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Latest updated page Memphis Belle
29-1-2002


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Back to SixAroundTheWorld.tripod.com

 
 

The Millenium Party 
***Sydney 2***

Berta, Mike and yours truly!
In the Blue Mountains with Kenig!
As always, in the pub!

Page1 | Party Y2K | page3 | Page4



 
 

 
They started to arrive early. By the time we'd sorted ourselves out and made our way to Tarpeain Precinct it was 11:00am and the prime spots overlooking the Opera House and the Harbour bridge were filling up fast. Nevertheless we chose a good spot from where we could see both these probably most famous of Sydney's landmarks and laid out our blanket. Now all we had to do was wait. 

Midnight and the New Year, not to mention the much disputed 'New Millenium' was only (nice use of the word 'only' some thought) thirteen hours away. Luckily, contrary to the form of the previous week's weather we had blue skies with strong sunlight. However the skies did cloud over from time to time and were accompanied by the occsional strong winds which sent novelty hats and other lightweight items flying. None of this dampened the spirits of the crowd that gathered by the thousands every hour. 


 

The general feeling of the crowd came out that this multitude of people were here for two reasons; to welcome the New Millenium and to have a good time in doing so. Funnily enough where we were sitting the local Sydneysiders definitely seemed to be in the minority. I had come with my good friend, Michael Harb, who has been kind enough to put me up during my stay in Sydney, his girlfriend, Berta, who is visiting from the States and friends from Mike's Taekwondo club (Mike was last year's Australian Taekwondo champion.), Thomas and Zarko. All around were people from every nationality. Some of them nationalised Australians, some of them here to study, and some of them, like me, just here for the festivities. And the mood was good. 


Mike, Berta, Zarko, Yours Truly and Thomas.

The general feeling of the crowd came out that this multitude of people were here for two reasons; to welcome the New Millenium and to have a good time in doing so. Funnily enough where we were sitting the local Sydneysiders definitely seemed to be in the minority. I had come with my good friend, Michael Harb, who has been kind enough to put me up during my stay in Sydney, his girlfriend, Berta, who is visiting from the States and friends from Mike's Taekwondo club (Mike was last year's Australian Taekwondo champion.), Thomas and Zarko. All around were people from every nationality. Some of them nationalised Australians, some of them here to study, and some of them, like me, just here for the festivities. And the mood was good. 

The general feeling of the crowd came out that this multitude of people were here for two reasons; to welcome the New Millenium and to have a good time in doing so. Funnily enough where we were sitting the local Sydneysiders definitely seemed to be in the minority. I had come with my good friend, Michael Harb, who has been kind enough to put me up during my stay in Sydney, his girlfriend, Berta, who is visiting from the States and friends from Mike's Taekwondo club (Mike was last year's Australian Taekwondo champion.), Thomas and Zarko. All around were people from every nationality. Some of them nationalised Australians, some of them here to study, and some of them, like me, just here for the festivities. And the mood was good. 

Mike seemed to be the only person around who had the forethought on our marathon wait-a-thon to bring along a portable stereo. Even when we switched it off for a while to conserve the batteries we had requests from nearby parties to switch it on again. 

The real party and community spirit came to the forefront when Mike produced a rubber coated sponge ball from his sports bag and the five of us started to play our own mini handball game. You can imagine that as we are all seated on the ground, we have little real control of where the ball goes. consequently it's not too long before the game spreads at first to the neighbouring groups who initially just throw the ball back our way but then to people stretching to the far end of the Tarpeian precinct. Not before long literally hundreds of people are playing the biggest game of handball I have ever seen. Someone catches the ball the crowd cheers, they throw the ball and the crowd oohs in anticipation of where it will land next. Twice the ball went over the side of the precinct into the Harbour front twenty feet below us and although it took bit of coaxing and a huge crowd up top chanting, 'Give us the ball! Give us the ball!' the first time around, we did manage to get it back both times. When the ball became stuck in a tree for the second time it seemed an appropriate time to call time out before the ball was gone forever - much to the disappointment of the rest of the crowd. By this time seven hours had gone by and only three hours remained until the first set of fireworks. 

The first firework display was at nine O'clock mainly for the younger spectators. As the sun went down and the sky darkened dusk through night a laser-light show played on one of the supporting pillars of the Harbour Bridge announcing the impending firework display and wishing everyone a Happy New Millenium from the City of Sydney and the sponsors of the event. 


"It's dark but hey it' was late!"


 
The first firework display was at nine O'clock mainly for the younger spectators. As the sun went down and the sky darkened dusk through night a laser-light show played on one of the supporting pillars of the Harbour Bridge announcing the impending firework display and wishing everyone a Happy New Millenium from the City of Sydney and the sponsors of the event. 
 
