Sydney's New Year's Eve fireworks to be intergalactic: Reg Mombassa

New Year's Eve plans: the event's creative ambassador Reg Mombassa with Sydney's lord mayor Clover Moore. Photo: Ben Rushton

Sydney Harbour Bridge will put on its biggest midnight display yet when more than a billion people cast their eyes to the harbour city on New Year's Eve.

But artist and musician Reg Mombassa, the event's creative ambassador, said its logo of an "all-seeing eye" was not a hint that crowds might see one staring back.

"If I gave the slightest bit of information away I'd be locked up for treason," the Mambo artist and Mental As Anything rocker said.

What was revealed on Monday was news that the much-anticipated bridge effect, thanks to 16 kilometres of rope light, will be twice as big as previous years – stretching 12 storeys high and 72 metres wide.

Mombassa, who confirmed that this New Year's Eve would be his first work in pyrotechnics, said he was reliably informed Sydney's display would stand out.

"Apparently the fireworks, the Sydney fireworks, are actually visible from the closest galactic supercluster, the Virgo Supercluster, which is 65 million light years from earth.

So there will be some insect-faced aliens enjoying the fireworks display, which is nice to know," Mombassa said.

"Unfortunately the pathetic displays from the other cities won't be visible from that distance.”


Also joining the party will be the Sydney Opera House, which will launch more than 1000 fireworks from its sails as it marks its 40th birthday.

It is the first time the world famous building has been incorporated into the fireworks display in more than a decade, using specially developed pyrotechnics that will not damage its exterior.

Sydney's lord mayor Clover Moore said the $6.8 million fireworks display was the city's gift to Sydney.

About 1.5 million people are expected at the harbour and another 1.1 billion will watch a broadcast of the harbourside festivities, Cr Moore said.

“We are marking the 40th anniversary of Sydney Opera House in the best way that Sydney NYE knows how – brilliant, specially-designed fireworks, firing from the world-famous sails," Cr Moore said.

"I expect this year's event to have one of the most creative fireworks displays Sydney has seen.”

Fortunato Foti, now in his 14th year as the director of the fireworks, said this year was again a challenge to create a display bigger than in previous years.

"Inspiration for this year's fireworks display has been taken from Reg Mombassa's work which, as always, is very colourful and unique. It's been a challenge pulling it together, but I think the crowds will be impressed on the night," Mr Foti said.

And revellers will also have the chance to take home more than photos and memories, for $120.

In an Australian first, a collector's coin featuring a coloured hologram depicting the bridge effect, will be available for sale.

The "Shine" Logo by local artist: Reg Mombassa

Imagination Wins Tender to Design Sydney New Year Eve for City of Sydney

Imagination has once again gone ‘above and beyond’ to secure their place as creative mastermind for Australia’s largest public event.

By providing City of Sydney with an outstanding creative roadmap, Imagination has been awarded the highly coveted Sydney New Year’s Eve Project for the next three years. City of Sydney will also have the opportunity to continue their contract with Imagination for a further two years, after the delivery of the event on 31 December 2016.

Sydney New Year’s Eve attracts 1.6 million people to the city. It’s an experience that features two cutting edge fireworks displays, a secret Sydney Harbour Bridge Effect, a traditional Harbour of Light Parade and several events staged around the Harbour foreshore.

Imagination’s Managing Director Antony Gowthorp says his team is extremely proud to have been asked to continue its relationship with the City of Sydney. By winning the competitive tender with a fresh vision that tests the boundaries of what is possible, he says Imagination will continue to lead the industry in groundbreaking events.

On the back of the producing the incredibly successful Royal Australian Navy International Fleet Review Spectacular, Imagination looks forward to the opportunity to take this iconic Sydney Harbour experience to the next level.

“Sydney New Year’s Eve is an incredible event through which we continue to push the creative, sponsorship and consumer experience to the limit,” Gowthorp says.

Imagination kicked off their job as the creative directors of Sydney New Year’s Eve working with design luminary Marc Newson in December 2011. Since that time they have attracted pop diva Kylie Minogue to help design the event and revered Australian artist and musician Reg Mombassa, who is the 2013 Sydney New Year’s Eve Creative Ambassador.

Imagination is a creative agency that delivers brand experiences via live, digital, social, and integrated campaign platforms. It includes on its client roster: The Ford Motor Company, The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Telstra, Jaguar Landrover, Interface and Shell. Imagination also enjoys the credit of being the first creative producer of Sydney New Year’s Eve spectacular for The City of Sydney.

It offers creative services including: strategy, events, experiential, environments, digital, social, content production and integrated campaigns across; consumer, employee and stakeholder audiences. The agency’s creative resources embrace the skills of strategists, creative directors, story-tellers, writers, film-makers, brand designers, motion graphic designers, journalists, creative technologists, bloggers, social media experts, design directors, interior designers, digital experts, technical directors and producers.

Imagination has 50 staff in Australia with offices in Sydney and Melbourne and eighteen offices around the world.

