New Zealand and Australia ushered in 2026 with spectacular fireworks displays, following the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati, where Kiritimati (Christmas Island) became the first inhabited place on Earth to enter the new year at midnight local time (10:00 GMT on December 31, 2025). There, modest community celebrations featured traditional dances, feasts, church services, and gatherings under the stars in villages like Banana and London.
An hour later, Auckland became the first major city worldwide to welcome 2026. Thousands gathered downtown and along the waterfront despite persistent rain and thunderstorms that canceled smaller events across the North Island. The centerpiece was a vibrant five-minute fireworks spectacle from the iconic Sky Tower (240 meters/787 feet tall), with around 3,500 fireworks bursting from various levels, paired with a dynamic light and sound show on the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Two hours after that, Australia’s east coast including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane entered 2026. Over a million spectators watched Sydney’s world-famous midnight fireworks over the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, launched from the bridge, opera house, rooftops, and harbor barges, following a family-friendly 9pm show.
The festivities carried a somber tone after the tragic antisemitic mass shooting at a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach in mid-December—Australia’s worst in nearly 30 years, killing 15 people. An hour before midnight, crowds observed a minute of silence, shining phone lights in solidarity. Bridge pylons projected a menorah, a dove, and words like “unity” and “peace.” With thousands of police on duty—some visibly armed for the first time at the event—attendees demonstrated resilience and hope for healing in the new year.