Sydney Will Shine Brighter On New Year’s Eve

Dramatic lighting displays beaming from the Sydney Harbour Bridge in time with 8 tonnes of fireworks will be seen by the naked eye further across Sydney this New Year’s Eve than ever before.

3,000 individual lighting effects will be choreographed to the fireworks displays & music soundtrack – 1,000 more effects than last year.

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said the awe-inspiring event would reinforce Sydney’s position as the New Year’s Eve capital of the world.

“Sydney New Year’s Eve is renowned as one of the largest & most technologically advanced fireworks displays in the world” the Lord Mayor said.

“This celebration will be enjoyed by more than 1 million people around the Sydney Harbour foreshore and a global audience of more than 1 billion & we are doing it responsibly, using new light-emitting diode (LED) lighting effects that will allow us create a phenomenal show using less power than ever before”

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2017 – Wonder Lighting Director, Ziggy Ziegler, credits advances in computer technology & new LED lighting for being able to produce an even more eco-friendly show.

“We are using a quarter of the amount of power that we used 4 or 5 years ago & are still getting more light out of it” Mister (Mr) Ziegler said.

With more light beams on top of the Bridge this year, the lighting effects will also be seen by more Sydneysiders this year.

“Because they will be higher & more concentrated, more people will be able to enjoy the fantastic light show across Sydney than ever before” Mr Ziegler said.

Sydney-based Sydney New Year’s Eve 2017 – Wonder Creative Artist, Nadia Hernández, created eye-catching paper-cut designs with a bright colour palette that has inspired new fireworks effects, lighting designs & pylon projections.

“This year, the lighting displays have a warm, inviting feel based on Nadia’s bright designs. Her use of pastel colours creates an almost fluorescent effect, which have been great to work with from a lighting perspective” Mr Ziegler said.

For Fireworks Director, ‘Forch’ (Fortunato) Foti, the challenge was to create never-before-seen displays.

“With such a striking colour palette to work with & bigger and bolder lighting effects, we have created some great new effects that I am looking forward to sharing with the people of Sydney & the world” Mr Foti said.

Not to be outdone, the fireworks displays this year will also be the biggest Sydney has ever seen.

There will be more than 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects on the night, setting a new record for the annual event’s 9pm Family & Midnight Fireworks with:

•      8 tonnes of fireworks – 1 tonne more than in 2016
•      13,000 shells – 1,000 more than in 2016
•      30,000 shooting comets – 5,000 more than in 2016

The Midnight Fireworks will feature a spectacular gold & silver shooting fireworks display designed by Mr Foti & Sydney-born superstar, Hugh Jackman.

Mr Jackman approached the City Of Sydney to fulfil a lifelong dream to design a firework for his hometown’s world-famous Sydney New Year’s Eve celebrations & the City was delighted to accept.

“Having a Hollywood star like Hugh Jackman offer his talents to help showcase Sydney New Year’s Eve to the world is a fantastic coup for Sydney & for Australia” the Lord Mayor said.

For the 1st time, the Midnight Fireworks will feature a rainbow waterfall of fireworks cascading from the Sydney Harbour Bridge in celebration of Australians saying ‘Yes’ to marriage equality & as a tribute to the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras in 2018.

Visit sydneynewyearseve.com for detailed information on the event.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

Hugh Jackman’s Fireworks To Star On New Year’s Eve

Famous for star turns in The Boy From Oz, The Wolverine & his latest release, The Greatest Showman, home grown superstar, Hugh Jackman, is celebrating coming home to Sydney by unveiling a spectacular gold & silver shooting fireworks display he has designed for the Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2017 – Wonder spectacular.

His glittering fireworks display will burst across Sydney Harbour & shoot from the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the Sydney NYE2017 – Wonder Midnight Fireworks.

“Having the opportunity to design New Year’s Eve fireworks with ‘Forch’ (Fortunato) Foti has been a boyhood dream come true” Mister (Mr) Jackman said.

