How to Secure Parking for the New Year’s Eve Countdown Events

New Year’s Eve is less than a week away, and with Australia being one of the first to greet the new year, everyone is surely looking forward to the spectacular midnight fireworks display across the country. If you’re planning to join the crowd of Aussies and tourists at Sydney Harbour, along the riverbanks of Brisbane River, or in any of the other major Australian cities, it’s best to plan your route and parking in advance so you don’t get stuck circling the block out there.

Finding a parking space is also a major cause of stress prior to enjoying any big event, but you can avoid parking woes with some preparation and a little bit of help from Parkhound. Here’s how to find a New Year’s Eve countdown parking in Australia.

Plan Ahead

New Year’s Eve celebrations draw large crowds and, aside from traffic congestion, parking spots fill up fast in the most in-demand destinations. This is because many areas tend to enforce special regulations to control traffic and usually close off roads where on-street parking is usually available. Likewise, special parking restrictions may also be implemented, such as limited hours on New Year’s Eve, you may end up getting a ticket in areas where parking is legal on a normal day.

If you want to avoid the extra travel time due to traffic congestion, you’ll need to plan ahead and arrive several hours ahead of the celebration and crowd.

Book a Parking Spot in Advance

Major celebrations, such as the majestic fireworks display at the Sydney Harbour, usually have designated parking areas for attendees, although these are usually limited. Make sure to check the map provided in the event website so you know where to park on the day itself.

Better yet, you can avoid the hassle of searching for parking on the spot by booking your parking spot in advance. Platforms like Parkhound allows you to book a parking space in advance in your preferred area so that all you need to think about is how to best enjoy your day.

Rideshare your way to the venue

If you don’t want to get stuck in traffic after the festivities, consider parking your car farther from the venue and just walk or ride-share your way to the heart of the festivities. Check out pick-up and drop-off points around the venue so you can narrow down your selection for parking areas when booking a parking spot in advance.

Take note of road closures

You’re sure to deal with extensive road closures with big events that draw a huge crowd. Check out the official event websites and social media accounts for announcements on which roads will be closed off to vehicles.

Likewise, road closures usually mean that special traffic measures are implemented, so you can’t rely on your usual knowledge of the route to the venue. Below are some of the event road closure notices for the major Aussie celebrations to literally get you on the right path:

• Sydney
• Brisbane
• Melbourne
• Hobart
• Perth (Roy Hill New Year’s Eve Celebrations)
• Adelaide

Use Public Transport

If you think you’ll be too tired to drive after partying all night, consider taking public transportation instead, especially if you’re going to celebrations in major cities. Trains, buses, and ferries usually operate on special schedules during big events like the New Year’s Eve countdown, so you can participate without worrying about parking.

Likewise, take note of possible changes to the train and ferry services and drop-off points close to the celebration time.

Stay the night

If you really want to avoid the post-NYE celebration rush, you may want to consider booking a hotel and just parking your car there so you have extra time to relax before and after the event. Hotels often offer discounted parking rates for booked guests so you don’t have to worry about parking in an unfamiliar area. Just walk out of your hotel room to enjoy the night with peace of mind then come right back after instead of getting stuck in the post-celebration traffic jam.

This also works if you don’t want to be in the middle of a huge crowd but still want to have a panoramic view of the spectacular fireworks display.

Just note that booking a room close to the actual celebration would be pricey so, unless you’re prepared to spend a lot, you may want to do this in advance next year instead.

Enjoy the night

Securing a parking spot for the New Year’s Eve countdown in Australia shouldn’t be a nightmare with proper planning, and there are many ways to remove parking stress and simply enjoy the amazing fireworks displays to greet the new year.

Just don’t forget: if you need help with finding a New Year’s Eve parking spot in Australia, Parkhound can help you with that.