The City of Newcastle splashed about $320,000 into this year's New Year's Eve celebrations, including the fireworks over the foreshore and a high-octane aerobatics display.
More than 25,000 people attended the Newcastle Foreshore precinct for the event, with a further 5000 people watching the fireworks from across the harbour at Stockton.
However, a council spokesperson clarified the event was not designed to drive tourism and visitation to the city.
"The annual New Year's Eve event provides an opportunity for Novocastrians to come together and celebrate in a safe and inclusive environment," they said.
"The family-friendly event received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community."
Fireworks lit up the shores of Lake Macquarie from multiple locations, with events at Swansea, Toronto, Wangi Wangi and Morisset Park. However all were privately organised.
"The only NYE activity council helped fund was the Wangi Wangi celebration, we contributed $5000 to this event," a LMCC spokesperson said.
Port Stephens Council contributes to the region's festivities via an event sponsorship for the Nelson Bay foreshore fireworks event, however it declined to provide the cost of the sponsorship when asked.
"Council works closely with local businesses to host the annual Port Stephens fireworks display for New Year's Eve, with event sponsorship contributing towards the cost of the event," a PSC spokesperson said.
"Council organises the fireworks, traffic control and waste management aspects of the event, while businesses in the vicinity of the event area may elect to offer their own entertainment, such as live music."
Thousands in the Hunter flocked to the middle of Maitland, to watch the council-organised fireworks event at The Levee.
The council said it was too early to put a figure on the costs of the fireworks or how much the event injected into the community, as the final figures were still being calculated.
A spokesperson said council gained income from stalls and sponsors for its New Year's Eve event, which helped to offset the cost of the fireworks, music, activities and traffic control.
"There is economic benefit as a result of the event, however it is not the main driver for council hosting our NYE event," a MCC spokesperson said.
"Maitland's New Year's Eve event is focused on our community, as an opportunity for our residents to come together and celebrate."