“I am a Sydney boy. I grew up in Sydney so going to the fireworks with my father was always something I really enjoyed”

“For years, wherever I have been in the world, I have watched the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks with awe & a real sense of hometown pride as well as being a little homesick”

“Sydney New Year’s Eve is a reminder of how important my roots are to me & of growing up in Sydney”

“I am looking forward to spending this incredible night with family and friends & to also be able to share Sydney’s celebrations with the world”

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, welcomed Hugh Jackman’s contribution with open arms.

“When Hugh came to us with the idea of designing fireworks for this year’s Sydney NYE, we thought it was a brilliant idea” the Lord Mayor said.

“Having a star like Hugh Jackman offer his talents to help showcase Sydney New Year’s Eve to the world is a fantastic coup for Sydney & for Australia”

“From growing up in Sydney to global stardom, Hugh’s remarkable career, warmth & generosity are part of Sydney’s story on the world stage”

“Hugh’s spectacular celebration of summer in Sydney will be seen by an audience of more than 1 million people around Sydney Harbour & more than 1 billion tuning in around the globe”

“The stunning fireworks Hugh has designed will be set to Dr G Yunupingu’s beautiful piece, Wiyathul. Dr G Yunupingu was a talented & humble artist who created powerful music that touched the hearts of so many people. We are honoured that his family have welcomed this tribute to a truly great Australian who sadly passed away this year”

Hugh Jackman’s unique fireworks were created in collaboration with the Sydney NYE Fireworks Director, Fortunato Foti of Foti International Fireworks. In a New Year’s Eve first for Mr Foti, the fireworks were designed via Skype calls, e-mails & long-distance phone calls.

“We started with footage of firework designs Hugh liked” Mr Foti said.

“I made a computer simulation of new fireworks featuring the look & feel Hugh wanted to capture. Hugh especially wanted the fireworks to appear with an Indigenous artist’s music track & we were lucky enough to have the Gurrumul album piece in the soundtrack”

“The display works really well with the music & I am pleased with what Hugh and I have created for this Sydney New Year’s Eve”

“Hugh’s design will feature glittering gold horsetail brocades and willow waterfall shells with flickers of silver & will be exploding in the sky for around 20 seconds”

“They will be launched from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, off 6 pontoons & another 6 barges around the Harbour”

“It was great to get to collaborate with someone of the calibre of Hugh & he was a pleasure to work with”

Mr Jackman said his inspiration for the fireworks came from a desire to create a reflective moment in the dramatic Midnight Fireworks.

“With all the celebrations, noise & music of Sydney New Year’s Eve, ‘Forch’ & I thought it would be nice to have a little moment of peace. This will be a chance to just pause & take everything in” Mr Jackman said.

“The fireworks are designed to be a moment of suspension, a moment of beauty & of taking a breath. Things go quiet for 20 seconds in a big & amazing Sydney NYE2017 – Wonder Midnight Fireworks”

“Personally, I cannot wait to see it all come to life over the best harbour in the world in the greatest city on Earth!”

Visit sydneynewyearseve.com for detailed information on the event.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

Love Is In The Air This New Year’s Eve

Love & acceptance will take centre stage this New Year’s Eve (NYE) as the Pet Shop Boys help Sydney celebrate marriage equality & next year’s 40^th Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras.

The City Of Sydney’s Sydney NYE2017 – Wonder fireworks soundtrack will feature the Pet Shop Boys hit Go West alongside classic rock anthems & current hits from Led Zeppelin to Sia.

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said the music had inspired some magical moments for the 9pm Family & Midnight Fireworks.

“This soundtrack will build the excitement as fireworks erupt across Sydney’s skyline” the Lord Mayor said.

“Already one of the world’s biggest annual celebrations, this year, the music & fireworks displays have come together to create a show unlike anything we have seen before”

“Whether you are taking in the spectacle from a vantage point overlooking the Harbour or watching from home, tune into the soundtrack on your phone or radio for the full light & sound experience”

Sydney NYE soundtrack producer, Alex Gooden, has once again created the soundtrack for the spectacular fireworks shows. He says love was his inspiration this year.

“I wanted to acknowledge how topical love has been, with marriage equality being voted into law. This inspired me to look for songs that spoke about acceptance” Mister (Mr) Gooden said.

