Revellers are jostling to secure a prime spot to enjoy celebrations taking place across Australia to mark the start of 2026.
A record number of police officers will patrol Sydney, as tensions remain high after the Bondi terror attack, with more than one million people expected to attend.
More than 2,500 officers in uniform and plain clothes will conduct patrols, with some carrying long-arm firearms.
Authorities said measures were in place to help people feel safe, but said there was no greater, active or imminent threat to safety.
Revellers queue for hours
There were frenzied scenes when the gates opened at 10am at coveted vantage point Mrs Macquarie's Chair in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens, which hit capacity by midday.
One woman said people started running as soon as the gates opened."[It was] crazy. I live in Germany. I've never experienced anything like this before."
another man said."People are like animals, they just run,"
"I was thinking, this is insane. I think we were some of the first 100 people in the line."
Two women said they had been overwhelmed by the number of people rushing for the best spots.
"It was a bit scary," said one. "I was a bit scared that I would get run over, but it was all right."
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