time they commentated the race start together.
They are both friends with a deep love for sailing.
Gordon Bray, while having completed a few offshore races over the years, is a self-proclaimed “social sailor” & has been a commentator for 55 years, first covering the Great Race South in 1971 for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), completing 6 Sydney-Hobarts’ until 1984 on board the radio relay vessel. In 1984, a freak wave almost washed him overboard & then his wife, put his journeys on the radio relay vessel to an end. When the race begins this year, he will also become the only person to commentate the race start on all 4 Australian rights-holding free-to-air television broadcasters. The only channel that hasn’t held the rights has been the Special Broadcasting Service.
ABC Radio Guide, 20 December 1975 Photograph: Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA) Archive
This year, he commentated the sailing for The Games Of The XXXIIIrd Olympiad: Paris 2024 for 9 Radio.
Peter Shipway grew up sailing in Sydney Harbour’s Watson Bay before becoming a crew member in the 1980 America’s CupSeries Challenge, 8 Admiral’s Cups (which is considered as the unofficial offshore racing world championship) & until 2011, 31 Sydney-Hobarts’. In the Blue Water Classic, he has been on yachts that won a combined 5 Line Honours victories, the last being Wild Oats XI & 2 main handicap category victories.
He has since joined with Gordon Bray on YouTube to commentate other live sailing races held by the CYCA on Sydney Harbour.
On the 26th of December (Boxing Day), they will be broadcasting live from a vessel on Sydney Harbour along with other experts including Australian Olympic silver medallist, Lisa Darmanin, who will be the on-water commentator for the remainder of the race.
The broadcast of the race start on Boxing Day will begin at 12:30pm Sydney time with the race start 30 minutes later at 1pm. In Australia, it is broadcast on Channel 9 & 9Nowfor the 1st time ever.
Having started covering the race over 50 years ago, it’s almost a fatal attraction. You can’t ignore it. It is one of the great events on the Australian sporting calendar. It’s an adventure for the sailors & I think that’s what captures the imagination of the public because you just don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s so unpredictable. I’ve always loved the race because it’s about the people as well. Everyone is equal when you go out to sea & you have to perform as a team. The camaraderie you develop is like no other sport.
Peter Shipway – he’s certainly the voice of the Sydney-Hobart but for me he’s the voice of sailing here in Australia. He’s such an iconic figure. All the sailors love ‘Shippo’. Working alongside Peter is incredible because he’s a walking encyclopaedia. He eats and breathes the sport & knows every boat backwards. He steers the boat & I follow his instructions on sail trim. His ability to educate & inform the audience sets him apart. My job is to support him & keep the excitement going and make sure everyone gets a real feel for what’s happening. If we can make the viewers feel like they are there out on the water, then we will have achieved what we set out to do.
Gordon Bray, ‘Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race’ 2024 Commentator
Sydney New Year’s Eve’s Pink Moment, which returns for a 2nd consecutive year, will be 30 minutes long this edition to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), who has proudly been the event’s charity partner for this & the previous edition.
For 30 years since 1994, the NBCF has invested, in Australia, more than AUD$200 million into over 600 critical world-class research projects, contributing to a 40% reduction in breast cancer mortality rates in Australia.
Last edition, the Pink Moment was 4 minutes long from 10:01pm as the Foundation was about to leave their 29th anniversary year & welcome in their 30th anniversary year.
Now celebrating that milestone, the 30-minute long Pink Moment this edition also honours the 58 people in Australia diagnosed with breast cancer each day & will see the Sydney Harbour Bridge, pyrotechnic barges, 10 city buildings, the Sydney Harbour Lights boats & the Luna Park Ferris Wheel lit up in pink from 10pm.
Last edition, only the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Harbour Lights boats & the Luna Park Ferris Wheel were lit pink.
