Auckland's Sky Tower stages the city's main New Year's Eve fireworks display.
At midnight, fireworks are launched from the Sky Tower, making the 328-metre structure a prominent focal point for celebrations in New Zealand's largest city. The display is among the earliest major international New Year's events because Auckland lies close to the date line in the western Pacific time zone.
The Sky Tower opened in 1997 as part of the SkyCity Auckland complex. It is the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere and contains observation levels, restaurants, and telecommunications equipment. Its height provides a visible platform for the fireworks across the Auckland urban area.
The Auckland Harbour Bridge and the city's volcanic cones are also important landmarks, but they are not the structure from which the central midnight fireworks are launched. The tower's illuminated countdown is therefore the distinctive answer for Auckland's best-known display.