Sydney has welcomed the New Year with a message of peace following the Bondi Beach mass shooting, as huge crowds gathered to watch the city's annual fireworks display.
The words peace and unity were projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as thousands of heavily armed police officers patrolled the streets - a rare and stark sight in Australia - as part of heightened security measures.
New South Wales Police said more than 2,500 officers were on duty across the city, and some officers were authorised to carry high-grade weapons.
The attack on December 14 targeted Australia's Jewish community and killed 15 people at a Hanukkah festival.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up by a white light to symbolise peace, and a Jewish menorah was projected on to the pylons of the bridge to show solidarity with the Jewish community.
New Year's parties were paused at 11 p.m. local time for a minute of silence to commemorate the victims of the attack.
Meanwhile, the Republic of Kiribati, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, was the first to ring in 2026.
China, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan and South Korea have also rung in the New Year.
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