NBCF Community Ambassador, Tarryn Forster. Image: NBCF
Also, as part of the half an hour-long Pink Moment, the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projections will once again feature key breast cancer statistics & the NBCF’s logo accompanied by images of NBCF Community Ambassador, Tarryn Fowler.
While caring for her 2 young children, aged 2.5 years and 18 months, she found a lump in her breast. In November 2020, at the age of 33, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite initially believing she was too young for breast cancer, she immediately looked for medical attention. Her motivation: To be there for her children’s life milestones. 10 days later, her diagnosis was received: Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) & Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS).
A full mastectomy and reconstruction were scheduled in December by the 25th, Christmas. Tarryn found herself too unwell to join her family in Christmas activities like viewing the neighbourhood’s lights & while striving to minimise the impact on her children, finished chemotherapy and radiation therapy the following May in 2021, which was celebrated by ringing the Captain’s Bell, a symbol of hope & accomplishment. She remains hopeful for a future with 0 deaths from breast cancer.
Tarryn Fowler ringing the Captain’s Bell.
Breast cancer is the 2nd most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia & the most prevalent among women, with around 1,000 cases occurring in women under 40 each year, about 3 women every day. 1 woman under 40 loses her life to the disease each week while 9 Australians die from breast cancer each day.
The Sydney New Year’s Eve 2024 Pink Moment will be held at 10pm on the 31st of December.
The City Of Sydney selects a charity to support each New Year’s Eve. I am happy to welcome back the National Breast Cancer Foundation for the 2nd consecutive year. Through this collaboration, we can continue to raise awareness & inspire hope for those impacted by breast cancer. As we ring in the new year, the City is proud to help shine a spotlight on the Foundation’s vision of 0 deaths from breast cancer.
Over the last 30 years, the NBCF has invested AUD$232 million in 642 projects. In this time, the death rate from breast cancer has reduced by over 40%. While the significant progress in reducing deaths from breast cancer is to be celebrated, the number of Australians diagnosed with breast cancer continue to increase. Each day, 58 people in Australia are diagnosed with breast cancer & 9 people die from breast cancer in Australia.
Clover Moore, City Of Sydney Lord Mayor
I think many people would put off doing something until the new year when health-related resolutions are top of mind but I wanted to find out immediately so I could enjoy the holidays. I wanted to finish treatment quickly so they (her children) wouldn’t remember or have too many questions about what was happening.
The hardest part wasn’t the pain or losing my hair. It was being unable to hold my kids for 6 weeks post-surgery. Missing out on their laughter while recovering was tough but it made me even more grateful to be here for their future.
Although the death rate from breast cancer in Australia has reduced, there is still a percentage of people who die. There are more young women diagnosed each year & it’s a timely reminder that it can happen to anyone but with continued investment into research, we can truly make a difference.
Tarryn Fowler, NBCF Community Ambassador
For 30 years, our commitment to funding world-class breast cancer research has led to extraordinary discoveries.
Driving awareness of the importance of breast cancer research, on one of the world’s biggest stages on New Year’s Eve is a special opportunity we’re incredibly grateful for.
New Year’s Eve is about celebrating new beginnings, setting goals and resolutions & entering a new year with positivity and hope. We are excited to see the City Of Sydney light up pink to support the research the National Breast Cancer Foundation leads to move us closer to our vision of 0 deaths from breast cancer.
The generosity of partners including the City of Sydney &our community enables us to accelerate progress in research that ultimately helps save lives. This is a collective effort – together, we can make 0 deaths from breast cancer possible.
Associate Professor Cleola Anderiesz, NBCF Chief Executive Officer
The long-range weather forecast for the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race was announced today, revealing north-easterly winds are “most likely” for the iconic start on Sydney Harbour on the 26th of December (Boxing Day) as another yacht withdraws from the race.
Higher-than-usual temperatures have also been detected along the race route.
Gabrielle Woodhouse, Senior NSW Meteorologist, Bureau Of Meteorology Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race
However, according to the Bureau Of Meteorology (BOM)’s Senior New South Wales (NSW) Meteorologist, Gabrielle Woodhouse, the forecast is currently a “little bit uncertain”.
