Sydney Harbor shines brighter to welcome 2018

A record 8 tonnes of fireworks and 3000 individual lighting effects lit up Sydney Harbor at the beginning of 2018, a feast for the eye for more than one million people around the harbor foreshore and a global audience of over one billion.

The fireworks display this year was the biggest the city has ever seen, with more than 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects. According to the Sydney City Council, 8 tonnes of fireworks - 1 tonne more than in 2016 - were used, with 13,000 shells - 1,000 more than 2016, and 30,000 shooting comets - 5,000 more than last year.

But the phenomenal show used less power than ever before thanks to new LED lighting effects. Sydney New Year's Eve lighting director, Ziggy Ziegler, has credited advances in computer technology and new LED lighting for being able to produce an even more eco-friendly show. "We're using a quarter of the amount of power that we used four or five years ago and are still getting more light out of it," he said.

For the first time this year, the midnight show featured a rainbow waterfall of fireworks cascading from Sydney Harbor Bridge in celebration of Australians saying 'Yes' to marriage equality in 2017.

Sydney-born Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman also played a part in designing a spectacular gold and silver shooting fireworks display.