Happy 2026! Sydney welcomes New Year with spectacular fireworks

Sydney in Australia has welcomed 2026 with a spectacular fireworks display

Although our correspondent says joy was tempered by sadness following the Bondi Beach attack earlier this month.

An atoll in the Pacific nation of Kiribati was the first place in the world to start the new year - one tourist there tells us he marked it "on a beach with no satellites, no signs of human life, complete darkness and countless crabs".

Sydney Harbour’s spectacular fireworks display did Australia proud this year. More than a million people rang in 2026 by the water - and coveted viewing spots filled up early.

But after the antisemitic attack at Bondi in which 15 people were killed, there’s been understandable reflection from both revellers and police about hosting such a huge event.

On the streets of Sydney was what Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, called a "different type of policing operation", including heavily armed officers. They were there to keep people safe, he said, while also urging partygoers to show defiance by enjoying the evening.

There was time for contemplation too - at 23:00 local time, Sydney Harbour fell silent for a minute, with crowds holding lights to remember the victims of Bondi. And a Jewish menorah was projected on to the pylons of the Harbour Bridge.

The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in his New Year’s Eve address, acknowledged the difficulty of celebrating.

The joy usually felt at the start of the new year was tempered by the sadness of the old, he said, adding that the response to the events of 14 December also showed the best of Australian spirit in all of its courage and compassion.