Though not a fan of attending crowded public events, I have wanted to watch New Year’s Eve (NYE) firework in Sydney for long. It is the earliest and one of the most spectacular celebrations on Earth in New Year’s Eve. The show often attracts approximately more than 1.6 millions attendance (reported in 2014).
New Year’s Eve 2018
I have watched NYE firework twice during my time living in Sydney. The first time was in Yurulbin Park, not so far from Sydney Habor Bridge. Standing there allowed me to view the overall firework but not the details. The advantage of this park is its availability of space, which usually runs out quickly before the afternoon at “better” views in Mrs Macquarie’s Chair.
New Year’s Eve 2019
In the following year, I went to Dawes Point Reserve, right next to Sydney Harbour Bridge to view the firework. At this viewpoint, I was right underneath the firework. The experience was more immersive, though it was hard to have an overview of the whole show. The details were indeed the highlight of the show when I viewed from there. It was challenging to take any photos as I didn’t have any ultra-wide lens so the video served me better. Video of New Year’s Eve 2019
One of my friends has seen the NYE firework in Sydney four times said that the visual format of the firework has been pretty much more or less the same for the past four years. I find that quite true when comparing at the videos of the firework of NYE 2018 and 2019 I have captured so far.
Random bits
The more I go out to these type of events, the more I realize that going with the right people is more important than choosing the viewpoint. Seeing the firework on the first day of New Year with friends and family creates a good memory. One of those memories was when I went with my mum to see Lunar New Year’s Eve firework in Hanoi. We literally watched it from the street. People stopped driving and parked their motorbike on the side but as there were too many people, the street became full and other vehicles had to stop. Though our view was blocked partly by the park nearby, the visible scene and the sound of firework still made me feel changing at that moment. Maybe the firework simply marks a mental node in our brain and nudges us to think about a brighter future rather than dwelling on the past.
New Year’s Eve 2020?
I definitely agree that NYE firework in Sydney is an iconic scene to watch. If you visit Sydney for the first, Christmas and New Year is a good time to immerse in its festive charm. Personally, I will wait for a couple of years before going to watch the NYE firework again as I want to wake up early in New Year’s Day, especially the very first day of 2020s.
Thank you for reading this last post in 2019 of Wandr Lens. Have a happy holiday with families!