New Year’s Eve: Millions turn out for fireworks in Sydney while thousands pack Elizabeth Quay in Perth

From small house parties to more than a million people turning out for huge fireworks extravaganzas, people across Australia gathered to ring in the new year on Sunday night.

Thousands of revellers gathered in Perth, with families and friends flocking to Elizabeth Quay to secure a good spot to watch the fireworks display.

Other families kept it low-key, like Adele, Tegan, Marc and Svea Beuthe from Cottesloe, who set up at City Beach to enjoy the beautiful evening weather at the beach.

Originally from South Africa, they said it was their first New Year’s Eve in Perth as they had recently moved to WA.

In Sydney, one of the world’s first major cities to welcome 2024, those most eager to celebrate formed lines in and around Circular Quay as early as 5am Sunday morning to snag the perfect vantage point.

They were treated to a spectacular display cresting over the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House as the harbour city saw a new year in in style.

“There’s just nothing else like this, we had to make the trek in,” onlooker Alison Wilkinson, who waited 13 hours to see the fireworks, told the Daily Telegraph.

“It just felt like something we had to do and we just lucked out with the spot.”

Alongside her was George Wilkinson, who was suitably wowed, if a little fed up with the wait.

“It’s the best show in the world,” he said.

“It’s taken a while to pass the time a lot of games and drinking mostly.”

In Melbourne, fireworks lit up the Docklands precinct with thousands of people there to enjoy them.

“It’s so special down here there’s so much happiness,” Melbourne mum Ruhi Dalwadi said.