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Sydney rang in 2026 in spectacular style as thousands gathered along the harbour to watch a dazzling New Year’s Eve fireworks display.The world-famous show lit up the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, marking the start of the new year for millions watching around the globe.
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Happy New Year, Sydney
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Happy New Year, Sydney! Wow, it is officially 2026. Down under. Yeah, look at that beautiful thing
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it's stunning, it's a beautiful, beautiful thing. It's amazing, it's a beautiful, beautiful thing
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This is going to be a very expensive celebration. They have called to every effort, haven't they
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They have all the colours under the sun, You've got reds and greens and yellows and bright, bright whites
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I mean, the magenta display that we're seeing there now, focusing around the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, of course
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but fireworks being let off not just all across the bridge, but also on either bank there as well
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We can see just the most extraordinarily linear display, really, spanning across the harbour
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And it is an incredibly colourful display, too, for those listening on the radio
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Well, for them, they've got so many different vantage points. Apparently, I've done a little bit of Googling
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and they said there are 48 vantage points that you can go and see this bridge at
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And I'm presuming that a lot of these are very popular with families
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There's a place called Birch Grove to the western side of the Harbour Bridge
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There's a place called Blues Point, a very popular site with panoramic views to the western side of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House
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It is such a beautiful location, this, isn't it? And they, I presume in Sydney, unlike here
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Mayor Khan shutting off things, they've made it accessible to people because the demonstration is so incredible
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But of course, there is a heavy police presence this year. Let's not forget Sydney is a city
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that has suffered its worst terror attack. Just what was it, a couple of weeks ago
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when all of those Jewish people celebrating Hanukkah were mowed down by Islamist terrorists
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So this is a celebration for a city, but it also a city that must be in a certain sense of shock and still reeling from that horrific attack just weeks ago Well I think they had a minute silence I think at 11 o to just remember those who were lost after that awful attack
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So, yeah, these people are not forgotten, and Sydney will be the richer in the end
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because it sounds like they're going to make proper moves to try and ensure and control gun laws
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although I'm not sure that's the right idea, but that is the way they play. But also, what a proper celebration this is
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showing that they are not killed by terrorism, that they are not going to change their way of life
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because of two murderous Islamists. This is a display showing that Australia can punch back
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that it can celebrate together, that people can come to those, what is it, 48 vantage points
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That's right. And look at this magnificent firework display to ring in what everyone will hope to be a very happy 2026
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All right, well, let's go to somebody who's actually there, David Hogan, who joins us now from Sydney
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David, welcome to the programme. Happy New Year. You're before us. Dr Ross, what can you see and what's it like there
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Happy New Year. I'm here in Curribilly, which is right on the centre floor near the harbour
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and I've got fantastic to wear a flyer. I've got that. So I've got the whole harbour, the upper half
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which has been incredible, even better than last year. Even better than last year. Is it a bigger display, is it
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sort of more colourful. What's the difference? There's a lot of drones up this year that are shooting fireworks out
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Usually the fireworks only come from the bridge from the boats down below
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but the drones have cleared up for the ships. It is absolutely marvellous to see
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I mean, we're getting the most incredible aerial shots, but to feel the environment must be pretty spectacular too
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I've got to ask you, David, of course, Sydney is a city that has been struck by terrorism in recent weeks
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Has that changed how the city's..
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