“I chose the Pet Shop Boys cover of the Village People song, Go West, for the special moment when the rainbow waterfall tumbles from the Bridge because it is fun & celebratory. This moment is sure to make your hair stand on end”

Mr Gooden has spent 5 months listening to hundreds of songs to create the soundtrack for the 8 minute 9pm Family Fireworks & the 12 minute Midnight Fireworks.

“It is like creating an artwork – you start off with just an idea & then you slowly start filling it in bit by bit” he said.

From the 9pm Family Fireworks soundtrack, Mr Gooden is especially excited about seeing young people’s reactions to the song How Far I’ll Go by Alessia Cara.

“It is from the movie Moana, which was such a popular movie with kids & has a strong message of empowerment and cultural understanding” he said.

“The music plays a massive part on the night with the fireworks & soundtrack perfectly in sync. I want people to feel the fireworks, to be moved by the whole experience”

Sydneysiders can tune into Sydney NYE radio broadcaster, KISS 106.5, for the exclusive soundtracks at 9pm & Midnight. The soundtrack will accompany the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Television broadcast that starts at 8:35pm & a live audio description will be broadcast on ABC Extra.

9pm Family Fireworks soundtrack list:

DNA – Hans Zimmer
Ride – Twenty One Pilots
Pay The Man – Foster The People
Shape Of You – Ed Sheeran
Feel It Still – Portugal. The Man
Sugar – Robin Shultz
Good Times Bad Times – Led Zeppelin
How Far I’ll Go – Alessia Cara
Chained To The Rhthym – Katy Perry
Whatever It Takes – Imagine Dragons
Symphony – Clean Bandit Featuring Zara Larsson
Move Your Body – Sia

Midnight Fireworks soundtrack list:

Racer Snakes Vs Iguana – Jacob Shea & Jasha Klebe
Epic – Faith No More
Feels – Calvin Harris
Shine – Asta
Calypso Beach – Northeast Party House
Need You Now – Dean Lewis
Chameleon – PNAU
What You Need – INXS
Big Picture – London Grammar
Go West (Pet Shop Boys cover) – Village People
Be The One – Dua Lipa
All Night – The Vamps/MATOMA
That’s What I Like – Bruno Mars
Wiyathul – Dr G Yunupingu
The Way You Used To Do – Queens Of The Stone Age
Lights Out – Royal Blood
Flash – The Belligerents
Green Light – Lorde
Stranger – Peking Duk
Dark Empire – X-Ray Dog

Visit sydneynewyearseve.com for detailed information on the event.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

So What Music Do You Think Will Be Played When The Rainbow Waterfall Drops?

Here are your answers!

A pyrotechnic rainbow waterfall will fall off the Sydney Harbour Bridge during this year’s Midnight Fireworks as part of Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2017 – Wonder and the ‘heralding of a new dawn for equality’.

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said it celebrates Australians saying ‘Yes’ to marriage equality:

“The rainbow waterfall is a well-earnt tribute to the Sydney 78ers who marched for gay rights 40 years ago – it is a reminder of how far we have come & how far we have left to achieve true equality for our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & intersex (LGBTI) community. It is a wonderful way to ring in the new year & celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras”

The rainbow waterfall replaces the golden waterfall this year in the Midnight Fireworks. It is a break in tradition but it is not without precedence. The golden waterfall has been replaced in:

- Sydney NYE2000 – 100 Years As A Nation, Millions Of Years As A Land: Silver To Gold Waterfall
- Sydney NYE2002 – The World’s Celebration In Union: Green & White Strobing Angelic Waterfall
- Sydney NYE2005 – Heart Of The Harbour: Red To White Strobing Angelic Waterfall
- Sydney NYE2006 – A Diamond Night In Emerald City: – Green Strobing Angelic Waterfall

The golden waterfall is the iconic moment of the Sydney NYE event and consequently, the Midnight Fireworks. All editions of Sydney NYE have had the golden waterfall drop in the major closing Bridge sequence because of the emotional impact it delivers as part of the finale particularly when heard with the official soundtrack. The soundtrack of the waterfall, thus, has to be one of major emotional impact. Previous golden waterfall drops have featured these music pieces to give an idea of the type of music that usually accompanies it:

