As much as I dislike Sydney, there is just one single day of each year that it is OK to marvel in its beauty. That day is New Years Eve. The Sydney Harbor Bridge New Years fireworks show has long been a bucket list item for me, and despite having lived in Australia for 25 years of my life before moving to the U.S., I never seized the opportunity or initiative to make it happen. Well, while home for Christmas vacation this past December, I made sure to change that!
For a great view of the Sydney New Years fireworks spectacular, it’s going to take you one of two things:
1. $400+ to pay for a ticket or dinner with a view.
2. Lots of time and dedication.
Note, option two is free, so naturally, this is the route we took. After scoping out all the free vantage points around Sydney and doing some research, we decided that Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair was going to be where we’d ring in 2015.
I arrived at Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair just before 8am on New Years Eve and the line was already a few hundred people deep, some had even camped out overnight. I laid out a picnic blanket and made myself comfortable while I waited for a few other friends to arrive. We had a long day of waiting ahead of us and they weren’t letting us into the actual park area until 12pm. By that time, the line already looked like the photo below; thousands and thousands of people everywhere!
{Click below panoramic image to enlarge}
The view as sun began to set and nightfall set in…
The early fireworks shows for the little ones that may not make it through the night…
Finally midnight – Happy New Year!!!
AMAZING!
Long-time bucket list item checked off!
.
Was the fireworks spectacular worth the 16 hour wait? Absolutely. Would I do it again? No. Haha.
Also, as much as a love a good selfie stick, the people here who had selfie sticks were inconsiderate pricks that would reach over from behind you with their stick and block your camera with theirs – no respect what so ever. We were at the front of the crowd, and if you dared turn around, you would be faced with an onslaught of selfie sticks, about 200 of them staring you in the face. This is definitely an event they should be ban from. It ruined the entire experience for me and I wish I had done this a few years prior in a world free of selfie-sticks.
Tips and advice for anyone considering to do the same in the future:
– Pack plenty of snacks and drinks for the wait! Although there are food stalls set up once you are let into Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair (after 12pm), they can be pricey and have long lines.
– Pack lots of water! It was a stinking hot day and the sun was beaming down on us. It’s important to stay hydrated or you may not make it through the day.
– Slip, slop, slap! Don’t forget the sunscreen. The wait is so long, you’ll need to re-apply several times throughout the day!
– If you own a backup charger for your cell phone, make sure it’s fully charged and take it with you! You’ll definitely need it. If you don’t own one, I suggest getting one!
– Bring stuff with you that you don’t mind throwing away. When it nears showtime, everyone jumps up and pushes forward and you lose your picnic spot, blanket, etc. No one gives a shit about you or shows any sign of respect and they will trample all over your stuff and you if you decide to sit down on the ground!
– Leave the selfie stick at home and be respectful to others. They’ve waited just as long as you have and have traveled just as far!
.New Years Eve in Sydney
.New Years Eve in Sydney
I hate you for beating me to this. It will be years before Dan and I get around to it now that we have the bubba. Love that last shot. Jealous of your life!!! Keep living the dream, kid xo
Haha well since I’m #foreveralone, I’ll never have the baby (or husband) problem holding me back! 😛