Eight top spots to ring in the New Year in Sydney

Opera Bar Beach Party held on the Sunday 31st of December 2017.
Picture: Christian Gilles
Opera Bar Beach Party held on the Sunday 31st of December 2017. Picture: Christian Gilles

The fireworks in Sydney are an annual extravaganza. Here are eight top spots to ring in the New Year in Sydney.

By Carla Grossetti

NYE @ Pier One Party

Pier One Sydney is the place to be for those who want to be front and centre for the Sydney Fireworks. The hotel offers uninterrupted views of Sydney Harbour Bridge, which is the centrepiece for the city’s annual New Year’s Eve Fireworks. In addition to having a prime viewing spot of the fireworks lighting up the inky black sky, the Pier One party has live entertainment, pop-up bars and street-food stalls. Start the night right with a degustation dinner at The Gantry and then burn off those calories on the dance floor

Signature New Year’s Eve experience @ Aria

Aria restaurant celebrates New Year’s Eve in a big way as it is right in the heart of the action. Head chef Joel Bickford has curated a cracker of a tasting menu on New Year’s Eve to ensure the evening is a magical occasion. Head into 2019 feeling well fed with canapes on arrival and premium beverage offerings throughout the night. Those who’d prefer to get amongst it for the fireworks can start New Year’s Eve in style with an early three-course dinner at Aria, overlooking Sydney Harbour.

New Year’s Eve Cruise with Captain Cook Cruises

If you want to mark the arrival of 2019 in a special way you can be part of the laser show onboard a New Year’s Eve Cruise with Captain Cook Cruises.  The fireworks show in Sydney is regarded as one of the world’s best and being on the water as the light cascades down the Harbour Bridge is hard to beat. Choose your cruise onboard a Harbour of Light Parade or Fireworks cruise.

Italian Rooftop Party @ Salt Meats Cheese

Circular Quay gets flooded with punters ahead of midnight when the city unleashes its fireworks display. Those who want to catch the early show should book into the Salt Meats Cheese NYE Dinner from 6.30pm-9pm; while those interested in seeing the whole shebang should book the second sitting from 9am-11.30pm. When the clock strikes midnight, the Italian Rooftop Party is the place to be. saltmeatscheese.com.au

Jonah’s @ Whale Beach

Agrophobic? Go against the crowds flooding in like the sea to the CBD and head north to Whale Beach for a civilised five-course degustation dinner at Jonah’s. Here the countdown has to do with how many courses are left or how many glasses of Bollinger you’ve had. Those who like to celebrate NYE without the riff-raff will enjoy this upscale alternative to the big bash. Start 2019 right by booking into an ocean retreat room and waking up to the roar of the ocean.

Hot Dub Time Machine @ Opera Bar

Who doesn’t love DJ Hot Dub Time Machine? Farewell 2018 alongside sunburned flashpackers and monied millennials at this year’s NYE party at the Opera Bar. Dance the night away under the sails of the Opera House with a time-travelling ‘dance through the decades’ audio visual party as the Veuve Clicquot flows and waiters shimmy around the space with canapes. Dress code is “Havana Night” so expect lots of guayabera shirts and fedoras and flowing white sun dresses.

Opera Bar Beach Party held on the Sunday 31st of December 2017.
Picture: Christian Gilles

Portside Sydney’s Golden NYE @ Sydney Opera House

Create your own fireworks when you hook up with that handsome stranger as the clock strikes midnight at the Sydney Opera House. Entry to Portside Sydney is of course one of the hottest tickets in town as it includes live entertainment, free-flowing Champagne, beer and wine, canapes and food stations and, oh yeah, those unobstructed views. DJs Rachel May, Chloe and Bannie will keep you dancing around your handbag all night long. 

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay

Sydney is no stranger to throwing huge parties and New Year’s Eve attracts more and more visitors every year. Avoid the million or so revellers congregating around the Harbour and bunker down at Sir Stamford Hotel at Circular Quay for food and bevvies, casino table games and live entertainment along with a few average renditions of Auld Lang Syne. This year’s event at the Sir Stamford at Circular Quay has the Casino Royale theme so arrive dressed to the nines James Bond-style in your superyacht to watch the fireworks from the rooftop of the hotel.

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