Australia has welcomed 2025 in full celebration mode after an expected one million people turned out for a monster fireworks show in Sydney alone.

The new year began with 12 minutes of pyrotechnics spraying from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, boats in the harbour, the Opera House sails, five city skyscrapers and countless other spots.

The city expanded its fireworks display this year for those on the western side of the foreshore, with 80 new firing locations west of the bridge.

The whole thing – 23,000 individual pyrotechnic shots, more than 13,000 aerial shells and 40,000 ground effects – was choreographed by seventh-generation pyrotechnics master Fortunato Foti and brought to life by a soundtrack choreographed by award-winning screen composer Luna Pan.

In Melbourne, crowds packed out Docklands, The Shrine and Flagstaff and Treasury Gardens for a rooftop fireworks and laser show televised on Channel Nine.

Celebrations in Adelaide, Brisbane and Darwin followed not long after before Perth eventually joined the party.

Half an hour earlier, international star Robbie Williams had reignited his love affair with Australia to help Sydney and the rest of the country rock in the new year.

Swaggering onto the stage in a bedazzled white suit, white sunglasses and shoes, he kicked off a hit-filled set with Let Me Entertain You.

“I am Robbie Williams. This is my band, this is my arse and you’d better be good because I am phenomenal,” he said.

He led the crowd in a passionate singalong of Australia’s national anthem followed by John Farnham’s You’re the Voice, before the obligatory midnight countdown.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the city had once again “set the benchmark for New Year’s Eve celebrations”.

“Sydney New Year’s Eve is the result of more than 15 months of meticulous planning and more than 4500 hours dedicated to design, preparation and execution,” she said.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the creatives, event professionals, partners and sponsors who contributed this year.

“Tonight, we launched more fireworks from more locations than ever before, including from new aerial pyrotechnic platforms and new firing positions on the western side of the Harbour Bridge, making this our biggest NYE spectacle ever.

“We were treated to new and uniquely Australian explosive effects, amazing light and visual displays and unforgettable music.”

It is estimated a million people made the trip down to the harbourside for the fireworks in Sydney, some of the largest and most spectacular in the world.

Prime vantage points were already full by early afternoon, with some even camping out overnight for a spot.

They were rewarded early for their patience as the 9pm fireworks display lit up the sky over the harbour.

ARIA Award-winning rapper Nooky provided the custom soundtrack for a powerful spectacle inspired by Barangaroo, an influential female Cammeraygal leader and fisherwoman.

Indigenous social enterprise We Are Warriors contributed messages of strength and unity as fireworks, lights and projections on the bridge lit up the harbour for eight minutes.

Australian music royalty Bernard Fanning and Paul Dempsey took to the harbourside stage to perform a set scattered with hits, including tracks from their bands Something for Kate and Powderfinger and a cover of Under Pressure by David Bowie and Queen.

Singer-songwriters G Flip and Casey Donavan and Hip Hop group 1300 also performed a mix of originals and covers.

Revellers took to boats on the harbour for a marine perspective on the world-famous display run by Foti Fireworks, whose family firecracker business first started in 1793.

Major road closures were in place throughout the city, and thousands of extra public transport services will be running along the train, light rail, bus, metro and ferry lines.

Sydney was a cool 22 degrees by midnight with very little chance of showers.

Cloudy skies in Canberra threatened to spoil the views for anyone not close to the action at Lake Burley Griffin.

More than 500,000 people were predicted to pack into Melbourne’s CBD.

Melbourne’s weather was mostly clear and expected to hit 17 degrees.

In Brisbane, people lined the banks of the river for their chance to nab a prime spot.

Any showers in Brisbane were expected to clear by midnight, leaving partly cloudy conditions sitting around 22 degrees.

Fireworks displays were also planned on the Gold and Sunshine coasts.

SA Police ramped up patrols with extra powers approved for tonight at Elder Park and Glenelg to crack down on any anti-social behaviour.

There were 10 separate fireworks shows across the Perth metro area.

Authorities around the country encouraged partygoers to have fun but to also keep each other safe.