There were so many things I was excited to experience when I was planning my move to Australia. Ok it was mainly just seeing wombats, but stay with me here.
If Sydney is known for anything, it’s the Opera House. Shortly after the Opera House? That’s right, drop bears. After that? The New Years Eve Fireworks at Sydney Harbour. It’s a spectacle known the world over and, to many, marks the first major city to ring in the new year (sorry Auckland).
I’ve now been lucky enough to be on boats for the last two Sydney New Years Eve celebrations. Here’s the inside scoop.
Are boats the only way to experience the Sydney Harbour festivities?
Heavens no! Sydney Harbour and the immediate surrounding area will welcome between 2-3 million people for New Years Eve. From swanky galas at the Opera House and Park Hyatt Sydney to rooftop parties with DJs and champagne toasts on the roofs of hostels, Sydney has an option for everyone.
Is there only one fireworks show in Sydney?
It’s not just the main Sydney Harbour show! Just about every suburb across the massive city of Sydney will have a fireworks show (or shows) of their own. And did you know that the main Sydney Harbour show is actually two shows? That’s right, there’s a fireworks show at 9pm for families who want to bring their kiddos along and get home at a reasonable hour. Many of the local shows, like in Manly where I live, follow similar timelines with multiple shows for families.
The local shows are fun, and far less crowded, but in my opinion there’s no way to experience Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks like being on a boat in Sydney Harbour.
What boat options are there for getting out into the Harbour on a boat?
Ok so there are a few different options to suit varying budgets:
- Own a boat – really expensive (my family members love saying that boats are gigantic holes in the water you throw money into)
- Charter a boat – might actually be more expensive than buying a boat (prices start in the thousands and go into the hundreds of thousands of dollars)
- Get invited to a rich friend’s boat – probably the most strategic option
- Buy a ticket to a party on a big boat hosting a party – the most budget-friendly option but still not necessarily cheap
- Get a remote-controlled boat, chuck it into your backyard swimming pool, and make fireworks noises – if you did this please send video
What did you do for your trips?
For my first New Year’s Eve in Sydney, I decided to do it up big. Some friends from the USA said they could make the trip, so I ended up chartering a boat for all of us. It had plenty of space and we had an absolutely monumental time. A few nights ago, I bought a ticket on a boat operated by my favourite whalewatching tour operator, Ocean Extreme, and went out with them.
For budgeting purposes, my charter for New Year’s Eve 2023 cost $8000 Aussie dollars (which we split among 7 of us) and my ticket with Ocean Extreme cost $385 Aussie dollars.
Where do the boats go?
There’s an elaborate dance all the boats have to do to get into position. What does that mean? It’s basically a free-for-all, and it can get quite testy with different boats trying to get into the best position for their customers. There are regulations for where boats can anchor in the Harbour depending on boat length and things like that. Here’s a very confusing map from I believe 2020 displaying the various areas. The blue areas with no red lines are where most boats are anchored up. The fireworks launch from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, and Fort Denison.
The great part about buying a ticket on a publicly-available boat or chartering your own boat is the captain will know all the restrictions, leaving you to enjoy the festivities. There are thousands of boats in the Harbour for New Year’s Eve, it’s crazy!
How is the 9pm show, show us some pictures of it!
Honestly it’s probably the second-best fireworks show you’ll see that year (presuming you’re staying there for the midnight show as well), it’s a fantastic show that lasts around 10 minutes.
For New Year’s Eve 2023, we had a really good spot close to the Opera House but there were heaps of sailboat masts in the way. Still, an incredible show!
Does your boat have to stay in the same place the whole time?
Nope! Many of the big charters throw an anchor one they find their spot, which actually makes it pretty easy for smaller boats to sneak into the gaps between them closer to showtime. In 2023, after the 9pm show we ended up crossing the Harbour for the midnight show. Our captain was a magician and got us into a great spot despite some strong currents that kept trying to drag our anchor around.
Okay enough questions, show us some pictures from 2023’s New Year’s Eve fireworks!
Haha ok, here you go!
Epic pictures, as I hope you’ll agree, but you’re very much at the mercy of the ships allowed to be in the middle of the Harbour when it comes to blocking your view of the Opera House.
How was the 2024 show different?
Well, I went as a passenger on Ocean Extreme’s Osprey boat with 20 other passengers. I have another post in the works about Ocean Extreme, don’t worry, but they’re a phenomenal operator offering whalewatching tours during the whale migration season off the coast of Sydney (May-November). I know the guys well and the owner told me they’d get me to a great spot.
The Osprey’s captain, Martin, picked us up in Manly at 11pm on New Year’s Eve, on a crystal clear evening with almost no wind. It was much calmer than last year.
When I tell you Martin got us a great spot, it’s hard to put into words how perfect it was! Unadulterated views of both the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. We were at Farm Cove, the closest cove to the Opera House, so we had the main fireworks in front of us and the Fort Denison fireworks just behind us, it felt like we were in the middle of the whole thing!
Wow, great pics!
Thanks, me who is writing these questions!
Ok, be real with us. Is it worth the money?
Look, all things have to be in context here. I’ve been in Sydney for two New Years Eves now, so I still wholeheartedly think it’s worth it. If this was my 40th New Years Eve in Sydney? Maybe not, I’d probably stay in my own suburb.
But man, if you can make the financials work, it’s hard to imagine a New Years celebration that could be better!
What other questions do you have about being on a boat during the Sydney New Year’s Eve festivities? Ask me in the questions below!
