ONE billion people around the world have watched Sydney welcome 2014 with an extravagant New Year fireworks display.
An estimated crowd of 1.5 million gathered around Sydney Harbour to celebrate the start of the new year watching the amazing pyrotechnics spectacular, which went for 10 minutes.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House, there were fireworks launched from the sails for the first time in 10 years.
Artist and musician Reg Mombassa injected his unique, quirky and irreverent style into this year’s event, and helped Sydney’s iconic landmarks shine even brighter.
Mombassa is known as a founding member of the band Mental as Anything, and for his popular Mambo T-shirt and poster designs.
Forch, the company behind the world renowned Sydney New Year fireworks rose to the occasion once more. They have been lighting the match on this massive show for 13 consecutive years, and this year was the biggest and the best, with 13000 cues, 16 shipping containers of material, 7 tonne of explosives, and 45 people making magic in the sky.
But it was a damp start to 2014 for 100 revellers who had to be helped from two sinking boats on Sydney harbour.
100 partygoers had to be rescued by Police from a yacht which started taking water near Garden Island at 8pm (AEDT). And in a separate incident six people had to be rescued from a boat which sunk near Mrs Macquarie’s Chair on Sydney Harbour.
No one was injured in the rescues.
Image: AAP/Nikki Short
