Melbourne Is Ringing in the New Year with Australia's Largest Ever Drone Show

A spectacular sea of drones is set to engulf Melbourne's night sky above Victoria Harbour this New Year's Eve and into 2022, with the City of Melbourne announcing Australia's largest ever drone show.

The swarm of 350 drones will light up the sky in Docklands for a seven-minute show twice on New Year's Eve 2020/21 before both the 9.30pm and midnight fireworks. Once we've all rung in the new year, the show will also run twice a night between Monday, January 3–Sunday, January 30.

On New Year's Eve, four ticketed zones will be set up around the harbour at Docklands, Flagstaff Gardens, Alexandra Gardens and Treasury Gardens. Each zone will be treated to entertainment including comedy, circus acts, bands and DJs, plus food trucks and light installations.

The luminous show has been designed by drone art company Celestial who was previously responsible for drone exhibitions as part of the Edinburgh 2020/21 New Year's Eve celebrations and Amnesty International's 60th anniversary.

Tickets to the drone show's viewing zones will be awarded via a Ticketek ballot which City Activation Councillor Roshena Campbell calls the "hottest tickets in town".

"We encourage people to book into a celebration zone or a participating city venue. A staycation at one of the many city hotels would make it the ultimate Melbourne holiday," Campbell says.

The City of Melbourne's full New Year's events lineup will be revealed on Thursday, November 25, however one other element that has been revealed is the return of the New Year Street Feasts in partnership with the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. The food festival will take over eight precincts across Melbourne appearing in top culinary spots like Flinders Lane, Russell Place and Little Collins Street, as well as classic Melbourne spots like Fed Square and Docklands.

Melbourne's drone show will take place over Victoria Harbour, Docklands on New Year's Eve and twice a night between Monday, January 3–Sunday, January 30.