Thus Spoke Zarathustra: Sunrise – Richard Strauss
The Ring Of The Nibelung: The Valkyrie: Ride Of The Valkyries – Richard Wagner
Marche Slave Op.31 – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Man From Snowy River (Olympic Version) – Bruce Rowland
Pines Of Rome: The Pines of the Appian Way – Ottorino Respighi
Advance Australia Fair/Waltzing Matilda (Hylton Mowday Remix) – Peter Dodds McCormick & Banjo Paterson
Organ Concerto: Third Movement – Saint Saens
Slavsia, Slavsia – Mikhail Glinka/Symphony Of A Thousand – Gustav Mahler
Firebird Suite: Lullaby – Igor Stravinsky
Vincero: Nessun Dorma – Giacorno Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini
Sydney NYE Finale 2012 – Michael Yezerski vs. s:amplify
On A Night Like This – Kylie Minogue
Oblivion – M83 featuring Susanne Sundfør
Chandelier – Sia
Love Me Like You Do – Ellie Goulding
Hymn For The Weekend (featuring Beyonce) – Coldplay

See videos of previous displays to see how the music & waterfall is timed for emotional impact.

As you can see, most are instrumental music pieces from the classical or soundtrack genres. This was the case pre-NYE2013 with the exception of NYE2004. Since NYE2013, vocal songs from either the pop or soundtrack genres have featured.

But this year’s rainbow waterfall has extra meaning (see above) so there is a possibility that the music has been chosen with this in mind. However, it is not guaranteed: the fireworks soundtrack is finalised in September & if it has been done purely for the proclamation of Schedule 1, Parts 1-3 & 5 of the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017, there was no guarantee back in September that the bill would even be introduced in Parliament. Back then, the Marriage Law Postal Survey had only just started.

Either way, it was guaranteed that 2018 celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras. It could have been chosen with that in mind.

It could also just have been chosen to represent the City Of Sydney’s support for LGBTI people. However, it would have been a slightly risky move particularly had the Marriage Law Postal Survey returned a ‘No’ result. Whilst it is the City Of Sydney’s event, to the general public it is Australia’s event. The City Of Sydney treated it as a national event pre-NYE2013 but since then have portrayed it as Sydney’s event. If the rainbow waterfall wasn’t planned to be subtle, it could have been a controversial choice. Good thing a ‘Yes’ result was returned (particularly in the City Of Sydney)!

A rainbow waterfall might also have been coincidentally added due to this year’s colourful artwork as well as the fact that rainbows regularly feature in Sydney NYE fireworks displays recently. If this was the case, any music piece could be a potential candidate.

What You Think

Everyone had a different opinion so there was no stand out choice. These were your suggestions:

Thus Spoke Zarathustra: Sunrise – Richard Strauss:

What We Think

People’s suggestions were either of the following:

Too controversial
Used before in Sydney NYE
Not emotional enough
Lyrics unrelated to the extra meaning behind the rainbow waterfall

The song Something Just Like This – The Chainsmokers & Coldplay would be a good candidate though to appear at any point of the 9pm Family & Midnight Fireworks.

The most likeliest of all the suggestions to drop the rainbow waterfall we think would be I Will Survive – Diana Ross due to the song considered by some as a gay anthem. However, unlike the original version of the song by Gloria Gaynor, there is no good ‘drop point’ for the rainbow waterfall in this version. The original version though has a suitable ‘drop point’ at 01:11 in the music video:

We are guessing though that it will be the song Finally by CeCe Peniston. It was used in the Australian movie, The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert as well as in a segment of the Closing Ceremony of The Games Of The XXVIIth Olympiad: Sydney 2000 dedicated to that same movie. The song is about the wait to begin a relationship ending. It was a hit in the 1990’s and popular in clubs as it is a dance song.

