Source: Anon. 1995. "1995 Sydney Skyshow" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph Mirror, December 30:18.
On Thursday evening, we will mark the end of 2020 and usher in 2021. Due to COVID-19, celebrations have been scaled back and it will be ticketed access only to major viewing sites to allow for social distancing between attendees.
It will be interesting how we will look at this in 25 years from now which is a long way off in the future. Instead of focusing on now or how I may present this years festivities in the future, lets rewind back to 1995 and look at how Sydney welcomed 1996.
Like 2020, there were challenges and actually threatened the night itself.
Staging an event costs money. The major sponsors from the previous years had pulled out, threatening the show. There was only one show at 9pm.
Sydney City Council intervened to save the now annual tradition while The Sunday Telegraph sponsored the event.
The Sunday Telegraph prepared a poster for its readers providing details on viewing locations and transport in its edition of December 31.
The SkyShow maintained the traditional launch points - The Sydney Harbour Bridge and one near the Sydney Opera House. The one near the Opera House was shifted eastwards to a point North East of the Sydney Opera House. This opened up even more areas of Sydney Harbour for viewing.
Source: Dean, A. 1995. "Bang goes another year". The Sydney Morning Herald, December 30:2.
Syd Howard continued to coordinate the show and managed to keep costs down. It cost only $175 000 compared with $220 000 the year before. Media reports estimated attendance on Sydney Harbour at 500 000 as in previous years.
For those unable to attend (or those who attended but wanted to see it again), Channel Seven broadcast the show on delay at midnight across the nation. The video is below but no sound is featured. Anne Fulwood presented the show from Cremorne Point. Channel Nine would pick up the baton one year later and turn it into a live TV event.
Darling Harbour provided a very good alternative. In addition to a 9pm fireworks show, there was also a midnight fireworks show with fireworks released from Cockle Bay and Sydney Tower Entertainment was also provided in Tumbalong Park. Sydney City Mission also encouraged partygoers to support its "Mission 96" fundraiser.
Source: Sydney City Mission. 1995. Untitled (Advertisement). The Sun Herald, December 31:94.
CityRail combined with the State Transit Authority for the first time to produce a combined newspaper advertisement for public transport arrangements. Many bus routes operating to the city were subject to diversions to accommodate for traffic congestion and road closures. Sydney Harbour Bridge remained opened to vehicular traffic during the fireworks but pedestrians were banned.
