Gumleaf
January 1st, 2010, 12:45 AM
07:00 AEST Fri Jan 1 2010
Australia's cities spent well over a million dollars on fireworks for New Year's Eve, but they got much bang for their bucks.
Sydney's $650,000 bought 20 minutes of pyrotechnic extravaganza - eight minutes for families at 9pm (AEDT) and the full 12-minute monty at midnight for the world.
More than a million Sydneysiders and visitors thrilled to the starbursts and colour bombs, but NSW Premier Kristina Keneally said the display would also be watched by a global television audience of up to one billion.
Fireworks exploded from the Harbour Bridge, from city skyscrapers, and from barges on the water, with bridge appearing at one point to be engulfed in red flames, prompting huge cheers from the crowds.
Nancy le Winter, 60, from Connecticut in the US, said the display was "spectacular".
"I've been to Times Square in New York for New Year's Eve, and this beats it tenfold," she told AAP.
Melbourne spent $264,000 but came close to doing its dough when a thunderstorm blew in just as the city's early firework display was due to start at 9.15pm (AEDT).
Lightning posed a serious threat to the technicians running the show, but the worst of the storm passed within 10 minutes and the show went ahead at 9.25pm (AEDT).
The midnight fireworks proceeded on schedule, but while the rain brought relief from the day's sweltering heat, it also kept many people at home.
Organisers estimated 150,000 hardy souls ventured into the city for the fireworks, instead of the 500,000 anticipated earlier.
"The fireworks were not as mighty as they might have been on a clear night, but the crowd showed the resilience of Melbourne people," Mr Doyle said.
He promised next year's show would be bigger and better.
But the rain didn't deter 30,000 white-clad revellers at Australia's biggest dance party - Sensation - under cover at the city's Etihad Stadium.
Brisbane had a wet day, and many revellers took umbrellas to the vantage spots on the Brisbane River's South Bank as they headed for the early fireworks at 8.30pm (AEST), but the rain held off and everyone got a good view.
Organisers said nothing short of a cyclone would stop the midnight fireworks, which were due an hour later than those in Sydney and Melbourne because of the time-zone difference.
As in Melbourne, crowd numbers in Brisbane were lower than expected, police said.
Around the country, police reported little trouble on the streets, with damp weather in most cities keeping tempers cool, despite plenty of drinking.
Some, however, complained about the difficultly in obtaining alcohol.
"There should be more on-street bars, we can't get in anywhere," 27-year-old Englishman Joshua Holloway told AAP, after discovering, like many others, that clubs and bars in Sydney were full to bursting.
Linda Forsen, 30, from Sweden, was also disappointed.
"I don't care about the fireworks at midnight," she said. "I'm looking for a club, but everywhere is busy," she told AAP.
© AAP 2010
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watch the sydney fireworks below. its worth watching!
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Australia's cities spent well over a million dollars on fireworks for New Year's Eve, but they got much bang for their bucks.
Sydney's $650,000 bought 20 minutes of pyrotechnic extravaganza - eight minutes for families at 9pm (AEDT) and the full 12-minute monty at midnight for the world.
More than a million Sydneysiders and visitors thrilled to the starbursts and colour bombs, but NSW Premier Kristina Keneally said the display would also be watched by a global television audience of up to one billion.
Fireworks exploded from the Harbour Bridge, from city skyscrapers, and from barges on the water, with bridge appearing at one point to be engulfed in red flames, prompting huge cheers from the crowds.
Nancy le Winter, 60, from Connecticut in the US, said the display was "spectacular".
"I've been to Times Square in New York for New Year's Eve, and this beats it tenfold," she told AAP.
Melbourne spent $264,000 but came close to doing its dough when a thunderstorm blew in just as the city's early firework display was due to start at 9.15pm (AEDT).
Lightning posed a serious threat to the technicians running the show, but the worst of the storm passed within 10 minutes and the show went ahead at 9.25pm (AEDT).
The midnight fireworks proceeded on schedule, but while the rain brought relief from the day's sweltering heat, it also kept many people at home.
Organisers estimated 150,000 hardy souls ventured into the city for the fireworks, instead of the 500,000 anticipated earlier.
"The fireworks were not as mighty as they might have been on a clear night, but the crowd showed the resilience of Melbourne people," Mr Doyle said.
He promised next year's show would be bigger and better.
But the rain didn't deter 30,000 white-clad revellers at Australia's biggest dance party - Sensation - under cover at the city's Etihad Stadium.
Brisbane had a wet day, and many revellers took umbrellas to the vantage spots on the Brisbane River's South Bank as they headed for the early fireworks at 8.30pm (AEST), but the rain held off and everyone got a good view.
Organisers said nothing short of a cyclone would stop the midnight fireworks, which were due an hour later than those in Sydney and Melbourne because of the time-zone difference.
As in Melbourne, crowd numbers in Brisbane were lower than expected, police said.
Around the country, police reported little trouble on the streets, with damp weather in most cities keeping tempers cool, despite plenty of drinking.
Some, however, complained about the difficultly in obtaining alcohol.
"There should be more on-street bars, we can't get in anywhere," 27-year-old Englishman Joshua Holloway told AAP, after discovering, like many others, that clubs and bars in Sydney were full to bursting.
Linda Forsen, 30, from Sweden, was also disappointed.
"I don't care about the fireworks at midnight," she said. "I'm looking for a club, but everywhere is busy," she told AAP.
© AAP 2010
................................................................................ ..................
watch the sydney fireworks below. its worth watching!
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