Juan Vila, Master Lock Comanche Navigator speaking at the Long Range Weather Forecast media call. Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race/Ashley Dart
Juan Vila, navigator for Master Lock Comanche, said the crew was “quite excited” about the forecast because depending on the weather systems’ timing, they feel that their yacht is “quite, quite strong” while Ken Gourlay, navigator for Blue Moon II, thought the forecast was “interesting”.
Father & son, Ken & Tristian Gourlay on board Blue Moon II at Berth 38 in the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia ‘A’ Marina Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race/Ashley Dart
However, Patrick Broughton, the navigator for Love & War, was more interested in the temperatures than the winds as they will “affect us because of the small-scale weather”.
Patrick Broughton, the navigator for Love & War, speaking at the Long-Range Weather Forecast media call. Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race/Ashley Dart
Meteorologists in Tasmania will also deliver daily briefings for crews until the last yacht arrives in Hobart.
Meanwhile, 6 yachts have now withdrawn from the Blue Water Classic with Millennium Falcon withdrawing on Monday, leaving a fleet of 106 yachts to battle it out.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race begins at 1pm, the 26th of December (Boxing Day) on Sydney Harbour.
We’re talking more than 7 days away & currently, we’re expecting a cold front and low-pressure system to move across south-eastern Australia early next week. Depending on how quickly this system moves, it will determine what we see at race start.
Currently, the most likely scenario is that we’ll see some north-easterly winds at race start, which may pick up along the New South Wales (NSW) coast on Thursday afternoon & evening. If this system stays a little bit slower & a little bit closer towards the NSW coast, then we may end up seeing a southerly wind instead at race start.
Gabrielle Woodhouse, Senior NSW Meteorologist, Bureau Of Meteorology
In our mind is, whether the conditions will – to possibly break a record.
They (Systems) can be very important for a strategy or tactics, navigating & then there’s a current as well, waves and so forth so & you might get into Tasman Island in a very good position and then you have another race, into the finish so, there’s a lot of sections through the race & a lot of weather phenomena that can affect the strategies.
We’re going to find out & through the race.
It’s a really exciting race. It’s really complicated but that’s why it makes it very interesting for navigators.
Juan Vila, ‘Master Lock Comanche‘ Navigator
(The Long-Range Weather Forecast) It’s undefined. As Gabrielle said, the pattern is variable. It’s a long way out but we don’t see anything that’s too nasty, particularly for shorthand sailing.
We’ll be conserving our energy because it’s not a sprint. It’s a 3 or 4 day adventure so, we’ll sail with that little bit in reserve, as far as our sleep, which is a very important thing.
Ken Gourlay, ‘Blue Moon II’ Navigator
(Kismet) It’s actually incredibly light displacement, incredibly brilliant design. It looks like an aircraft down below … as far as software goes & hardware goes.
We were watching some video over the weekend on how to navigate with modern equipment.
Sean Langman, ‘Kismet’ Navigator
Sean Langman, Kismet Navigator at the Long-Range Weather Forecast Media Call Photograph: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race/Ashley Dart
The State Of Origin 2025 schedule has been released with all matches for the women’s version being held only in May after being held over 2 months (May & June) this year.
The announcement was made on the 18th of November.
State Of Origin (men’s version) 2024 will have all matches on a Wednesday night with the matches times, dates & venues being:
Game III – 8:05pm, 9th of July, Stadium Australia, Sydney
Tickets for Game 2 went on sale on the 22nd of November at 1pm Perth time (4pm Sydney time/3pm Brisbane time) “starting” from AUD$49 for adults & AUD$139 for families (currently cheapest available is AUD$109 for adults & surprisingly, AUD$74.75 for families).
