City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp today encouraged revellers to plan ahead, look after each other and celebrate responsibly while ringing in 2019.
With more than 350,000 people expected in the city for Melbourne’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, the Lord Mayor said that safety and security is paramount.
“It takes a year to put together such a world-class event and to make sure it runs smoothly,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Safety is always the number one priority when planning an event of this scale. You can help by looking out for your mates, reporting any antisocial behaviour to police and partying responsibly.”
The City of Melbourne has been working closely with Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, the MFB and PTV throughout the year to ensure the smooth running of New Year’s Eve, which sees more people converging in the city at one time than any other event.
With so many people expected in the city for the midnight fireworks, the Lord Mayor encouraged Melburnians to plan ahead and make use of the city’s free public transport system.
“New Year’s Eve is a major event so revellers should prepare themselves for delays getting to and from the city,” the Lord Mayor said.
Trains, trams, buses and V/Line services will be free from 6pm New Year’s Eve until 6am New Year’s Day.
The City of Melbourne’s midnight fireworks are designed to be viewed from afar and will cover seven square kilometres of the CBD. With 14 tonnes of fireworks fired off 22 rooftops, revellers don’t need to come into the city to enjoy the display.
For those who do decide to come into the city, the City of Melbourne is operating four Live Sites at Kings Domain, Docklands, Treasury Gardens and Flagstaff Gardens from 9pm to 1am. The Live Sites will offer entertainment, food trucks and excellent fireworks viewing.
All Live Sites are in close proximity to city-loop metro stations (Flinders Street, Parliament, Melbourne Central, Flagstaff and Southern Cross) to ensure people have a smooth travel experience to the city on NYE.
The midnight fireworks display will be synchronised to a uniquely Melbourne soundtrack by Aboriginal Australian rapper, lyricist and hip-hop artist Briggs, which is broadcast live on FM 99.7 and on Channel 7.
Yarra Park is also open from 6pm for the 9:30pm fireworks so families can enjoy the New Year’s Eve experience without the late night out.
Visit melbourne.vic.gov.au/nye for full details and free transport options on New Year’s Eve. The City of Melbourne’s New Year’s Eve event is an alcohol free event and fines apply.
