Mt Smh Page 2 Nyesupp 30 Dec 08

2 New Year’s Eve Special

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Sydney Morning Herald

smh.com.au

smh.com.au

New Year’s Eve Special 3

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

May a bright new year last longer than one night It’s time to get touchyfeely — with about a million others, writes Andrew Stevenson

씰 The New Year’s Eve entertainment starts at 3pm with an aerial show featuring vintage planes such as Tiger Moths, Beechcraft Staggerwings and Stearman aircraft flying over Darling Harbour.

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f Christmas is a time for families to share a special moment in the protective embrace of their homes, New Year’s Eve is its polar opposite. Far from turning inwards, the modern celebration of passing from one calendar to next is based upon slamming the front door behind you and joining the great sweep of humanity. Instead of sitting around a Christmas tree decorated with baubles and a string of coloured lights, we sit with more than a million of our closest friends and gorge ourselves on a pyrotechnical extravagance designed to elicit all manner of oohs and aahs, from the toddlers struggling to keep their eyes open to the most cynical of adults. The backyard barbecue or neighbourhood gathering is no longer enough. That would amount to barely a full stop on a year; now we have a New Year’s Eve spectacular to ensure the old finishes with an exclamation mark and the new one begins with a fluorescent asterisk. If optimism could be bottled, the cork would be popped at midnight on New Year’s Eve, in keeping with the ceremony’s origins in the winter solstice of the northern hemisphere. This, as earlier revellers might have said on New Year’s Eve as a blizzard raged outside the cave, is as bad as it gets. Drink and be merry, for in six months the sun might shine down upon you. Sydney never had to deal with such extremes of climate but has so fervently embraced the ritual that what was once a night rich with the possibility of the stolen kiss of a stranger is now our single largest public gathering of the year. Popes, presidents, rock stars and sportsmen pass us by every year but nothing stops us like New Year’s Eve. This year finds Sydney, and most of the world beyond, in need of an injection of optimism – and the drape of financial gloom drawn across the globe will not dim the fireworks spectacular, with every explosion of colour reflected off the waters of Sydney Harbour and, hopefully, around the world. New Year’s Eve is one of the city’s

An indigenous touch to help paint the town red

AND IT ALL STARTS NOW

New creative director Rhoda Roberts will get personal at tomorrow night’s celebrations, writes Martha Tattersall.

씰 At 7pm a formation of ships from the NSW Police, NSW Fire Brigades, State Emergency Services, NSW Coast Guard and Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol fleets will sail around Darling Harbour. 씰 The official welcome begins from 8pm, followed by the Acknowledgement of Country ceremony at 8.50pm. This includes smoke and light displays projected onto Sydney Harbour Bridge and surrounding areas portraying the history and stories of the first Australians. Party people ... revellers settle down at Mrs Macquaries Chair for the biggest social event of the year. Photo: Dean Sewell key marketing moments. We like to think our fireworks are the best in the world or, if not the best, then certainly staged in the best location. Perhaps neither is true, although Sydney does feature prominently in most media wrap-ups of the best celebrations – with one significant advantage over better-known locations such as London, Paris or New York. We’re first among the world’s big cities to enter the new year and, as such,

‘[The fireworks] uplift the community and bring the city alive.’ Clover Moore hope to garner more television minutes than more illustrious rivals. The fact that it’s also most unlikely to snow in the city on New Year’s Eve may also be considered a big plus by the spectators around Sydney Harbour, although it does not seem to hold back the crowds that line the River Liffey in Dublin or the Thames in London. Sydney is not alone in wanting the world to watch us with envious eyes.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, unsurprisingly, can think of no better city to spend New Year’s Eve than his own. And what will he be doing? Ooh-ing and aah-ing at his own pyrotechnic display reflected, for him and hundreds of thousands of others who turn up for his free bash, off the Thames and hoping the fireworks will remind visitors and investors to continue to patronise the city throughout the troubled economic times. ‘‘I’m particularly keen to remind the global business elite that London offers them unique opportunities and an inimitable lifestyle,’’ he says. ‘‘Even these tough economic times cannot detract from the wealth of architecture, culture, gastronomy and people which make London the best city in the world to work, rest and play.’’ Certainly, Sydney’s Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, can match Johnson for enthusiasm, saying the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks ‘‘uplift the community and bring the city alive on an unparalleled scale, creating an atmosphere and experience for Sydneysiders and visitors alike that is simply priceless’’. The return may be priceless but

씰 The 9pm fireworks show is tipped to be the biggest ever, with choreographed pyrotechnics displays above the harbour.

the event requires a big capital injection of $5 million, with 11,000 shells and 10,000 shooting comets fired towards the heavens. Even before the smoke has drifted into the night and the strains of Auld Lang Syne have died, the City of Sydney and Australian tourism bodies expect the valuable images to be on TV screens around the globe. And not just on the news. The 2007 celebrations were part of a four-part documentary series on the Discovery Channel as one of the largest, most significant cultural, social and religious events in the world. But how big is it? Enormous, according to the City of Sydney, with 1.5 million people attending – 500,000 of them tourists flying in for the event. According to a City of Sydney spokeswoman, Sydney’s celebrations are not just the most memorable, they draw larger crowds than Paris (100,000), London (700,000) or New York (1 million). So, as the last sparkler splutters and dies on New Year’s Eve, eat, drink and make as merry as the law permits. Hope the whole world has been watching too and thinking kindly thoughts of the harbour city. Optimism can reign supreme: reality will return with morning.

