Thousands stream to Sydney Harbour for New Year

Thousands of revelers streamed to the Sydney Harbour foreshore on Sunday ahead of the annual New Year fireworks.

Thousands of revelers streamed to the Sydney Harbour foreshore on Sunday ahead of the annual New Year fireworks display that will showcase the city's iconic Harbor Bridge.

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Organizers have promised the largest fireworks display ever seen over the harbor of Australia's largest city in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the bridge's opening on March 2007. The bridge, described by the federal government as the world's largest of a steel-arch construction, will be a platform for some of the 100,000 pyrotechnic devices that will be exploded in two displays at 9 pm local time (1000 GMT) and midnight (1300 GMT), media reported.

"It's going to be a big display," said International Fireworks director Fortunato Foti, an organizer.

Authorities expect a crowd of 1 million will gather on the waterside for the display and festivities, with media reporting some people staking their claims over the best vantage points before dawn on Sunday.

Crowds of 1 million on the harbor foreshore on New Year's Eve are typical in this city of 4 million.