Sydney's fireworks go green

Despite more than 5,000kg of explosive devices being fired off during the $5 million fireworks spectacular on the harbour, revellers won't be contributing to climate change.

The city's celebration for the first time will be carbon neutral, with The City of Sydney Council ordering a carbon audit into its all New Year's Eve activities.

Emissions to be offset

It will measure emissions from fuels and fireworks used during the event, electricity consumption and waste created in the lead-up to and during the big party.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the council would then offset the emissions by purchasing environmentally-friendly power and carbon credits.

The centrepiece of Wednesday night's party will be a pyrotechnic storm brewing over the city, with firework simulations of lightning, thunder and rain set to dazzle some 1.5 million spectators around the harbour.

With the theme of Creation, this year celebrations will feature never-before-seen fireworks including horizontal displays, sun pods and sparklers.

Chance to 'let down hair'

Though fireworks have been criticised as being environmentally-unfriendly, Sydney New Year's Eve creative director
Rhoda Roberts said the people needed to celebrate.

"I think every now and then it's great to have an event that you can just let your hair down and have some joy in life," Ms Roberts told reporters on Monday.

"People want that sort of escape and I think this year it's more important than any other year that we've seen in the past."    

She said the midnight display, nicknamed the Creation Storm, would be nothing short of spectacular.

'Building new dawn'

"In societies where there is a big creation storm, often it is about cleansing and building to the new dawn, the new day and the new year," Ms Roberts said.

"So, it fits really well with our theme. We're going to rain fireworks on everyone, across the harbour, very safely."

The Sydney Harbour Bridge effect, still a closely guarded secret, will first appear just after the 9pm (AEDT) family
firework, building slowly before it's fully revealed at midnight.

"There is one word that I think will describe what you will see on the stroke of midnight, and that is it's going to be stunning," Ms Roberts said.

"As we go into the countdown and the fireworks begin, you really are going to be taken away to another world.

"Just reflect, talk to the person next to you, give them a hug and let's go into 2009 as a great nation."

Thousand of kgs of explosives

The 5,000kg of fireworks will be 2,000kg more than used last year - with about 11,000 shells, 10,000 shooting comets and 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts fine weather for Wednesday, but fireworks director Fortunato Foti said a bit of wind or rain won't stop the show.

This year's display would outshine its predecessors, with more firing locations and many new effects, he said.

"It's probably 30 per cent bigger on the bridge alone than what it's been in previous years," Mr Foti told reporters.

"We're doing a lot more underneath the road-deck, which is generally just the waterfall ... as well as on top and on the road and anywhere else we can put fireworks.

"Personally, I don't think you can have too many fireworks. The more the better I reckon."