- Sydney kicked off its New Year’s Eve celebrations with the 9pm fireworks display
- The entree to the midnight main course is built as show for children and families
- For the first time the countdown to midnight will be written in sky with fireworks
- Massive security and police presence is being rolled out across Australian cities
- Concrete bollards and large trucks are being used to block roads around CBDs
Millions of revellers crammed around Sydney harbour have had an early taste of the spectacular that is to come at midnight, with the early fireworks display.
For close to eight minutes the night sky was alight with all the colours of the rainbow as thousands of fireworks exploded on both sides of the Harbour Bridge at 9pm.
The entree to the midnight main course is built as a kids and family spectacular, with many parents now set to put their kids to bed and enjoy seeing in the end to 2018.
Millions of revellers crammed around Sydney harbour have had an early taste of the fireworks spectacular that is to come at midnight, with the 9pm display (pictured)
For close to eight minutes the night sky was alightas thousands of fireworks exploded on both sides of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Many of the best vantage points around the harbour were full of people by the early afternoon.
Thousands of boats also crammed onto the water to snag unbeatable views looking directly onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Come midnight the sky above the harbour will light up for close to 15 minutes with close to 1 billion people around the world expected to watch.
For the first time ever, the final 10 second countdown for 2018 will be written in the sky with fireworks.
Many of the top vantage points around Sydney harbour are already full of excited partygoers
Less than a fortnight after the shocking attack in Flinders Street, police in Melbourne remain on high alert and concrete bollards have been placed on roads throughout the CBD (pictured)
In Sydney police are also out in force, using large trucks and buses to secure roads that will be walked by millions of revellers
Major security measures are in place as millions around the country flood into capital cities to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
Less than a fortnight after the shocking attack in Flinders Street, police in Melbourne remain on high alert throughout the CBD.
Forklifts were being used by council workers to lay concrete bollards to protect the major roads in the city where large crowds are expected to gather.
In Sydney police are also out in force, using large trucks and buses to secure roads that will be walked by millions of excited revellers throughout the night.