A pre-sale for New South Wales & Queensland Rugby League members was held from Monday, November 18 before National Rugby League (NRL) club ticketed members had a pre-sale 4-2 hours prior to the general public while NRL account holders & club non-ticketed members had a pre-sale 2 hours prior to the general public.
Meanwhile, the Women’s State Of Origin will take place solely in May:
Game I – 1st of May, Lang Park, Brisbane
Game II – 15th of May, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Game III – 29th of May, Hunter International Sports Centre, Newcastle
All Women’s State Of Origin matches will be on a Thursday night with kick-off at 7:45pm local time.
‘Women’s State Of Origin’ 2025 Advertisement Image: Women’s State Of Origin
While Women’s State Of Origin will be held in Sydney this year, it will not be classified as a ‘flagship’ Sydney Spectacular yet still. While the gap in attendance is narrowing, the attendance is still too low compared to the men’s version (25,000 per event day vs 73,000 per event day). Sydney Spectaculars will continue to monitor Women’s State Of Origin‘s development for possible future recognition.
Both men’s & women’s versions of State Of Origin 2025 will be broadcast in Australia live and exclusive on the Nine Network & tickets for all other matches will go on sale at a later date. Also, a range of hospitality options for all matches have been on sale since the 18th of November.
All online on your smartphone, join thousands of other virtual racers, alongside the data from the real-life racing fleet, in their attempt to win the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race!
It is free to enter & begins at the same time as the real race – 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December!
The virtual Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race has been held since 2017. It is the only e-sport Sydney Spectacular & as you may tell from above, has more participants than the real race (though notably less spectators!)
To enter, you need to download the Virtual Regatta smartphone application & sign up for an account:
Android
Tap the multi-coloured ‘Play Store’ icon.
At the top, in the search bar, type “Virtual Regatta Offshore”.
Tap ‘Install’.
Wait for the application to download.
Once installed, tap ‘Open’ to start the app.
Follow the on-screen prompts to sign up or log in.
Look for the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race event
Register your ‘boat’.
Set up your boat.
Plan your strategy.
Get ready for the start on the 26th of December!
iPhone
Tap the blue ‘App Store’ icon.
At the top, in the search bar, type “Virtual Regatta Offshore”.
Tap the download icon (cloud with a downward arrow) or ‘Get’.
Enter your Apple ID password or use Face/Touch ID if prompted.
Once the app is installed, tap ‘Open’ to launch it.
Follow the on-screen prompts to sign up or log in.
The Sydney New Year’s Eve Calling Country segment is themed Forward With Heart in 2024.
The segment for the 2nd year running is produced by Indigenous social enterprise We Are Warriors, supported by R/GA Australia, a creative studio. They both crafted the segment’s script & voiceover.
The word ‘Heart’ in the theme will be symbolised through references to connection, unity & togetherness, such as Barangaroo’s role as a provider for her children & community. That role will also symbolise regeneration while her connection to the ocean will be a symbol of strength.
These references & symbols will feature in the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projections, which are designed by Bundjalung & South Sea Islander artist, Kimberly Engwicht & Anungu graphic designer, Oumoula McKenzie. The pylon projections will blend these cultural symbols with vibrant landscapes.
Calling Country 2024 – Forward With Heart Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Projections Image: Sydney New Year’s Eve & R/GA
The Calling Country soundtrack will also feature First Nations supergroup, 3%, First Nations rapper, Alinta-Jade Quaylee & 3 other First Nations children, Eliana Webster & Lenny and Paycen Wright. These, along with already-announced Calling Country soundtrack artists are the next generation, expressing their pride of being young, Blak & bold.
The message of Calling Country 2024 is also being reinforced in a series of outdoor signage, emphasising that the ground connects & unites us all, inviting everyone to recognise our shared history.
Sydney NYE2024’s Calling Country is to be held at 8:57pm on the 31st of December with a Welcome To Country (video on television & pylon projections at the event) at 8:30pm.
This is about unity – honouring history, celebrating First Nations identity & embracing the diversity that defines Australia. It’s a reminder to First Nations people that these are your fireworks, your evening & your celebration.
