Melbourne revellers to flock to city for New Year's Eve; police warn against anti-social behaviour
More than 500,000 people are expected to converge on Melbourne's CBD to celebrate New Year's Eve, police have said.
Free events will be held at sites across the city, where more than 1,000 marshals will be stationed to assist the public.
Public transport will be free from 6pm on December 31 until the first train on New Year's Day.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said 7.5 tonnes of fireworks would be fired off during the evening.
"We fire from 21 different sites throughout the city so anywhere you can see the skyline of the city you will be able to see the fireworks in the city," he said.
"The footprint of the fireworks this year is six square kilometres."
Early fireworks will start at 9:30pm in Yarra Park and Footscray Park.
Four live entertainment sites at Treasury Gardens, Flagstaff Gardens, Docklands and Kings Domain will run from 9pm to 1am.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews urged revellers to stay safe and plan their journey home.
"Celebrate, have fun for sure. Bring in the new year, enjoy that," he said.
"But always, be mindful of how you're going to get home, try and plan ahead and be clear on the method of transport that will get you home.
"Be responsible at all times, It's a simple thing but it makes such an important difference."
Mr Andrews said he was confident the state's emergency services would help keep people safe.
Extra emergency services will be rostered on for the evening.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Lucinda Nolan said she was confident the night would run smoothly.
"I want to reassure people that Victoria Police will be out in force around the state across all times to ensure that everyone does have a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve."
"We want to make sure people do enjoy it. It is a wonderful time of year and it is a family time of year. So we will be very strong on anti-social behaviour.
"We don't want people to wake up in 2015 with something worse than a hangover."
Ms Nolan said she did not expect crowds to be deterred by reports of increased terrorist chatter in the wake of the Sydney siege.
"We certainly have really well and truly gone into that because of recent events," she said.
"We're very confident about the arrangements and I think Melburnians and the rest of Victorians will come out and celebrate in numbers just because that's the sort of people we are."
After a wild New Year's Eve party at Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy North last year, the City of Yarra has banned public alcohol consumption in all of its parks.
