Sydney welcomes 2026 with spectacular fireworks display

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.

Thousands of heavily armed police officers are patrolling the streets of Sydney as people mark the new year - a rare and stark sight in Australia, following the Bondi Beach mass shooting.

Some officers were authorised to carry high-grade weapons as part of heightened security measures. The attack on 14 December targeted Australia's Jewish community and killed 15 people at a Hanukkah festival.

New South Wales (NSW) Police said more than 2,500 officers would be on duty across the city.

Official New Year's Eve parties were paused at 23:00 local time (12:00 GMT) for a minute's silence to commemorate the victims of the attack, while the Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up by a white light to symbolise peace.

Pictures from Sydney Harbour - where huge crowds gather every year to watch the city's famous fireworks display - show officers patrolling the crowds with longarm weapons.

In the lead up to the event, Premier Chris Minns had warned that some people may find the sight "confronting", with police "carrying firearms and weapons that you haven't seen before".

"But I don't make any apology for that. We want people to be safe in our community," he added.

British tourists Joe and Lucy said the increased police presence reassured them.

The pair - who timed their Australia trip to coincide with the fireworks - were in Melbourne when the shooting occurred.

"We had our worries about coming for New Year's Eve", Joe told the BBC, adding, "but we were reading more recently in the news... how more police were going to be here, it would be a bit safer".

Separately, Minns had urged Sydneysiders to not let the "horrible criminal terrorist event" at Bondi change the way they live, as he called on people to "show defiance" and celebrate the new year.

This sentiment was shared by some of the spectators.

Out among the crowds at Barangaroo's Observatory Hill, a close spot to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, was Hélène from Belgium.

She told the BBC people "cannot live in fear" following the attack.

Hours ahead of the countdown, hundreds of thousands of people flocked towards the harbour, with many official viewing areas filling to capacity by early evening.

On the harbour, sailboats dotted the water - one of the best spots to watch the midnight fireworks display.

Sydney's celebration - with its iconic fireworks display - kicks off a chain of events, from Dubai, to London and New York.