Sydney Harbour New Year’s Eve: Bridge to shine with message of peace for 2026

The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be lit up in white on New Year’s Eve with the word “Peace” shining brightly as a minute’s silence is held for the victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

The city’s traditional fireworks display will start at midnight to welcome in 2026, watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world.

Sydney’s councils are also going ahead with fireworks displays to usher in the New Year, but Waverley Council has cancelled an event at Bondi where 15 innocent people were killed by two gunmen on December 14.

Event organiser Fuzzy said it had worked with the council “focusing on compassion and care for Sydney’s Jewish community and all those impacted”, allowing NSW Police to progress their investigations.

Shortly before 9pm on New Year’s Eve, the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons will shine white with the image of a dove and the single word “Peace”.

At 11pm the bridge will be illuminated white as a minute’s silence is held, again with the word “’Peace” shining brightly.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said this year’s event would demonstrate to the world that the city stood together as one community that “will not let this hateful act of terror divide us”.

“At 11pm I invite everyone to pause and shine a torch light, to show the Jewish community that we stand with them, and that we reject violence, fear and antisemitism,” she said in a statement.

The bridge will also be illuminated blue at 10pm in recognition of the event’s official charity partner, Beyond Blue, which provides free mental health support around the clock.

Ms Moore said the safety of the public was the highest priority and the City of Sydney had been working with NSW Police and the state government for 18 months on security arrangements.

People heading to the foreshore on New Year’s Eve can expect to see a significant police presence, security throughout the city and more CCTV cameras monitoring crowds.

A Randwick City Council spokesperson told AAP the Coogee Sparkles New Year’s Eve fireworks display would go ahead as usual at 9pm.

“We’ve been liaising with police about security for that and I daresay there will be extra security for that event.”

The event site at Goldstein Reserve will be patrolled by security officers engaged by council between midday and 11pm.

The Northern Beaches Council says fireworks are going ahead in the traditional locations of Dee Why, Frenchs Forest, Manly and Bayview at 9pm and there will be a midnight fireworks display at Bayview.

Fireworks displays, a drone show and live music are also on in the west at Parramatta Park between 5pm and 9.30pm to ring in 2026.

A City of Parramatta spokesperson said the council had implemented additional safety measures, including an increased police presence, CCTV cameras, security guards and safety barriers.

Councils are urging people to keep their pets indoors during the fireworks.