New Years Eve 25 Years Ago: 1997

Above: Promotional poster featured in The Sunday Telegraph on 28 December 1997.

Saturday is New Year's Eve in Sydney, and it will feel well and truly back to normal this year. Last year would rank among the quieter New Year's Eves because of the spread of the Omicron Variant of COVID-19, which meant that many decided not to risk infection by staying home. On 31 December 2021, 22 577 people across NSW tested positive for COVID-19. A reported 30 000 gathered to watch the fireworks, but the figure would likely be higher given that those with views of Sydney Harbour would have been able to watch from their home.

The previous year (2020) saw access heavily restricted under the Zero Covid policy that NSW and the Commonwealth applied at the time. Key vantage points were closed to the public to avoid mass gatherings as the Northern Beaches experienced an outbreak. Those in the Northern Beaches were subjected to stay-at-home orders. 

It will be a quarter of a century before we explore 2020 and 2021, but let's wind back the clock a quarter of a century to 1997.

The story so far...

Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations had their origins in 1989. Back then, it was a thirty-minute fireworks show held at 9pm, which continued each year. Midnight fireworks commenced at midnight on 1 January 1994, though confined to Sydney Tower and Darling Harbour. 

The midnight display was first screened on television on the Nine Network to usher in 1997 at midnight on 1 January 1997, while the 9pm show was first broadcast on 31 December 1994, though delayed until midnight. The first live broadcast of the 9pm show was on 31 December 1996.

What was new in 1997?

 

Source: Totaro, P. 1997. "$2m spectacular to welcome 1998". The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 December: 2. 

Sydney City Council's aim was to make the celebrations bigger for each year leading up to 1999, and they did not let people down:

• The introduction of the first bridge effect - a smiley face.
• Extended entertainment program - Children's concert began at 4pm at Hyde Park and a flotilla of boats shooting fireworks every four seconds from 8:30pm.
• A fireworks barge located west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the first time to "double the impact" of the fireworks.
• Fireworks were to be launched from Star City Casino alongside Sydney Tower at midnight.
• While the fireworks were directed by Ric Birch, two companies provided the fireworks - Syd Howard Fireworks International & Foti's.

Above: Vantage points to view the fireworks as published on Page 4 of The Daily Telegraph on 31 December 1997.

Compared with the previous year, a similar number of fireworks were to be released - 20 000 fireworks with five tonnes of explosives.

The projected cost of the festivities was $2 million, up from $1.5 million the previous year.

The Nine Network provided live coverage of the fireworks for a second year, with 2UE providing a simulcast of the soundtrack featured in the show.

Transport Arrangements

Below are the public transport arrangements for New Year's Eve 1997 as advertised in The Sunday Telegraph on 28 December 1997. By now, Sydney was mastering the art of transporting the hordes in and out of the city.

Driving was not recommended, given large sections of the Sydney CBD and The Rocks were closed to vehicular traffic. Despite the fireworks, several lanes of the Sydney Harbour Bridge remained open.

Fireworks Wrap Up

Below is coverage of the festivities from The Daily Telegraph and The Sydney Morning Herald on 1 January 1998.

The Sydney Morning Herald

The Daily Telegraph

A final word...

I wish each person a safe and enjoyable new year, regardless of how you want to mark it.