Sydney hosted the first large New Year's Eve fireworks display at Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Sydney's modern New Year's Eve celebration is centered on Sydney Harbour, with fireworks launched from the Harbour Bridge, barges, and nearby structures. The event is organized as a major public spectacle and is watched by crowds in the city as well as international television and online audiences.
The first major display associated with the present-day tradition took place on December 31, 1999, welcoming the year 2000. Earlier celebrations had used fireworks, but the turn-of-the-millennium event established the large-scale format that later became an annual global broadcast.
Sydney is among the first major cities to celebrate the new year because Australia lies close to the International Date Line side of the world. The display often includes an earlier family fireworks show and a larger midnight presentation, although details can change from year to year.