Nooky, Yuin rapper & ‘We Are Warriors’ Co-Founder
Last year’s Calling Country was fierce & provocative, capturing the intensity of the post-referendum moment. It sparked love, pride, respect & even animosity – a response we were proud to provoke.
This year, we’ve pivoted. Our message unites the foreshore & viewers at home, focusing on positivity & the love of the next generation. It’s about moving forward together, embracing femininity, strength, matriarchy & regeneration. Value we can all rally behind, no matter our background.
Ben Miles, ‘We Are Warriors’ Co-Founder & R/GA Chief Design Officer, Asia-Pacific
Regarding the above quote, last year’s Calling Country “capturing the intensity of the post-referendum moment” was entirely coincidental. The referendum was held on the 14th of October 2023 & the creative planning for Calling Country finished on the 9th of October 5 days prior.
Vivid Sydney, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest multi-artform festival, is owned, managed & produced by Destination New South Wales. Vivid Sydney 2025 – Dream will take place from Friday the 23rd of May to Saturday the 14th of June 2025.
Taking home the award for ‘Best Cultural, Arts Or Music Event’ speaks volumes to the impact Vivid Sydney continues to have in its 15th year.
Gill Minervini, ‘Vivid Sydney’ 2024 – ‘Humanity’ Director
This prestigious award reinforces Sydney’s reputation as the premier visitor destination in the Asia-Pacific & cements its position as the cultural, arts and music powerhouse of the nation.
Steve Cox, Destination New South Wales Chief Executive Officer
Meanwhile, the Technical Direction Company, who work on several Sydney Spectaculars won ‘Production Company Of The Year’ & ‘Event Supplier Of The Year’ for the 1st time. These awards were introduced last year.
VANDAL, the Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2024 pylon projection designers, have revealed that this year’s Midnight Fireworks sequence will utilise the largest and most complex generative artificial intelligence (AI) motion capture animations yet as they & the City Of Sydney release previews of the world-famous Midnight Fireworks show.
The Midnight Fireworks pylon projection show will have as its centrepiece, The Woman Of The Water, an ocean spirit representing the Gadigal women of Sydney Harbour. Using a custom AI system, VANDAL integrated a dancer, Alice Robinson, with photographs of ocean flora, marine fauna & the texture of water to form The Woman Of The Water.
Set to an original soundtrack composed by Luna Pan, this pylon projection show will turn the upcoming Midnight Fireworks as the most creative in a decade, when the Bridge Effect was last used.
Below is a 30 second preview of the Midnight Fireworks soundtrack when it was being recorded, with a 10 second preview of the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projection show in the middle. Based on the soundtrack preview, Sydney Spectaculars believes that music will be the opening sequence to the Midnight Fireworks – essentially the 1st thing Sydneysiders will hear in 2025 as the Sydney Harbour Bridge & Opera House erupt in celebration.
We’ve made huge strides this year in our work with generative AI, which has paved the way for a visual experience that merges human artistic performance with stunning generative graphics. Not only does it look spectacular, but this fusion of human & technological art symbolises where we see the future of AI. We’re proud to be at the forefront, creating something truly unique for Sydney & the world to experience.
Chris Scott, ‘VANDAL’ Creative Director
Sydney NYE2024 is on the 31st of December 2024 to 1st of January 2025, beginning at 7:30pm.
Vivid Sydney 2024 – Humanity has won 8 gold medals at the International Festival & Events Association’s (IFEA) Pinnacle Awards.
The Pinnacle Award winners were announced during the IFEA Annual Convention & Expo in Pittsburgh, the United States of America.
The IFEA’s Pinnacle Awards celebrate the best in event innovation, creativity & excellence in categories ranging from programming and marketing campaigns to sustainability initiatives.
