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Vast crowds and fireworks welcome New Year to Sydney
Sydney, Jan 1: Defying threats of new terrorist attacks and remembering the victims of the Bali bombing, around one million people gathered around Sydney Harbour to welcome the New Year.
Sydney, Jan 1: Defying threats of new terrorist attacks and remembering the victims of the Bali bombing, around one million people gathered around Sydney Harbour to welcome the New Year.
As the clock struck midnight at 1 pm GMT on Tuesday (6:30 pm) a spectacular fireworks display erupted around the Harbour, lighting up the Harbour Bridge and Opera House as the crowd roared its approval. The huge crowds gathered despite government warnings that the country faced a "credible" threat of attack because of Australia's strongly pro-us foreign policy.
But neither revellers nor authorities were ignoring the potential risks after October's car bomb attack that killed more than 190 people, almost half of them Australian, at the Indonesian resort island of Bali.
Record numbers of police patrolled central Sydney where the Harbour Bridge has traditionally provided the backdrop for one of the world's earliest, and most spectacular, New Year's eve welcomes.
Stringent searches and bans on parked cars provided a stark contrast to previous years, when over-enthusiastic celebrations by inebriated revellers until now have posed the main public danger.
Initial indications from organisers were that numbers did not appear to be down on the traditional one million-plus who crush Sydney Harbour's foreshore for a view of the fireworks.
But many people echoed Prime Minister John Howard's sentiment that while the Bali attacks had heightened Australia's awareness of terrorism, it would not alter their traditionally carefree lifestyle.
As the clock struck midnight at 1 pm GMT on Tuesday (6:30 pm) a spectacular fireworks display erupted around the Harbour, lighting up the Harbour Bridge and Opera House as the crowd roared its approval. The huge crowds gathered despite government warnings that the country faced a "credible" threat of attack because of Australia's strongly pro-us foreign policy.
But neither revellers nor authorities were ignoring the potential risks after October's car bomb attack that killed more than 190 people, almost half of them Australian, at the Indonesian resort island of Bali.
Record numbers of police patrolled central Sydney where the Harbour Bridge has traditionally provided the backdrop for one of the world's earliest, and most spectacular, New Year's eve welcomes.
Stringent searches and bans on parked cars provided a stark contrast to previous years, when over-enthusiastic celebrations by inebriated revellers until now have posed the main public danger.
Initial indications from organisers were that numbers did not appear to be down on the traditional one million-plus who crush Sydney Harbour's foreshore for a view of the fireworks.
But many people echoed Prime Minister John Howard's sentiment that while the Bali attacks had heightened Australia's awareness of terrorism, it would not alter their traditionally carefree lifestyle.
Bureau Report