If the Midnight Fireworks soundtrack abruptly changes to this song at 00:57 in the music video, when the rainbow waterfall drops, accompanied by a glittering light display off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, it could be the emotional impact that is desired to deliver the message the City Of Sydney is sending to the world. After all, Australia has been debating changes to the Marriage Act 1961 since 2004. It was a long, tiring debate particularly for LGBTI people & the debate and wait is finally over.

So that’s what we think. We might be wrong. We might be right. You all might be wrong. One of you might be right. The fireworks soundtracks are released tomorrow. We’ll find out then. Maybe.

There is one extra thing about the rainbow waterfall that is unique this year. Who knows? Maybe it will be revealed tomorrow too. However, if it isn’t, don’t expect us to reveal it. We are waiting until the City Of Sydney do if they ever do. If they don’t, we’re leaving it as a surprise to maximise the emotional impact of the Midnight Fireworks for you all.

Wonder & Hope To Radiate This New Year’s Eve

Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2017 – Wonder Official Artist, Nadia Hernández, will bring the wonder of summer in Sydney & hope for the future to this year’s celebrations across the city.

The Sydney-based visual artist has created eye-catching paper-cut designs that will be animated in the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon projections, feature on banners across the city & inspire fireworks displays in the City Of Sydney’s Sydney NYE2017 – Wonder celebrations.

Central to the series of artworks are 5 featured words: wonder, radiate, hope, dance & together.

“These are words that are celebratory but also capture the essence of Sydney” Miss (Ms) Hernández said.

“There is a great sense of unity about NYE & this is a message of hope for the future. It starts with everybody coming together to celebrate a new beginning with friends, family and complete strangers & wish each other a happy new year. It is very powerful & very special”

“As well as the wonder of NYE & the fireworks that bring people together in celebration, I wanted to capture the energy of Sydney at that time of year – what it feels like to be in the city with daylight savings when summer has arrived because that is a really exciting time of year” Ms Hernández said.

The words will appear alongside images of native plants and animals, the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge & Bondi Beach.

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said Sydney NYE2017 was a perfect time to work with a talented young artist like Nadia Hernández & a rare opportunity to collaborate on fireworks and spectacular effects.

“Nadia’s stunning designs capture the sheer joy of Sydney’s summer” the Lord Mayor said.

“Her work is inspired by the colours & sounds of our flora & fauna, truly like nowhere else on Earth”

“We first worked with Nadia on her fabulous mural, To Be Free Is To Have No Fear, in Loftus Lane behind Customs House in 2015. I cannot wait to see her ideas come to life on the biggest canvas in the world as part of our Sydney NYE2017 celebrations”

“The fireworks will feature brand new shades including bright orange, pink, lime green and light blue & I know Nadia’s bright and bold designs will be admired and enjoyed by millions of people here and around the world”

For Ms Hernández, becoming the creative inspiration for Sydney NYE celebrations is a dream come true but one she thought would be decades in the making.

At the start of her creative career, she recalls driving through the city in the summer of 2013 & seeing the colourful Sydney NYE2013 – Shine artwork of Reg Mombassa fluttering on street banners.

“I have always been a huge fan of his work & I remember seeing Reg Mombassa’s Sydney NYE2013 artwork and thought it was such a wonderful collaboration. The 1st thing I thought was ‘maybe in a few decades when I have established myself as an artist I will be able to do Sydney NYE’” Ms Hernández said.

4 years later, the young artist, best known for her colourful inner-city murals, now finds herself fronting one of the biggest celebrations in Australia.

“I was looking at the inspiring individuals who have collaborated on Sydney NYE previously & as an artist, it was definitely a goal to join them but I did not expect it to happen so soon” Ms Hernández said.

“It is overwhelming, it is a massive honour & really exciting”

Visit sydneynewyearseve.com for detailed information on the event.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

Welcome To Country Comes To Life For New Year’s Eve

A stunning animation featuring a grandfather & grandson’s journey along the rivers of the Eora Nation will come to life on the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge this New Year’s Eve (NYE) as part of the Welcome To Country ceremony.

