SA: Thousands to converge on city and beach for NY Eve

AAP General News (Australia)
12-31-2006
SA: Thousands to converge on city and beach for NY Eve

ADELAIDE, Dec 31 AAP - At least 100,000 people are expected to converge on outdoor
parties in the city and at the beachside suburb of Glenelg tonight as Adelaide welcomes
in 2007.

Adelaide Lord Mayor Michael Harbison said a number of city streets had already been
closed in preparation for the Lord Mayor's New Year's Eve party in King William Street
outside the Town Hall.

"We would think we'll probably see 50,000 people," he told ABC Radio today.

"About 11.30pm (CDT) people start spilling out of all the restaurants, the cafes and
the entertainment venues and they make their way down towards Victoria Square in time
for the fireworks."

At least as many are expected to pack Glenelg, with other celebrations taking place
in the northern beach suburb of Semaphore and the coastal township of Victor Harbor, south
of Adelaide.

Fireworks displays will be let off from the Semaphore Jetty at 11.30pm, and Victoria
Square, Victor Harbor and Glenelg at midnight.

Several hundred extra police officers will be deployed for the celebrations across the state.

Free public transport will be available between midnight and dawn tomorrow morning
throughout metropolitan Adelaide, while more than 1,000 taxis will be on call to hire.

"We want to make sure our drivers are out there to make sure that you have a happy
night and that everybody makes sure they're safe tonight," the transport department's
executive director of public transport, Heather Webster, told ABC Radio.

In Darwin, thousands of people are expected to converge on the city's wharf precinct,
where live entertainment and fireworks displays will be held, accompanied by a large police
presence

AAP njl/jlw

KEYWORD: EVE SA

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