Fine weather is expected to draw half a million people to Melbourne’s city centre for a spectacular golden fireworks display on New Year’s Eve.
Melbourne will ring in 2012 with a $2.6 million celebration involving ten tonnes of fireworks exploding from 17 city locations.
Starting at 9.45pm (AEDT), a gold flare will be fired across 11 city rooftops every half hour until the clock strikes midnight.
The city will then burst into gold with a $400,000 fireworks display lasting 10 minutes.
Gold-themed images will also be projected on to St Paul’s Cathedral, the State Library of Victoria and the National Gallery of Victoria, as part of the celebrations which harks back to the gold rush era.
Families can enjoy free entertainment at Yarra Park, Birrarung Marr and Alexandra Gardens and earlier fireworks at 9.30pm (AEDT) at Yarra Park and Docklands.
With Sydney’s fireworks containing seven tonnes of explosives, Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said, “If size matters, we’re the biggest”.
“The Harbour Bridge is beautiful, but when you see the gold that is the Melbourne moment this year, it will be absolutely spectacular,” Mr Doyle said.
Crowds can travel home from the city on public transport for free from 6pm on New Year’s Eve until 6am on New Year’s Day.
Hundreds of police will patrol the city and coastal hotspots including the Surf Coast, Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island to crack down on drunken revellers.
An extra 150 paramedics will be on duty across the state, with an additional 16 ambulances in the CBD and St Kilda.
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