씰 The Harbour of Light Parade will begin at 9.15pm. More than 50 boats, including tall ships and Sydney ferries, will be decorated in lights reflecting this year’s Creation theme. The fleet will sail around Sydney Harbour. 씰 The night’s entertainment finishes with the midnight fireworks, including special effects on the bridge and fireworks erupting from skyscraper rooftops and harbour barges. For more information, see www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au.

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ydney’s city council has stepped up to its environmental responsibility by ordering a carbon audit into tomorrow night’s celebrations. The City of Sydney’s sustainability manager, Chris Derksma, says it is a natural step for the council, which is already Australia’s first carbonneutral government. The audit by the independent Carbon Reduction Institute will measure the greenhouse gas emissions generated from fuel use, fireworks, electricity and other materials consumed by the council and its contractors in producing the New Year’s Eve event. ‘‘Then we go off and purchase offsets to match that number,’’ Derksema says. ‘‘There’s a number of different ways that they can work these numbers out and that’s why we go to an independent body who is an expert in this field.’’ The aim of

Smoke on the water ... Sydney’s fireworks are spectacular but this year they’ll also be carbon neutral. Photo: Reuters the audit is to improve the efficiency of Sydney’s celebrations. ‘‘We think it’s a good thing to celebrate New Year’s Eve but we also

think it’s a good thing to purchase the green energy and make sure that this event is carbon neutral so that we’re not impacting on the environ-

ment during that celebration,’’ Derksema says. Electricity used on the night will be matched by buying GreenPower

>> For information on road closures, contact RTA at rta.nsw.gov.au or 132 701. For transport information, contact the State Transit Authority at sydneybuses.info or 131 500; Sydney Ferries at sydneyferries.info or 131 500; or cityrail.info or 131 500.

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ydney’s midnight fireworks display never fails to capture the grandeur of New Year’s Eve. But it’s the accompanying music that gives the spectacular an added magnificence. And, like the chicken and egg equation, it’s always a challenge to find which one should come first. ‘‘The creative team began by examining what specialised pyrotechnic effects and highlights could be used and then went about finding music to complement these effects,’’ says Sydney New Year’s Eve producer, Brenton Kewley. ‘‘It can also work the other way around, starting with a great piece of music and then figuring out what fireworks will complement the music.’’

’’I will probably shed a tear’’ ... Rhoda Roberts. Photo: Helen Nezdropa ‘‘Looking at what’s happened before, where we’re going as a nation, all sorts of things come into play and I think [this year] everybody’s looking at where they are, whether as an individual, a nation [or] in their own relationships,’’ she says. As with previous creative directors, Roberts has brought her own personality into the fireworks and festivities. ‘‘I think every creative director that’s worked on New Year’s [Eve], from Rick Birch right through to Wayne Harrison, have all brought their own personal signature,’’ she says. ‘‘I guess my signature is that

I’m indigenous but I’ve worked in the arts for many many years.’’ Almost 1000 accredited personnel and about 260 volunteers will be busy tomorrow night ensuring the event runs smoothly. For Roberts there will be perhaps one fleeting moment of relaxation before planning begins for next year. ‘‘It’s a wonderful team and this position is so sought after that I’m just absolutely thrilled that I got the job,’’ she says. And for those who just can’t wait to know what the bridge effect will be, Roberts has one thing to reveal: ‘‘Stunning!’’

Soundscape ... DJ Peewee Ferris. Tomorrow night’s 12-minute parade of colour and lights is synchronised with a musical soundtrack by the show’s music director, Max Lambert, and prominent Australian DJ Peewee Ferris in consultation with the creative director, Rhoda Roberts, and fireworks director Fortunato Foti. Spectators are encouraged to bring along a radio, tune into 104.1 2Day FM and listen to the soundtracks for the 9pm and midnight fireworks. For this year, the first step was to consider what would visually and

musically complement the theme, Creation. After an initial team brainstorm, several music possibilities were outlined before Lambert and Ferris entered the studio to mix the music. They then spent another month deliberating over the drafts, further developing climax moments. Eventually, the final musical program was created. The fireworks are then programmed into the system, which comprises 13 computers used to synchronise the fireworks and the music. Engineers also work on the final program to ensure that it is synchronised perfectly. Most of the music comes from Australian musicians, although several international pop songs are used. Orchestral music from classical composers features strongly, giving the visual impact worthy momentum. ‘‘The most important aspect of the show is the performance value of the fireworks. It’s more than just fireworks on a barge, it’s about how they and pyrotechnic effects dance to the music,’’ Kewley says. ‘‘The aim is that people witness a performance, not just colourful lights and music.’’

