What you need to know about celebrating New Year’s Eve including how many people can gather at home or outdoors, and arrangements for Sydney’s fireworks.
Celebrating the end of 2020
To keep everyone in NSW safe, New Year’s Eve celebration arrangements will be different this year.
Whether you are planning a celebration at home or in your local community, remember to ensure the safety of your family and friends.
Be aware of the number of people allowed in your home, maintain safe hygiene practices and use QR codes to check in if you are going out to a restaurant, pub or bar.
For residents of (and visitors to) the Greater Sydney area, a number of changes to the New Year’s Eve fireworks display at Sydney Harbour will be in place.
Celebrations in Sydney
Vantage points around the Harbour are being reserved for frontline workers this New Year’s Eve to say thank you for keeping the community safe throughout the year. The Government, through Resilience NSW is reaching out to the agencies at the forefront of the bushfires and pandemic to arrange access to special New Year’s Eve Passes. Each agency will be managing the allocation of these Passes to frontline workers from Monday 7 December 2020. Agencies will update their staff with further information.
For the general public
There will be no 9pm family fireworks or activities around Sydney Harbour this year.
There will be a short firework display from Sydney Harbour Bridge at midnight only. This will be broadcast live on ABC TV, allowing you and your friends or family to watch from home.
There will also be a number of measures in place to strictly control crowd numbers around the Sydney Harbour.
Designated zones will be established for Circular Quay, North Sydney and the city.
A designated Green Zone will be established for Circular Quay and at key public vantage points in North Sydney. This means only residents who live inside the zone, their guests, and those with confirmed bookings at venues such as restaurants, hotels or bars within the area will be allowed in.
Those with confirmed bookings, and residents, will be able to download a New Year’s Eve Pass from Service NSW. Passes will be checked prior to entry into the Green Zone area.
Anyone who does not have a New Year’s Eve Pass will not be allowed to enter.
A designated Yellow Zone will also be established around the Green Zone and people looking to gather in this area in large numbers may be subject to move-on Police powers.
North Sydney, Bradfield Park, Blues Point Reserve, Mary Booth Reserve, Quibaree Park, Kurraba Reserve and Cremorne Reserve will not be open to the public.
The NSW Government will continue to work with the North Sydney Council should they wish to host their own ticketed events at any of these vantage point locations.
The New Year’s Eve Pass will be available from Service NSW from Monday 7 December 2020.
For residents in the restricted zones
If you live around the Sydney Harbour or North Sydney, you may be impacted by road closures and you may require a New Year’s Eve Pass to enter the area.
New Year’s Eve Passes will be required if you – or your guests – intend on entering the Green Zone after 5pm on Thursday, 31 December 2020.
Vantage points within the Green Zone will not be accessible to residents or the public.
Vantage points inside the Green Zone including Sydney Opera House, Cahill Expressway, Campbell’s Cove and Mrs Macquarie’s Point will be reserved for frontline workers.
In North Sydney, Bradfield Park, Blues Point Reserve, Mary Booth Reserve, Quibaree Park, Kurraba Reserve and Cremorne Reserve, will be closed.
New Year’s Eve Pass will be available from Service NSW from Monday 7 December 2020. More details will be provided in the coming weeks.
For Businesses
The NSW Government has developed a set of COVID-Safe measures specific to New Year’s Eve.
A designated Green Zone will be established around Circular Quay and key public vantage points in North Sydney that means only residents who live inside the zone, their guests, and those with confirmed bookings at venues such as restaurants, hotels or bars within the area will be allowed in.
All patrons and staff of venues who will be entering the Green Zone after 5pm, must have a New Year’s Eve Pass. New Year’s Eve passes will be checked prior to entry.
NYE Passes will be available from ServiceNSW from Monday 7 December 2020. More details will be provided in the coming weeks.
For boat owners and operators
As usual, boats will be permitted on Sydney Harbour to watch the midnight fireworks display. Owners and operators should be aware of the speed limits and the Exclusion Zone that will be in place. Please refer to the Map of Sydney Harbour Zones for New Year’s Eve.
Commercial vessel operators have been requested to register for New Year’s Eve 2020.
Registered commercial vessels will then be eligible for a position in the Commercial Vessel’s Managed Access Areas as defined by the Department of Premier and Cabinet and Transport for NSW Maritime. Please refer to the Map of Sydney Harbour Zones for New Year’s Eve.
Only approved vessels will be granted access into the Managed Access Area.
Commercial Charter Vessels application form.
Map of Sydney Harbour Zones for New Year’s Eve
