<P> The event was first televised on 31 December 1996 . The 9 pm Family Fireworks was originally the main show and went for about twenty minutes . The Midnight Fireworks lasted about three minutes and only featured Sydney Tower . From NYE 1999, the tradition began of having the main show at midnight . The NYE 1998 Midnight Fireworks had a length of ten minutes . In 1999, they were increased to twenty - five minutes . In 2001, the fireworks went for fifteen minutes . From NYE 2005 to date the Midnight Fireworks went for twelve minutes . </P> <P> The City of Sydney Council is the official presenter of Sydney New Year's Eve . Each year the event takes on a new theme and is regularly viewed by more than one million people at the harbour and one billion worldwide for the televised Midnight Fireworks . For the 2010 / 11 event, an audience of 1.5 million watched the display from the local harbour foreshores and 1.1 billion are reported to have watched it globally . </P> <P> In 1976, the Sydney Committee decided to reconstitute a failing Waratah Festival as the Festival of Sydney . At the first meeting of its Programme Committee, they agreed that New Year's Eve should launch the new festival, a' big bang affair' . Focusing on the harbour and adjacent areas, it would include a sail - past of decorated craft, music, and a' spectacular fireworks display at midnight' . With this, the Festival of Sydney made New Year's Eve official for the first time . Stephen Hall was its Executive Director from 1977 to 1994. . The 1979 / 80 brochure for the Festival featured an image of the fireworks over the Sydney Opera House and the slogan "Get into the 80's with a bang" </P> <P> Inspiration to use the Sydney Harbour Bridge as a launchpad for fireworks came from the use of fireworks on the Brooklyn Bridge as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations in 1983 . </P>

When did fireworks on sydney harbour bridge start