New Zealand became one of the first countries to welcome the year 2026 with a spectacular fireworks display (Image X @EarthoOS)
Auckland: New Zealand became one of the first countries to welcome the year 2026, marking the occasion with a spectacular fireworks display from the country’s tallest building, the Sky Tower in the capital Auckland. The Pacific island nation of Kiribati had become the first country to welcome 2026 just a short while earlier.
How did New Zealand welcome 2026?
Rainy conditions failed to dampen the celebrations as Auckland became the first major city to greet the arrival of the new year 2026. The 1.7 million residents of , Auckland witnessed a spectacular show involving 3,500 fireworks which were launched from multiple levels of the 240-metre (787-foot) Sky Tower.
However, smaller local events across the North Island were cancelled due to forecasts of rain and potential thunderstorms.
Australia, New Zealand’s neighbour across the Tasman Sea, marked New Year’s Eve 2026 under sombre circumstances due to the recent Bondi beach attack in Sydney. Australia’s largest city is still reeling from a terrorist attack on Hannukah celebrations at Bondi Beach on December 14 in which a father-son duo from Pakistan carried out a mass shooting which left 15 dead and 40 injured.
#WATCH | Fireworks adorn New Zealand's Auckland as it welcomes the #NewYear2026.
— ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2025
(Source: TVNZ via Reuters) https://t.co/BNqBWHimml pic.twitter.com/hOdme8i36M
Thousands of Australians gathered at the downtown waterfront for fireworks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The event was watched over by a strong police contingent including officers carrying automatic assault rifles for the first time at a New Year’s Eve event in Australia.
A minute of silence was observed an hour before midnight to honour the victims of the Bondi Beach attack.
Kiritimati Island, a part of the Pacific nation of Kiribati, became the first location in the world to welcome New Year’s Eve 2026. Kiritimati Island is situated in the UTC+14 time zone and is also widely known as Christmas Island.
In Indonesia, New Year’s Eve celebrations were scaled back as a mark of respect for communities affected by floods and landslides that hit Sumatra last month, claiming over 1,100 lives. The capital Jakarta witnessed subdued celebrations focused on prayers for the victims, while Makassar’s mayor urged citizens to avoid parties. In Bali, traditional cultural performances replaced cancelled fireworks shows.
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