Aotearoa has become one of the first countries in the world to ring in 2023, marking the occasion with fireworks and festivities across the motu.
Auckland delighted New Year revellers at midnight, with an impressive fireworks display launched from the Sky Tower.
The fireworks returned after a Covid-induced hiatus a year ago, which saw the display replaced with a light show instead.
It was the first year without a fireworks show from Auckland’s iconic tower in 25 years.
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Pyrostar International’s Robert McDermott and his team began working at 6am on Saturday to prepare the fireworks.
They installed 500kg of fireworks for the display, with about 3500 shots going off to celebrate the start of 2023.
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“You still get a buzz out of it after all this time. It still astounds me that so many people come out to see it,” he told Stuff on Friday.
Jason Dorday/Stuff
Fireworks light up Auckland from SkyCity during New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Fireworks displays were also planned in Wellington, Taupō, Napier/Hastings and Palmerston North in the North Island, with displays planned in Christchurch, Timaru and Queenstown down south.
NZ is one of the first countries in the world to welcome the new year, alongside Samoa and Tonga.
Kiribati’s Kiritimati Island sneaks ahead of us though, welcoming the new year an hour earlier.
Not all of NZ marks the occasion at the same time, however, with the Chatham Islands 45 minutes ahead of the rest of the country.
Jason Dorday/Stuff
SkyCity’s fireworks show returned after a year off caused by Covid-19 restrictions – it was the first year without a fireworks show from Auckland’s iconic tower in 25 years.
What the weather is doing
New Year’s Eve was dry and mild across most of the country, except for a few areas in the far north.
The eastern coastline of the North Island will see showers on New Year’s Day, but the rest of the country should be fine.
However, rain is eventually coming to spoil things.
The country has seen high temperatures over the holiday period, with Canterbury recording the hottest day so far this summer on Thursday when it reached 34.4C.
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