All eyes will be on the sky over Newcastle Harbour on New Year's Eve when daring aerobatics manoeuvres and dazzling fireworks provide an electrifying farewell to 2022.
Gravity-defying solo manoeuvres and precision formation flying by Paul Bennet Airshows will thrill the crowds during the afternoon, culminating in the Australian debut of a spectacular new pyrotechnics display fired from the side of a Cessna 185 Skywagon.
This will be followed by the traditional 9pm fireworks show over the harbour, which will be launched from Horseshoe Beach.
The festivities begin at 4pm, with a range of inclusive and family-friendly entertainment and activities in the Queens Wharf precinct.
A self-guided sensory-based art walk will also be set up along the foreshore featuring installations and sculpture by students and graduates from the University of Newcastle, while a host of mouth-watering food vendors, three pop-up DJ stations and a kids' zone with rides and amusements will help deliver an event for all members of the community.
"The city deserves the chance to celebrate what we have achieved this year and everything we're looking forward to in 2023 and there's no better place to do that than along our beautiful foreshore," lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
"This year we're taking our celebrations to new heights, adding a thrilling aerobatics show and high-flying pyrotechnics display to our family-friendly entertainment options and much-loved fireworks.
"Our popular VIP sensory zone will provide a safe and whimsical space for people with disability and their families, while community members can experience our city's connection to local Indigenous culture with traditional arts and crafts workshops, dance demonstrations, a hands-on ochre art installation and First Nations body painting."
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