What a blast ... a spectacular burst of light highlights the Opera House during the New Year’s Eve celebrations. This year about 100,000 individual fireworks will be fired from 112 points.

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When do roads close?

All of the major routes to the city will be closed on New Year’s Eve. The Cahill Expressway will close at 11am. Sydney Harbour Bridge lane closures will start at 4pm. There will be no access to the bridge from 11pm until 1am. All roads north of the CBD from Bathurst Street will be closed by 7pm. Sussex Street and the Western Distributor will be closed from 11pm.

Sight isn’t the only sense getting a workout during tomorrow night’s fireworks, writes Andre Rangiah.

– sun, wind, water and waste energy – which has been used in New Year’s Eve celebrations since 2004. Personal ashtrays will be distributed to help reduce the littering of cigarette butts and 80 per cent of rubbish generated on the night will be recycled. Planet Ark, the chosen charity partner this year, is asking Sydneysiders to commit to a green resolution for 2009 by visiting PlanetArk.org and signing up to receive 52 green resolutions, one for each week of the year. ‘‘I think it’s about getting a balance . . . it’s a really exciting time, everyone has their new year’s resolutions and it’s a time to reflect on the year and also think about what we’re going to do in the future,’’ Derksema says. ‘‘If we can do that in a way that minimises our impact on the environment, then we win in both ways.’’ Martha Tattersall

Will I be able to get to Circular Quay to see the fireworks? Some of the key vantage points, such as Circular Quay, Mrs Macquaries Point, Darling Harbour and Milsons Point will have restricted access. The sites will be closed once capacity has been reached. This usually happens early afternoon, so get there early. Will public transport services to the city be affected? Yes. Regular public transport services will stop from 6pm on New Year’s Eve. There will be bus terminals at Wynyard Station, St Mary’s Cathedral and Elizabeth Street. Train services to Circular Quay station will stop at 8pm. Passengers who want to get to Circular Quay will have to alight at Wynyard, Martin Place or St James stations and walk to their destination. Ferry services to and from Circular Quay will stop at 6pm.

Drum roll please, maestro

Stepping lightly for a brighter tomorrow

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T’S one of the most soughtafter roles in the arts industry and this year’s New Year’s Eve creative director is not taking her position for granted. Rhoda Roberts, whose portfolio includes the Sydney Olympic Games opening ceremony, the opening ceremony for the Musee du quai Branly in Paris, the Dreaming Festival and the Woodford Folk Festival, says convening this year’s celebrations has been a busy but exciting time. ‘‘It’s an honour because you’re doing something that is world acclaimed. The coverage goes around the world and what it brings to the city is quite extraordinary,’’ she says. While Roberts won’t reveal anything about the image that will adorn the Harbour Bridge, she says the theme for this year’s celebration, Creation, was her choice and one that holds important links to her Aboriginal heritage. Kicking off the formalities will be an ‘‘Acknowledgment of Country’’, welcoming spectators with a traditional smoking ritual while singersongwriter Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu performs. ‘‘I know I will probably shed a tear because one of the things that’s happening, the Acknowledgment of Country, will touch me because that’s a really special thing,’’ Roberts says. ‘‘Showing all sectors of our community celebrating together is really quite important for me.’’ Roberts, who has worked with a creative team of seven people over the past 15 months, says this year is about the future.

WHAT, WHERE AND HOW

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Will I be able to walk around the city during the night? Some areas will have restricted pedestrian access. There is no access to the Opera House or Circular Quay via Macquarie Street. Public access to these areas is via East Circular Quay only. The Tarpeian Precinct is accessible via Macquarie Street north of Bridge Street. Access to Mrs Macquaries Point is via Art Gallery Road. You are able to walk around the rest of the city without restriction.

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Can I take my own food and alcohol into the managed areas? Most areas will have a strictly enforced no BYO alcohol policy. But alcohol will be available for sale at some sites. You are allowed to take your own food into managed sites but vendors will sell food throughout the night. Alcohol-free zones will be in force on George Street. No glass containers or bottles will be permitted.

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Do I need to buy tickets for the key vantage points? Most key vantage points do not require a ticket or pass to gain access.

Is the Royal Botanic Gardens open to the public? No. The gardens are closed from 3pm on New Year’s Eve. Entry is for ticketholders only.

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How do I get tickets for the Cahill Expressway? The ticket giveaway for the Cahill Expressway closed on November 23. Tickets are no longer available.

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Can I park my car in the city on New Year’s Eve? Special Events Clearways will be in force from 6am on Wednesday. Cars still parked in these areas at this time will be towed. Normal parking zones will return at 8am on New Year’s Day.

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Is there anything for the children to see or do? There will be family fireworks at 9pm. There is free entertainment during the day, starting with an aerial show at 3pm in Darling Harbour.

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Is it safe to bring the family into the city? There will be family-friendly events held throughout the day. Write your contact details on your child’s arm so that you can be contacted in case of emergency.

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