Every year millions of people come to Sydney to watch our magnificent New Year’s Eve fireworks display. From barges up and down the harbour, they light up the night sky, focusing on our two iconic buildings – Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Sydney Opera House. And one of the most common questions we get on our tours is “Where can I watch the fireworks?”
When it comes to choosing a vantage point, you really have to weigh up a lot of factors. How long do you want to be there? Do you want to drink alcohol? Do you want the absolute best view? Do you want to be with locals or tourists?
Well, last year we asked our visitors to give us some feedback on where they went, what time they got there, and what their experience was like, so now we can share it with you. What follows are a combination of reviews from people who were there, our own experiences, and other information we’ve put together over the years to try and get you the best possible Sydney New Year’s Eve! We’ve put even more spots on our helpful map: I’m Free Sydney New Years Eve Recommendations 2024/25
Some basic rules:
- If you’re only going to be here once for NYE, then you really need to be able to see both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, otherwise, you weren’t really here!
- The City of Sydney Council has helpfully provided the times that each vantage point filled up last year, so use it as a guide on when to turn up to your chosen site.
- But when in doubt: turn up early to make sure you get in.
- Things you should consider bringing
- Sunscreen
- The sun here is very harsh and will burn you in 15 minutes without it, even on a cloudy day.
- Umbrella
- NYE can be hot. Like REALLY hot. If you’re going to be at your chosen vantage point all day, an umbrella or some sort of physical sun barrier is a must.
- Drinks
- Alcohol is prohibited at many sites, which we’ve detailed in the following article and map. There will be drinking water at the sites, but it’s always worth bringing some soft drinks or frozen water.
- Food
- Whilst many spots have food for sale, it’s also good to bring your own snacks to last you through the day.
- Games
- It can be a long day waiting around, so apart from the phone that’s glued to your hand, bring some games to play, books to read, and other things to keep you entertained.
- Chairs/picnic blanket/towel
- If you have access to small beach chairs, definitely think about bringing them. If not, a good picnic blanket, or even a big towel is a great option.
- Friends
- Make some new friends from your hotel/hostel or on the tour and enjoy the day together.
- The right attitude!
- This is a once in a lifetime experience for most people, so enjoy the vibe!
- Sunscreen
Best Views
These are places with inarguably the best views of the fireworks, but not necessarily the best places in terms of experience. As a rule: closer and better view = busier and more crowded spot; and more tourists instead of locals!
Blues Point
- Important Information
- This venue reached capacity at 4:54pm in 2023.
- Opens at 9am.
- Food for sale. BYO food permitted.
- Alcohol Prohibited
- Pros
- Great view of Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Cons
- Can’t see eastern side of Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Reviews
- “At the Blues Point go further in the direction to the bridge to the small field. Better view and less people at the beginning.”
- Arrived 8.30am
- “Awesome Place to look at the fireworks! Good place to be if you are coming from the North.”
- Arrived 12pm
- “At the Blues Point go further in the direction to the bridge to the small field. Better view and less people at the beginning.”
Photo by I’m Free Tours tour participant Michael Kirchknopf
Fleet Steps
- Important Information
- This venue reached capacity at 11:46am in 2023.
- Opens at 10am.
- Food for sale. BYO food permitted.
- Alcohol: For sale / no BYO
- Pros
- One of the best views you can get.
- Cons
- Have to be there earlyish.
- Reviews
- “I went at 7 am but friends were there since 3:30. I know that because of the cloudy weather they let 1000 more in than planned. That’s why people that arrived at 08:00 am still got in. The scenery and the planning was amazing! had enough toilets which where cleaned all the time, good food options, nice view from everywhere in this area. Super nice securities that always watched out for a security exit and good behavior of everyone. Had a wonderful time”
- Arrived 4.30am
- “Be there early and bring enough food and bring some card games. “
- Arrived 6am
- “I went at 7 am but friends were there since 3:30. I know that because of the cloudy weather they let 1000 more in than planned. That’s why people that arrived at 08:00 am still got in. The scenery and the planning was amazing! had enough toilets which where cleaned all the time, good food options, nice view from everywhere in this area. Super nice securities that always watched out for a security exit and good behavior of everyone. Had a wonderful time”
Tarpeian Lawn
- Important Information
- This venue reached capacity at 11:47am in 2023.
- Opens at 9.30am.
- Food for sale. BYO food permitted.
- Alcohol: For sale / no BYO
- Pros
- One of the best views you can get – what you can’t see from the photo is that the Sydney Opera House is just to your right!
