It appears some revellers will go to any length to catch a glimpse of Sydney’s iconic New Year fireworks after a shopper claimed they spotted a popup tent in a shopping centre car park where four tourists allegedly stayed for the night.
The shopper caught sight of the tent set up on in an EV charging bay and claimed there were “four guys [who are] a long way from home” soundly sleeping inside it after coming to the city to watch the fireworks.
“[They were] still there after two hours and fast asleep even when I was slamming [my] bonnet and car doors,” he wrote online after attending the Broadway Shopping Centre on Wednesday morning.
The images were shared to a group on Facebook dedicated to calling out drivers of petrol cars for taking up charging space for electrical vehicles – but this was a much more unusual gripe.
It’s unclear how the sleepers were able to remain in the car park as it is usually locked overnight. While some online suggested the rough sleepers could have been homeless, the poster confirmed they were indeed tourists in his estimation.
Throngs of people descended on the city overnight, with many camping out for hours to get a good spot to take in the celebrations. “Wow this takes it to a whole new level,” one person joked of the car park tent.
One million revellers flocked to Sydney Harbour foreshore
Sydney is known to attract tens of thousands of tourists at New Years, and this year was no different, with one million people flocking to the harbour foreshore alone to catch a glimpse of the sky lighting up with nine tonnes of fireworks. Many more congregated at lookout points and parks to ring in the new year under the bright display.
This year’s fireworks were the largest ever put on by the city and a massive police operation was underway to maintain order and safety overnight.
One million people were on the foreshore along Sydney Harbour to celebrate the New Year. Source: X/Gaurav Gulati
Parks and lookouts were full of people eager to watch Sydney’s New Year fireworks from a distance. Source: Yahoo News Australia
Police report 36 arrests during Sydney’s New Year celebrations
The NSW Police reported 36 arrests for various offences in the city centre, including assault, robbery and knife-related incidents.
The most serious was an alleged stabbing of a teenage boy in Guildford, with the 17-year-old rushed to hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition.
Overall, the public has been commended by authorities for being well-behaved while ringing in the new year.
“Police were kept busy by a handful of revellers doing the wrong thing, but those people were dealt with quickly,” Operation New Year’s Eve Commander, Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said. “The vast majority of people enjoyed their night safely and without incident.”
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb was also pleased with how the crowd behaved.
“People were able to come into the city, enjoy their night, and get home safely,” she told reporters this morning. “But a small number of individuals had a bad night, and they are now before the court,” she added.
An off-duty senior constable was also charged with mid-range drink driving following a random breath test at Nowra in the state’s south.
Quick facts about Sydney’s 2025 New Year fireworks:
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23,000 individual pyrotechnic shots were launched.
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The highest fireworks reached over 450 metres.
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There were 265 firing spots along the Sydney Harbour Bridge — more than ever before.
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More than 100 artists, musicians and other creatives worked on the displays.
*This is for both the 9 pm and midnight displays.
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