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Australia to see in New Year with a bang

All eyes will be on Sydney this New Year's Eve as the city once again makes its mark on the world stage with an unforgettable fireworks spectacle.

This year's $5.78 million show will light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge with more than 100,000 individual pyrotechnics, 8.5 tonnes of fireworks and 35,000 shooting comets.

A special display of gold, silver and purple pulsating fireworks will light the sky to the tune of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman in tribute to the queen of soul Aretha Franklin, who died in August this year.

Australia's wide brown land and iconic beaches will also be celebrated with an animation inspired by Aussie music anthem Great Southern Land to play on the bridge pylons.

More than one million revellers are expected to flock to the harbour city for the 2018 celebrations.

Meanwhile, Melbourne's New Year's Eve fireworks display has this year promised to be like nothing else in the world with special effects including flying dragons swirling across the sky and spider shells weaving a web over the city.

From the ground to the tops of 22 buildings and spread over a seven-kilometre radius, 14 tonnes of fireworks worth $234,000 will be set off to welcome 2019.

Live sites will be set up across the city for an expected 350,000 revellers, offering food and entertainment in Kings Domain, Docklands, Treasury Gardens and Flagstaff Gardens.

In Queensland more than 85,000 people are expected in Brisbane's South Bank precinct to see the city skyline light up with fireworks from five barges on the Brisbane River between the Victoria and Goodwill bridges, played to a soundtrack of 2018's most popular hits.

Revellers on the Gold Coast will enjoy fireworks along the length of the coast with the biggest displays at Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise at 8pm and midnight.

On the Sunshine Coast, The Esplanade at Mooloolaba will have entertainment from 4pm and fireworks shows at 8.30pm and midnight.

In Perth, fireworks, street performances and live music will be among the highlights of New Year's Eve with revellers also having access to free and frequent public transport after midnight.

In Adelaide, live music will be the highlight of the New Year's Eve celebrations as part of the city's status as a UNESCO City of Music, but there will also be the usual fireworks.

The headline act at Elder Park will be the Antipodean Rock Collective, featuring members of legendary Australian bands Spiderbait, Jet, Powderfinger and You Am I.

Other cities such as Hobart, Canberra and Darwin will also have fireworks at 9pm and on the stroke of midnight along their respective waterfronts.

Revellers across the country have been warned to behave and not spoil celebrations for others with police out in force across the nation.