- Cons
- Have to be there earlyish; don’t see the whole Sydney Opera House,
- Reviews
- “Get there early and bring snacks and blankets to sit on”
- Arrived 7am
- “Get there early. Bring towels/blankets to put down”
- Arrived 7am
- “Chose a site further up the hill. We went directly to the fence expecting that people would stand up for the fireworks but in the end everyone stayed seated so we had the fence in our sight. That is probably the only thing I would change.”
- Arrived 7.15am
- “Come early”
- Arrived 10am
- “Come early ! Around or before 10 am”
- Arrived 11am
- “Get in the queue early”
- 11.15am
- “Get there early and bring snacks and blankets to sit on”
Bradfield Park/Mary Booth Reserve
- Important Information
- This venue reached capacity at 5.33pm in 2023.
- Opens at 9.30am.
- Food for sale. BYO food permitted.
- Alcohol Prohibited
- Pros
- Excellent view of Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and most of the eastern side of the harbour – this is where I went last time I went in to see the show!
- Cons
- Very crowded; you can end up almost underneath Sydney Harbour Bridge, so not always the best view of it.
Campbells Cove
- Important Information
- This venue reached capacity at 2.55pm in 2023.
- Opens at 9am.
- Food for sale. BYO food permitted.
- Alcohol Prohibited
- Pros
- Excellent view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House
- Cons
- Very busy; have to be there earlyish; don’t see much of the rest of the harbour
- Reviews
- “10am is a bit too early, even coming around 1pm will give you heaps of decent spots and you wont waste all day long.”
- Arrived 10am
- “Bring something to sit on, eat and your own entertainment”
- Arrived 12.50pm with an incomplete view of Sydney Opera House
- “10am is a bit too early, even coming around 1pm will give you heaps of decent spots and you wont waste all day long.”
More distant views, but more locals
These spots are usually more for locals, so can be a more chill, family-friendly vibe. You won’t have to go as early as the best vantage points, but you still get a good view, if a bit distant. Also, being more for families, some groups will leave after the 9pm fireworks, so you may get a better spot later in the night.
McKell Park
- Important Information
- Opens at 12pm.
- BYO food permitted.
- Alcohol Prohibited
- Pros
- Excellent view of Sydney Harbour Bridge, and most of the eastern side of the harbour; chill vibe; straightforward public transport.
- Cons
- Basically no view of Sydney Opera House
Yarranabbe Park
- Important Information
- Opens at 3pm.
- BYO food permitted.
- Alcohol Prohibited
- Pros
- Local favourite; chilled, easy access; great atmosphere; one reveller arrived at 11pm and could still see the entire Sydney Harbour Bridge.
- Cons
- No view of Sydney Opera House.
- Reviews
- “Drink more”
- Arrived 8pm
- “Drink more”
Duff Reserve
- Important Information
- Opens at 12pm.
- BYO food permitted.
- Alcohol Prohibited
- Pros
- Great view of the harbour down to Sydney Harbour Bridge.
- Cons
- Small, quiet, long way from the city; basically no view of Opera House; 35min walk back to Edgecliff station.
Our local favourite: Cremorne Point
- Important Information
- BYO food permitted.
- Alcohol Prohibited.
- Pros
- It’s a great local spot – good chilled atmosphere, no alcohol or glass, picnic. So local it’s not even on the Fireworks website. Can try going after the family fireworks finish at 9pm.
- Cons
- There are lots of trees, so it can be a matter of making sure to get a spot between the trees to get the best view. Ferries stop at 5pm. One ferry after midnight but doesn’t always come so might have to walk back to North Sydney Station. There will be lots of people doing it together so can be fun (~50 minutes walk). Even easier if you’re coming from the northern side of Sydney, e.g. Manly and the Northern Beaches
- Reviews:
- “Coming later was also possible, still space to view the fireworks”
- Arrived 3pm
- “There are some rocks with a great view over the skyline, you will almost have your own private rock. The bridge are a bit far away but you can see everything really well without turning your head. It’s way less crowded then other places and there are a lot of locals (I think). The vibe was great!”
- Arrived 12pm
- “Coming later was also possible, still space to view the fireworks”
There are even more places, and you can find them on our helpful map: I’m Free Sydney New Years Eve Recommendations 2024/25
Of course, once you’ve enjoyed the fireworks, why not come on a tour with us to find out more about the beautiful city we call home! Our morning Sydney Sights tour will cover the main attractions of central Sydney, and the evening Rocks tour focuses on the convicts and crimes of the historic Rocks area. And if you’re heading to Melbourne or Auckland after the fireworks, don’t forget we do tours there too!
