New year welcomed in with fireworks in Auckland and Wellington

Thousands packed vantage points to watch the public displays celebrating the start of 2023 but firefighters have also been kept busy with bonfires and fireworks blamed for causing blazes.

Fire crews from all over the country were called out during New Year’s celebrations.

Fire and Emergency said there were up to 15 fires being dealt with simultaneously overnight, all linked to fireworks, bonfires or camp fires acoss the motu.

Two Marahau homes in the Tasman district needed to be evacuated as nine crews battled a vegetation fire.

At the top of the country, a scrub fire started by fireworks at Mahurangi East needed six crews from about 11pm onwards.

Fire and Emergency said many fires in the South Island were in areas that were difficult to access with some likely to require helicopters this morning.

Communications Centre shift manager Murray Dunbar said the number and scale of incidents overnight showed fireworks posed a high fire risk and have to be used responsibly.

Auckland’s fireworks display on the SkyTower last night was billed as being bigger than ever.

Five hundred kilograms of fireworks – about 3500 individual flares in five minutes – were let off from three levels of the SkyTower at midnight.

Hospitality businesses in the city were reporting strong demand.

A group of friends out on the town in Auckland.
Photo: RNZ / Lucy Xia

The manager of a restaurant on Auckland’s Federal Street, right beneath the Skytower, said they were fully booked.

However despite that, Daisy Ding said was still uncertain about business prospects in the new year.

She said the number of tourists was still far short of pre-Covid levels.

Ding said she was confident that business will improve compared to the past few years, but isn’t sure that business will return to pre-pandemic levels.

Magician “JP” on Auckland’s waterfront.
Photo: RNZ / Lucy Xia

Meanwhile, thousands started their New Year off with a bang as fireworks lit up Wellington’s waterfront.

Earlier in the night many flocked to Courtenay Place to welcome in 2023.

Dakota Bar, which sits on the hospitality-heavy street, said its numbers this holiday season have been close to normal for the first time since the pandemic started.

Venue Manager Kayla Morton said they welcomed in the new year with a glow – having people dressed in white under black lights.

Some young buskers had the opportunity to let their voices shine as the festivities got underway.

The Wellington youths were fundraising to attend musical workshops for people wanting to get into the music industry, due to be held in Wanaka later this year.

Matt Horn, who is a parent of one of the group, said it was the biggest group of people the kids have ever played for.

Some of the young buskers perform in Wellington.
Photo: RNZ / Krystal Gibbens