Tauranga's New Year's Eve plans announced

There will be family-friendly events and early fireworks both on the Tauranga CBD waterfront and in Papamoa. Photo/file

The Tauranga City Council has announced its plans for New Year's Eve and there will be no entertainment or fireworks at Mount Main Beach.

There will be, however, family-friendly events and early fireworks both on the CBD waterfront and in Papamoa.

"New Year's Eve fireworks will also be seen at midnight from across the city and residents and visitors are invited to watch them from their deck or backyard, ideally from a slightly elevated point," the council said in a press release.

The New Year's Eve celebration on the waterfront will start at 6pm and there will be a barbecue with free sausages, roving performers, samba, games, food stalls and more.

That event will finish with a "special kids' countdown" and fireworks off a barge at 9.30pm.

Meanwhile, Papamoa residents can mark the start of the New Year at Gordon Spratt Reserve from 6pm, where there will be all-ages entertainment including kids rides, music, roving performers, a petting zoo, a Frozen show, street food and Batman visiting in his Batmobile.

That event will also finish with fireworks at 9.30pm.

The council has also announced there will be a silent disco at Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre in central Tauranga.

"A youth component has been introduced as part of last year's changed event offering in Tauranga to meet the demand for a safe youth event in the city," it said.

"This demand was evident from the demographic profile of 2015/16 New Year's Eve attendees. The silent disco is strictly for attendees of 14 to 17 years of age."

The council said the disco will have security guards, a medical room with onsite staff and supplies, water stations, qualified staff and management onsite to create a fun but safe environment.

Tickets to the disco will be available from Friday and will include access to the venue as well as a free bus ride to and from the event.

The council said it is working closely with New Zealand Police and other key stakeholders to create "a safer environment around the city and especially at Mount Maunganui on New Year's Eve".

"There will be no entertainment or fireworks at Mount Main Beach, with Tauranga City Council focusing solely on enhanced safety measures."

The CBD waterfront event will take place within a permanent alcohol-free zone to ensure a safe and community-friendly atmosphere, the council said.

The Papamoa event will be within a permanent and temporarily extended alcohol-free zone.

The council said the police and security will have a zero tolerance for possession of alcohol at both celebrations.

CBD road closures

A full road closure will be in place from 2pm on December 31 to 2am the next morning on The Strand, from the Devonport Rd roundabout down to the Harington St roundabout.

Both roundabouts will be open to allow traffic flows.

The council said there will also be no access to The Strand via Hamilton and Wharf Sts.

Parking on The Strand will be restricted from 6am on December 31 until 8am the next morning.

Parking buildings and off-street car parks are free on December 31 and open 24/7.