All-new firework effects of local fauna shapes including turtles & eels will accompany the animated story, red waterfall shells and comets will be fired from barges on the Harbour & red flares will shoot from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the sails of the Sydney Opera House.

Titled A Day In The Life Of Country, the evocative Welcome To Country animation has been created from a narrative by Sydney NYE consultant, Rhoda Roberts (Order Of Australia), who says the images tell a uniquely Sydney story.

“This is a story that shows all of Australia is Aboriginal land & that Sydney is the gateway to Aboriginal Australia” Miss (Ms) Roberts said.

“Sydney has always been a very special place – it was one of the 1st contact points for First Nations Peoples, who have adapted & grown with the nation while never forgetting who they are”

“The First People’s connection to Sydney’s story is unique, there is nothing like it in the world. Our Welcome To Country is continuing what those old people would have done – travelling up & down the state’s river systems calling out to other neighbouring clans & being welcomed”

“We are welcoming Sydneysiders, interstate visitors & people from around the world to Sydney to gather for a Welcome To Country with the help of new technology & a great fireworks display”

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said the Sydney NYE Welcome To Country, first introduced in 2015, has allowed Australia to honour Australia’s First Nations Peoples on a global stage.

“It is critical that we acknowledge that we are always on Aboriginal land. Sydneysiders, visitors & global onlookers have responded positively to the beautiful displays that have featured in our NYE celebrations”

“Having the Welcome To Country projected onto the pylons & the Tribal Warrior and Mari Nawi vessels travelling and smoking the Harbour as part of the Harbour Of Light Parade is a wonderful way to share the stories of Sydney’s Indigenous peoples”

The A Day In The Life Of Country animation was produced using state of the art motion graphic digital design to create the effect of a moving painting. The images take the audience on a journey down the 3 river systems that surround the Gadigal land – the Hawkesbury (Deerubbin) in the north, Nepean (Jandhai) in the west & Saint Georges River (Tucoerah) in the south – all of which connect to Sydney Harbour.

“It starts with an old grandfather and a young boy & is about the inter-generational exchange of knowledge as they travel down the river fishing” Ms Roberts said.

“The further we travel down the river, the more we see the environment changing – the trees & stars are replaced by buildings & lights from the city. The young boy is no longer in a traditional canoe, he is in a dinghy & fishing with a rod rather than a spear”

“Slowly we see the transformation of Sydney Harbour with the parting of the reeds to reveal the Sydney Opera House & Harbour Bridge”

“It shows traditional people moving through time but shows that we are always on Gadigal land, connecting the past & the future to the present”

This year, the Welcome To Country will include a tribute marking the 50th anniversary of the Sydney-San Francisco sister city relationship that will be celebrated in 2018.

A message from the Muwekma Ohlone peoples of the San Francisco Bay area will be projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons at the close of the evening’s ceremony.

Ms Roberts said the message marked a close connection between the 2 cities’ First Peoples.

“There is a lovely connection between Sydney & San Francisco – both cities are very similar in their geography & both cities have a strong and vibrant Indigenous culture” Ms Roberts said.

“There is a great synergy between the histories of the First Peoples of these 2 great cities. The language, the stories & the rituals of the Indigenous peoples here & in San Francisco have survived, been recognised and honoured & are still strong today”

At the close of the Welcome To Country, the following words in the language of the Muwekma Ohlone people will appear: “Makkin Mak Muwekma Wolwoolum, Akkoy Mak-Warep, Manne Mak Hiswi!”, which translates: “We Are Muwekma Ohlone, Welcome To Our Land, Where We Are Born, San Francisco Bay Area”.

The Sydney NYE2017 – Wonder program highlights include (Times are Australian Eastern Daylight Time):

6pm Pre-Show Entertainment
8:38pm Welcome To Country – A Day In The Life Of Country
9pm Family Fireworks
9:15pm Harbour Of Light Parade
Midnight Fireworks

Visit sydneynewyearseve.com for detailed information on this year’s event.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

Easy Access Map Tracker A First For New Year’s Eve

Families with prams & people who use wheelchairs will find it easier to experience Sydney New Year’s Eve (NYE) 2017 – Wonder, thanks to a new accessibility-friendly mapping service.

