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CNN Live Event/Special
Sydney, Australia, Celebrates New Year 2025 with Fireworks Display. Aired 8-8:30a ET
Aired December 31, 2024 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00]
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: The countdown is starting, 30 seconds to go until 2025. Before you see what is one of the most spectacular fireworks displays on the planet, one of the first places on earth to welcome in the new year. And I'm hearing the counting. We're almost down to 10 seconds?
CROWD: Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
KINKADE: Happy New Year!
(CHEERING)
(MUSIC)
(SINGING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher. It's feeling right. Firing up the intertwine. I must be dreaming. Ocean inside the night is glowing in the lights. That say good night, dancing into the night, right with the tide, together to shine.
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher, higher.
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher. I'm going higher, higher.
(MUSIC)
(CHEERING)
[08:13:03]
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Wow, wow, wow. That is the way to start a new year. Happy New Year, Sydney. What a spectacular, bar-setting firework performance. Lynda, I have goosebumps here in New York watching that. I cannot even imagine what it's like to be there and have a front row seat. Just tell me what it was like to see that raining down upon you. And happy New Year!
KINKADE: I have goosebumps now. Happy New Year! I mean, that was spectacular, magical. It is 2025 in Sydney, Australia, and it doesn't get better than that really.
I'm with Rebecca Vallance and John Hughes from Luna Park. Great to have you both with us. I mean, that was just amazing.
REBECCA VALLANCE GASAN, FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, REBECCA VALLANCE: It was amazing. The best fireworks I've ever seen in my entire life.
KINKADE: And $606.5 million well spent, I think.
JOHN HUGHES, CEO, LUNA PARK SYDNEY: It's just incredible. It's the most recognizable harbor in the world, and we've just seen the best show in Australia.
KINKADE: Really. I mean, one of the best shows on the planet, I think. I mean, it's up there with London. I don't think it gets better than that, to be honest.
So tell us about your hopes, your dreams for 2025, Rebecca?
GASAN: You know what? I hope we can just take things to a whole new level. I'd love to open a lot more stores and just create really beautiful collections.
KINKADE: As you do. We're both wearing Rebecca Vallance right now. It's stunning.
And, John, what's your wish for the year ahead?
HUGHES: I'm hopeful that Luna Park has its best year ever. We have an incredible lineup ahead of new experiences. We've got the Wild Mouse relaunching soon, which is our heritage rollercoaster, so we have a huge year ahead.
KINKADE: A huge year ahead.
It's exciting being in 2025, and we have much more to come on our CNN New Year's Eve special. Coming up in just a moment, we'll have a Men at Work and their iconic signature performance of "Down Under." Stay with us. You're watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: We'll have Men at Work and their iconic signature performance "Down Under". Stay with us, you're watching CNN.
COLIN HAY, SCOTTISH-AUSTRALIAN SINGER AND SONGWRITER: I wish you a very, very Happy New Year for the 2025.
BRUCE "HOPPO" HOPKINS, BONDI LIFEGUARD: Hey, Lynda and Julia, top of the day from Bondi Rescue. I just wanted to wish you and everybody watching around the world a Happy 2025. I hope you have a safe holiday season.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:19:41]
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And a warm welcome back to CNN's special New Year's Eve coverage.
You are looking at pictures from Auckland, New Zealand, where the nation welcomed 2025 around two hours ago. But let's not forget Sydney, which welcomes 2025 with this monumental display just moments ago.
A gorgeous display across Sydney Harbor as thousands of people gathered on the shore and on the water to watch. Wowzers!
And the party in Australia is truly just getting warmed up. I want to water to Sydney Harbor, where my colleague, Lynda is waiting.
I know, Lynda, you've been speaking to the band behind one of the biggest Australian songs ever.
KINKADE: I have indeed, and I'm going to get to that in just a moment. But I've got Rebecca with me. We just witnessed those spectacular fireworks. My favorite part was the rain of fireworks coming down from the bottom of the Harbor Bridge. I've never seen that before.
REBECCA VALLANCE GASAN, FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, REBECCA VALLANCE: It's so beautiful. I loved seeing the fireworks come off, they're beautiful. Not only the Sydney Harbor Bridge, but the Opera House as well. It was so iconically Australian.
KINKADE: And looking ahead to 2025, we are now in 2025. What should we be wearing?
GASAN: Well, there was quite a few colors in those fireworks that I have coming up in future collections of mine.
But spring is the next collection that internationally that's coming up. And there's a lot of beautiful, really soft pinks. Beautiful butter yellows, romantic silhouettes, lots of use of really sheer fabrications, but something for our brand.
KINKADE: I love it, thanks to you, Rebecca Vallance for joining us. An iconic Australian designer. You can find her dresses all over the world.
But right now I have been speaking to an iconic Australian band, really, Colin Hay is the musician, the singer-songwriter behind Men at Work and one of the best songs. The most signature songs in Australia really is "Down Under."
It's played at all the major events and I want to play his performance now. While he was touring in the US. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) (MEN AT WORK performance of "Down Under")
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: A classic Australian anthem. No better way to keep warm on a chilly New Year's Eve morning here in New York than dancing to "Down Under."
You're watching CNN's special coverage of New Year's Eve.
Still to come, we'll take you live to Bangkok, where the Thai capital is getting ready for a New Year like no other.
And as Sydney parties the night or let's call it the morning now away, we will speak to an iconic Australian voice actress, Melanie Zanetti, the voice of Bluey's Mom from the hit children's TV show.
Stay with us. There is plenty more to come. You're watching CNN.
NEIL PERRY, CHEF: I'm Neil Perry here at Margaret. We're really hoping in 2025 that we have a world full of feasts and everybody has a great 2025.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:30:00]