Owned, managed & produced by Destination New South Wales (NSW), Vivid Sydney 2024 – Humanity attracted 2.42 million attendees from Friday the 24 of May to Saturday the 15th of June 2024.
Vivid Sydney 2024 – Humanity won the following gold medals:
Best Event Website
Best Promotional Poster
Best Sponsor Activation – Sennheiser
Best Overall Sponsorship Program
Best Accessibility Program
Best Overall Entertainment Program
Best Event/Program Within an Event to Benefit A Cause – Our Shared Humanity at Refettorio OzHarvest
Best Event (Within an Existing Festival) – Tekno Train by Paul Mac
They also won 9 silver medals:
Best TV Promotion
Best Video Promotion
Best Radio Promotion
Best Facebook Site
Best Instagram Site
Best Digital/Social Ad Series
Best Promotional Photograph
Best Outdoor Billboard
Best Street Banner
They also won a single bronze medal for Best Multimedia Component.
Vivid Sydney 2025 – Dream will take place from Friday the 23rd of May to Saturday the 14th of June 2025.
I am so proud that Australia’s largest festival of light, music, ideas & food has received 18 medals at the 2024 Pinnacle Awards.
Gill Minervini, ‘Vivid Sydney’ 2024 – ‘Humanity’ Festival Director
Winning 18 medals at the 2024 Pinnacle Awards provides global recognition for the Southern Hemisphere’s largest multi-artform festival.
Steve Cox, Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer
The Gadigal women of Sydney Harbour will be the theme of the Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2024 fireworks displays as more women than ever help produce the world-famous event.
This is only the theme of the fireworks & not the whole event.
The fireworks will feature 23,000 individual pyrotechnic shots, more than 13,000 aerial shells, 40,000 ground-based shooting effects & 10 new unique-to-Sydney designs including birds, fish, jellyfish & emu’s feet!
From left to right: Nicolette Anastasio (nee Foti), Elena Colosi (nee Foti), Calula Webster, Olivia Webster, Georgia Rapisarda (nee Foti), Luna Pan Photograph: Pheobe Pratt/Sydney New Year’s Eve
Held at 8:57pm on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) stage on the Sydney Opera House’s Northern Broadwalk with an original song titled Country’s Calling led by producer, rapper and Australian Recording Industry Association-Award winner, Nooky, which, by sonically representing Barangaroo’s spirit, will call for Australians to move forward, together, leading with heart.
When the Calling Country Fireworks kick off at 9pm, projections on the Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylons will illustrate Barangaroo & her female warriors’ connection to water & fishing in the Harbour while an exclusive accompanying soundtrack, also produced by Nooky, will featuring the voices of his daughters, Olivia & Calula Webster, who are aged 7 & 6 respectively. Barangaroo’s story will culminate with the message that by putting aside differences & working together, we can create a future that works for us all.
As part of the Midnight Fireworks, the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projections will feature a dancer, Alice Robinson, representing the Gadigal women of Sydney Harbour, moving to the ocean’s rhythms, morphing in-between coral, kelp, fish, octopus & finally to water (the latter wouldn’t be a surprise if it coincided with the golden waterfall off the Sydney Harbour Bridge). Produced by creative studio VANDAL, this sequence combines human dance, motion capture & cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence.
The “ocean’s rhythms” including the underwater world’s fluidity and freedom form the 3-part soundtrack, composed and produced over 8 weeks by Luna Pan & will combine various music genres incorporating orchestral music, techno house, reggae, lofi hiphop, liquid drum and bass & rock to showcase strong, feminine energy.
The 12-minute fireworks display will feature 264 firing locations across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, including 80 on the western side for the 1st time ever. Fireworks will also be fired from the 4 sails of the Sydney Opera House & 5 skyscrapers in the city centre on the southern side of Sydney Harbour.
