New Year’s Eve Australia LIVE UPDATES: Chaotic moment massive crowds ignore rules and race to the best vantage spots in Sydney
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More than one million Aussies are expected to crowd into Sydney to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
The world-famous spectacle will kick off following a turbulent week where train strikes threatened to derail the event.
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Crowds ignore rules at New Year’s Eve vantage point
Wild footage captured the moment hundreds of Australians raced to get the best spot at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
‘Shame on whoever started to run and break the ropes,’ the caption read.
Eager revellers were seen carrying camping equipment and bags as they ran across the park and under a boundary rope.
Social media users were quick to slam the crowd.
‘I honestly couldn’t think of anything worse,’ one wrote.
Another added: ‘Are they going to sit there all day to wait for fireworks tonight? No thanks.’
Are there any seats left?
Late-arriving spectators have already been squeezed out of most of the best vantage points for this year’s fireworks.
The City of Sydney has shared a map of NYE vantage points with live updates on capacity.
It has flagged Blues Point, Bennelong Lawn, Sydney Opera House, Tarpeian Lawn and Hickson Rd Reserve as full.
Mrs Macquaries Point is almost at capacity.
When will the fun begin?
Festivities for New Year’s Eve will kick off at 7.30pm with a smoking ritual followed by a Welcome to Country address at 8.30pm.
The speech will be quickly followed by the Harbour Bridge’s pylons being lit with projections and Callling Country Fireworks at 9pm.
Boats covered in festive lights will start moving around the harbour from 9.15pm.
British singer Robbie Williams will host a live singalong from 11.45pm, followed by the highly-anticipated fireworks display at midnight.
Dedicated viewers queued at 1am for the best spot
Hundreds have flooded the spots touted as Sydney’s best viewing for the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Yet even those who headed towards the harbour this morning have missed out on the most coveted seats with some dedicated spectators arriving as early as 1am.
The line to for the Bradfield Park vantage point in North Sydney was already 350m long at 7am.
By 11am, Fleet Steps, Blues Point and the Sydney Opera House were almost at full capacity.
The crowds at this year’s event are expected to be the largest on record with millions more set to tune into Tv coverage.
New Year’s Eve fireworks are saved
The New Year’s Eve fireworks were saved after an eleventh hour deal between the rail unions and the NSW government last week.
Revellers had been worried about the threatened cancellation of the fireworks due to train strikes amid an ongoing wage battle.
A Christmas Eve hearing fizzled out with the Fair Work Commission agreeing the union had dropped enough action for there to be a negligible risk to the New Year’s celebrations.
Thousands turn out hours ahead of fireworks
Thousands of Aussies have turned up to vantage points across Sydney Harbour ahead of the fireworks.
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