A MASSIVE crowd poured into Cowes on a perfect night to welcome in the New Year with a massive fireworks display from the Cowes Jetty.
With huge explosions filling the sky with colour and movement, there were many shouts of 'ooo' and 'ahh' from the assembled masses, heavily dominated by visiting family groups.
And it was traffic chaos for the next hour as they tried to exit the Cowes' foreshore area, with those on foot doing far better than motorists.
Meanwhile the music continued at the North Pier Hotel by the bay and other packed venues as the older crowd juiced up for the ultimate celebration still a few hours away. A significant police presence was in attendance, with ambulances standing by but the crowd dispersed without incident.
Some said the perfect night time weather coupled with the quality of the display made it Cowes best-ever New Year's Eve Fireworks display - what did you think?
Illegal fireworks and flares
The occasion on Phillip Island was later marred with the most extensive display of illegal fireworks seen on the Island, from San Remo to Grossard Point and everywhere in between.
In some cases, professional standard fireworks broke the night sky at midnight, or just before, as some jumped the gun, and then continued for 20 minutes afterwards with blasts and rockets exploding from all of the holiday destination's settlements making it impossible for police to chase down the perpetrators.
Of particular concern were the number of boat flares, including red parachute flares that went up (at $60-$80 a pop) leaving local farmers concerned about drying and heavily overgrown rural areas.