 

Just before 9:00 the first fireworks lit up the 2:10AM 1/5/80sky and this first wave of pyrotechnics well appeased the long-waiting audience. Cries from the back appealing for late comers who were standing on the footpath in the front to sit down were generally well received and these wishes were enforced by the local event security. For fifteen minutes the skies were lit up by a plentitude of pyrotechnia which captured the breath of everone present. Explosions of all colours and shapes showered the Harbour and illuminated the celebratory lantern floats below. These huge floating lanterns were shaped like fish, octopus and other creatures and looked beautiful sailing around the harbour, casting multicoloured reflections on the water. 

The first wave of fireworks lasted a full fifteen minutes and was accompanied by a cheering one million people in and around the harbour. The excitement in the air was evident. This was it. This was going to be the day that so many of us had thought about for so long. What would be the real effect of the Year 2000? The answer was less than three hours away. 


 
So when the initial excitement of the preliminary fireworks died down, again we sat, and we waited. The radio played the peole's choice most popular music. We sat, we talked, and we waited. We'd already waited ten hours the next two and a half hours would be nothing. 

At around 11:50 the radio played '1999' by that character previously known as 'Prince' (or was it Victor?) and we were getting keyed up to do some serious cheering. Our throats already well used because of the handball game and the 9:00 fireworks were about to be put through their paces again. Nearer midnight Mike had his ear right next to the stereo to listen to and lead the countdown. This was our only indication. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! The audience was on it's feet and no end of 'please sit down' chants from the back would make it change it's mind. 

Thanks to Alex in Sydney for this photo!
Thanks to Alex for this picture.


 
As the first fireworks were set off the radio played Louis Armstrong's 'Beautiful World'. And it was. At this time all problems and troubles were elsewhere and everybody stood, spellbound, to see the Harbour Bridge lit up and fireworks shoot upward from the roof of the Opera House itself. A cacophony of bangs and cracks rang through the night and the reaction of the million-strong audience said it all. Audible gasps, oohs and aahs that may have seemed more fitting coming from the audience of a music hall magic show at the turn of the last century, voiced the approval of all. People clapped and cheered and literally jumped up and down with sheer excitement for what could only be described as a 'spectacular' show. Again brilliant golds, reds, blues and silvers lit the night. Beautiful reds split outwards into a red sun and then were further split again into a blue elipse. Words cannot describe the beauty of it all so I shall try no further. 
The spectacle lasted this time over half an hour, although it had seemed shorter, and ended with the word 'Eternity' emblazening the side of the Harbour Bridge. We wished the people who had shared this amazing time, both waiting for the event and the event itself alongside us a happy new year. We collected our belongings and put our rubbish in bags provided by the organisers. As much as we hated to we had to leave our rubbish piled up next to the wheelie bins as the amount of waste was already overflowing. The view of the streets below that led led to the harbour saddened me as they were becoming more abandoned, leaving behind the waste of thousands. Already the unsung heroes of the city, the rubbish disposal crews and street sweepers, were hard at work clearing the streets to make ready for a new day and a new year.

 
 
For us the night was far from over as we made our way to a free concert south of the harbour district at a park called the Domain. It was well underway by the time we got there and we danced mainly Latin and swing dances until gone 4:30. Mike and Berta danced together what seemed to be the whole time at the Domain, as young couples obviously in love do. The bachelors of the party, Thomas, Zarko, and myself lost ourselves in the crowds in front of the stage. It seemed perfectly timed but as the band played it's final number at 4:30 and we made our way from the Domain a light rain started falling. This just seemed so perfect because all through the previous week the weather has threatened to be less than pleasant for the New Year's celebrations. Yet only now as people were making their way home had it started to rain. 

It's a tradition here in Oz, or so I've learnt not to go home until the Sun has risen on New Year's, so what better place to see the Sun rise than the ove the horizon of the sea. We made our way to Bondi Beach and sat in Mike's car as it had started raining a little heavier. Despite the rain many people were on the beach and some of the 'suits' who'd attended the celebrations actually at the Opera House were on the beach and stripped down to nature's own, braving the ice cold morning sea. 

Unfortunately the thick white cloads that overcast the horizon did rob us of the view of the first sunrise of the New Year and we could only guess that, yes, the Sun must be up by now. 

Our objective satisfied we made our way back to Mike's place in suburban beach resort, Maroubra, and did the only logical thing to do 0at 6:00 on New Year's day after a whole twentytwo hours of non stop anticipation and celebration. We slept. 


So I'd like to thank the Govenment and People of the City of Sydney for an unforgetable celebration of the century and wish all everybody out there wherever you are a Happy New Year. 

Co-incidentally, you may ask, what is the opinion of the people of Sydney that this is not in fact the New Millenium, and that it will be next year. The answer. "Who cares? We're going to do it all again next year anyway."

Happy times, good health and good fortune for all in the year to come,

Rob Price


N.B. This article was published in the Grimsby Evening Telegraph, Jan 2000. 

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