From left to right: Luna Pan, Associate Professor Cleola Anderiesz (National Breast Cancer Foundation Chief Executive Officer), Kath Earle (ABC Arts, Music & Events Head), Olivia Webster, Emma Rigney (City Of Sydney Life Executive Director) Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Calula Webster, Nicolette Anastasio, Elena Colosi, Georgia Rapisarda, Alice Robinson (VANDAL) Photograph: Pheobe Pratt/Sydney New Year’s Eve
It was also announced today that for the 1st time since the early 1990’s, the pyrotechnic barges will also host spotlights, which will be turned on from 8:30pm, accompanied by the annual light show on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which this year will feature dozens of sky beams.
Between 9:15pm & 11pm is the Sydney Harbour Lights parade, where a procession of tall ships, commercials vessels & ferries adorned with thousands of light-emitting diodes will parade around Sydney Harbour.
At 10pm, there will be the return of the Pink Moment where the Sydney Harbour Bridge, pyrotechnic barges, the Sydney Harbour Lights boats & the Luna Park Ferris Wheel lit up pink for the official Sydney NYE2024 charity partner, the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This year, there will also be 10 extra city buildings illuminated pink.
Vantage points at Pirrama Park and Observatory Hill will also offer food stalls & for the 1st time ever, live disc jockeys, performing from 7pm to Midnight.
Meanwhile, the ABC concert on the Northern Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House will feature Casey Donovan, G Flip, Becca Hatch, Fanning Dempsey National Park, Cyril, 1300 & American country music singer, Randy Houser. Calling Country‘s Nooky will also be part of the line-up.
The concert, as announced in May, will celebrate national youth radio station, Triple J’s, 50th anniversary & the television (TV) broadcast will, as a result, hear from some iconic Triple J hosts including Doctor Karl, who will explain how fireworks work. 4 people working on Sydney NYE2024 used to or are currently hosting on Triple J: the TV broadcast co-hosts, Zan Rowe & Charlie Pickering, the TV broadcast’s roving host, Concetta Caristo (currently co-hosting Breakfast) as well as Calling Country’s Nooky (who currently hosts Blak Out). It was also revealed today that now only some of the songs will be classics from the national youth radio station’s Hottest 100 countdown.
A ballot for concert tickets opened today while 20 double passes will be up for grabs on ABC Radio Sydney’s Breakfast from Monday the 9th to the 16th of December. The ballot closes on the 18th of December.
Sydney New Year’s Eve is a wonderful celebration of our multicultural, harmonious, safe and inclusive community & it helps us promote Sydney and our stunning harbour setting to the world.
As one of the 1st cities in the world to ring in the new year, we set the benchmark with a spectacle that reflects what our beautiful city is all about.
With 26,500 lights & 9 tonnes of fireworks to be fired off 8 floating platforms & from 80 new positions on the western side of the Bridge, we’ll be lighting up 7 kilometres of Sydney Harbour, from Cockatoo Island to Point Piper & beyond.
Planning starts 15 months in advance, with many thousands of hours going into every aspect from programming & creative to safety, transport & logistics. More than 1,000 accredited personnel work together to ensure Sydney shines in all its splendour on New Year’s Eve.
From ages 6 to 79, women have been the force behind Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations this year.
Composers, singers, producers, creatives, technicians and directors have spent more than a year preparing for Sydney’s night of nights that will encompass an incomparable showcase of fireworks, pyrotechnics, lights & music.
As a nod to one of the most powerful female figures in Australia’s history, the 9pm & Midnight Fireworks shows will honour the spirit of Barangaroo, the Cammeraygal woman who led her people and who embodies the deep connection of Eora women to the waterways of Sydney Harbour.
Our New Year’s Eve celebrations are the best in the world & whether you’re joining us along the foreshore or watching at home, I hope everyone enjoys the show.
Clover Moore, City Of Sydney Lord Mayor
NYE is a night that has it all – fireworks, live music, stunning visuals, spectacular lighting and the best entertainment & we love working together with our partner, City Of Sydney. to bring this celebration to people across Australia & all around the world.
Sydney Spectaculars 
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