SYDNEY, Jan 1 — The city of Sydney hosted its annual fireworks spectacle to welcome in the 2018 New Year today with the biggest fireworks display the city has ever seen.
According to organisers, 3,000 individual lighting effects were choreographed to the fireworks display — 1,000 more effects than last year.
During the 12-minute display eight tonnes of fireworks — one tonne more than last year — along with 13,000 shells and 30,000 shooting comets were used, said organizers.
To mark Australians saying “Yes” to marriage equality in November 2017, the display featured a rainbow-colored waterfall of fireworks cascading from the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, and as a tribute to the 40th Mardi Gras in 2018.
The show also featured a gold and silver shooting fireworks display designed by Sydney fireworks director Forch Foti and Sydney-born superstar Hugh Jackman.
According to the City of Sydney, Jackman approached the city to fulfill a life-long dream of designing a firework for his hometown's New Year's Eve celebrations.
Sydney New Year's Eve is one of the biggest New Year celebrations in the world and according to organisers more than 1.5 million people were expected to line the harbor to watch the display. — Reuters
