Thousands, mostly families and many from out of town, welcomed 2016 with a bang in the Octagon in Dunedin.
Crowds flocked to the celebration on a warm New Year's Eve, enjoying live entertainment and a fireworks display to see in the new year.
Cheers rang out as the seven-minute fireworks display atop the Civic Centre wowed the crowd. The display was rounded out by a series of gold sprays and flashing silver stars, which lit up the sky.
The display was preceded by firing the Robbie Burns cannon at midnight and a rendition of Auld Lang Syne from a lone piper.
The mood was festive and the MetService temperature a balmy 19.2degC as midnight approached.
Dunedin City Council community events co-ordinator Marilyn Anderson said the fireworks crew - who had a great vantage point - believed crowd numbers in the Octagon were highest in 14 years.
‘‘It's the most they have seen,'' Mrs Anderson said. Stall owners were really happy, as a constant stream of people bought food throughout the night, Mrs Anderson said.
Sharon Wilson, of Taranaki, said she and daughter Paige came to Dunedin for New Year's Eve because ‘‘it's the place to be''.
They had visited Queenstown and Wanaka on their holiday and arrived in Dunedin on Thursday.
It was their third visit to the city, but the first time they had come for New Year's Eve.
The live music and atmosphere of the Octagon celebrations were what made the event, she said.
‘‘And it's in one, central place and family friendly.''
Rudolph and Andrea Wiedner, from Vienna, Austria, were in New Zealand on their honeymoon and also arrived on Thursday.
The Octagon event was similar to New Year's Eve celebrations in their country, Mr Wiedner said.‘‘It's nice. It reminds me of Vienna.
‘‘It's kind of the same but of course it's much colder [in Vienna].''
The liquor ban in the CBD was not ideal, but would not dampen their spirits, he said.‘‘It would be more fun if I could have a bottle of Champagne and drink it [at midnight], but it's OK.''