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The 10 Best Sydney Events to Impress your Guests Over the Summer

It’s meant to be the biggest night of the year, but more often than thought, our New Years fizzle slowly like a dud firework.

To make sure you count down the New Year in style and with plenty of fun, we’vr has sussed out the hottest spots in Sydney this New Years Eve.

Begin fresh, celebrate, announce your New Years Resolutions (promise you will stick to them this year), sneak in a few beverages in between and let your night explode as we say goodbye to the year that was.

Bungalow 8
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Bungalow 8’s ‘Bungapalooza Carnival’ just screams fun. Coney Island meet Full Moon Party, the harbour side venue will offer live music and performances, fairy floss and carnival games to keep the night young.

With the carnival madness beginning with a walk through Side Show Alley to play the carnival must-have laughing clowns, you are then invited to test out your luck on the dunking machine.

With live music acts from graff artists, circus acts from Captain Finhead, DJ performances from DJ Flagrant along side Van She, there is plenty of entertainment to last the night.

For those lucky VIP ticket holders, the carnival starts early with endless amounts of food and drink available from 6-8pm.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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First release tickets available now through www.moshtix.com.au for $50.
VIP tickets available now from www.moshtix.com.au $130.
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The Loft
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Take a step upstairs to theloft and back into the 1920’s at theloft and Moet & Chandon’s ‘A Night at the Savoy’.

Indulge in the ‘anything goes’ jazz age in style as a 250 glass, 11 tiered tower of Moet champagne is poured when the clock strikes twelve.

Enjoy free flowing champagne, fresh oysters, hand dipped chocolate strawberries and an extensive array of gourmet canapés as you celebrate to the beats of DJ Pete Dolso and Kristy Lee, as well as the soulful voice of Grover.

International Burlesque performer, Rachel St James will also be performing her signature champagne glass routine.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Tickets available now through www.moshtix.com.au or call 1300 GET TIX. Tickets are $225 each.
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The Argyle
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Welcome 2012 in the heart of The Rocks with a night of unlimited passouts, great music and views of the New Years fireworks.

Be sure you are not to miss headlining act, Sonny Fodera aswell as resident DJs Phil Hudson, Elly K, LaVida and Random Soul who will hit the beats in the main room. Yogi and Husky are set to perform in the Reibey Room, making a night of dancing and celebration like no other.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Tickets for NYE are $60, and are available online at www.theargylerocks.com or for $50 by using a promo code obtained from http://www.facebook.com/TheArgyleRocks .
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NYE 2011 City of Sydney
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Sydney Harbour and its foreshores promise for a great night with fantastic views and endless entertainment.

Make sure you get the picnic rug out early though to fight the crowds and secure your spot in time for the pre show entertainment starting at 5pm.

With aerial displays from Matt Hall at 6pm, followed by the Ted Noffs fire tug water show at 7pm, the night will be off to a great start.

At 8pm the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Smoking Ceremony will commence, with the Silver Spray, Tribal Warrior and Mari Nawi vessls cleansing the harbour of negative spirits, before concluding with daytime pyrotechnics and traditional eucalyptus smoke. This is then to be followed with an Acknowledgement of Country to show respect to the traditional custodians of the land and sea, the Gadigal, Eora and all First Nation peoples.

The eight minute family fireworks display is to begin at 9pm and is synchronised to a mix of children’s movie soundtracks, pop songs and classical music.

The biggest yet Harbour of Light Parade is to follow, parading 55 vessels in a 15km loop around the harbour.

Count down the New Year and watch the magic of the fireworks in the midnight finale and celebrate into the early morning and first day of 2012.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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No cost, but plenty of crowds. Be sure to take public transport and get in early to secure a good spot!
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Cockle Bay Wharf
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Begin your night at 7.30 and watch Cockle Bay Wharf come alive. Celebrate and be amazed by the Pyrophone Juggernaut, the largest hand operated multi-octave fire organ in the world. With 15 metre high flames, 5 artists and rhythmical sounds, it will make for a night like no other.

Continue to be amazed by fire juggling, acrobatic fire-twirling, flame throwing and fire breathing, followed by Chinese Lion Dancing performances and a fire cracker finale.

At 9pm and again at midnight, the sky will explode with a kaleidoscope of colour as the firework display marks the start of the New Year.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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For more info head to darlingharbour.com.
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ivy
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Celebrate New Years Eve and the beginning of 2012 in true style at the ivy. With one of the world’s most in demand DJs, Erick Morillo headlining and DJ Dimitri From Paris and Ian Carey completing the international line-up, it’s a not-to-miss event.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Tickets are available now from www.ivynye.com.au for $99.95.
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Field Day NYD
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Why stop with the celebrations if you don’t have to? Continue the party at Field Day on New Years Day.

With electronic music sensation Justice headlining, and the likes of Calvin Harris, Gotye and Crystal Castles playing, there really isn’t any excuse not to go.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Tickets start at $135 and are available from fielddaynyd.com.au.
For the full line up and more info, head to fielddaynyd.com.au.