Developed with the help of wheelchair users, Sydney will be one of the first cities in Australia to use directional mapping for wheelchair users at a large-scale public event.

The map will provide safe routes for people travelling from major transport hubs in Sydney’s city centre to accessible vantage points where they can experience the fireworks.

The maps are colour-coded based on the level of accessibility of a route – from black (steep descent) to purple (coasting), green (easy level), orange (incline) & red (steep climb).

The City Of Sydney has teamed up with Briometrix, entrepreneurs specialising in smart technology for people who use wheelchairs, to develop the accessibility map.

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said the new mapping system would benefit everyone.

“NYE is one of the biggest annual celebrations in the world. It’is so important that everyone gets the chance to come into the city and experience it & that is what this new colour-coded mapping service will help to enable” the Lord Mayor said.

“We are committed to making Sydney inclusive & accessible for residents & visitors from all around the world”

To develop the map, people who use wheelchairs travelled around the city to map out the most accessible paths to access official Sydney NYE2017 – Wonder vantage points.

Mark Tomkins, Briometrix disability advisor & himself a wheelchair user, helped test the accessibility map. He said it is useful for wheelchairs, prams & older people who find walking in the city challenging.

“If the map is accessible to those users, then it is safe for everybody in the community” Mister Tomkins said.

Jason Jones, a wheelchair user from Wollongong, was involved in mapping the city for the accessibility map. He has attended large-scale events in the city & believes the map is a useful addition in helping wheelchair users navigate the city.

“Around The Rocks there is a few areas that are really steep & the map will help wheelchair users find a way to get where they want to go. For me, it means that I can more easily plan my route”

The map is available to view via mobile or desktop at sydneynewyearseve.com/accessibility to help plan your night.

From the 27th of December, City Of Sydney volunteers will be available to guide groups or individuals along routes between public transport & vantage points to view the fireworks display. The volunteers will help familiarise the guests with the route & any changes for NYE. Bookings are essential with limited spaces available.

More on the ground services & new guides will mean Sydney NYE is more inclusive than ever before.

The Sydney NYE 2017 – Wonder event guide will be available in large print and audio & has been translated into 5 languages – Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish & German. With the assistance of the Council For Intellectual Disability, an Easy Read version of the event guide has also been created in order to make information accessible to a wider range of individuals. See the event guide at sydneynewyearseve.com/event-guide.

The City along with major vantage point sites offer 6 designated accessible viewing areas for people with a disability to enjoy the fireworks with family & friends. These areas cater to those with sensory, neurological, psychological, cognitive & learning disability. Areas still available are at Barangaroo Reserve, Cahill Expressway, Mary Booth Reserve, Pirrama Park & the Sydney Opera House. Bookings are essential. See the vantage point map at sydneynewyearseve.com/vantage-points.

To find accessible ticketed events in Sydney for NYE, visit the What’s On disability inclusive page: whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/tags/disability-inclusive.

Sydney NYE 2017 – Wonder will include Auslan, British Sign Language & American Sign Language interpretations of ‘Welcome To Sydney’ projected on both sides of the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons.

A live audio description will be broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Extra & also on 2RPH on 1224AM or 100.5 FM. The broadcast will include a colourful narrative of the Welcome To Country, 9pm Family Fireworks, Harbour Of Light Parade & the Midnight Fireworks. Tune in to the ABC Radio app or ABC Extra digital radio station to enjoy the broadcast.

Those staying at home can enjoy the celebrations through the ABC television (TV)/online broadcast. The broadcast begins at 8:35pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time with live closed captions available on its TV & online services.

KIIS 1065 will broadcast the soundtracks for the 9pm Family & Midnight Fireworks.

For general enquiries & access to a detailed personal planning service, complete the online form at surveymonkey.com/r/NYEAccessibility.

You can contact the City Of Sydney Sydney NYE 2017 – Wonder Accessibility Officer on 02 9265 9333 or email nyedisability@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Visit sydneynewyearseve.com for detailed information on the event.

Media Release: City Of Sydney