Festive fun or overhyped flop?

Low and lazy ... revellers relax as they recover from their festivities / James Croucher

AS diehard revellers awoke in parks and on beachfronts to the clatter of cleaners, Australians were yesterday praised for their behaviour at New Year`s Eve celebrations, despite police around the country making hundreds of arrests.

Revellers in Melbourne and Adelaide suffered through the heat, Sydneysiders attempted to bury themselves in their rubbish, and wild weather in parts of Queensland forced fireworks to be put on hold until Australia Day.

It looks as though the big night was underwhelming for many. Two-thirds of NEWS.com.au readers responding to our poll above have labelled New Year`s Eve a fizzer.

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As the more determined partygoers were nursing their hangovers yesterday morning, police were counting up the arrests for drunkenness, assault and driving offences and, overall, they reckon we were fairly well behaved.

Ambulance crews across Melbourne treated more than 850 people as heat took its toll. The temperature remained above 30C until after 5am yesterday.

Victoria Police reported 511 arrests across the state. "It`s been pretty quiet, and we`re pretty happy with the behaviour," spokesman David Spencer said, adding that seven booze and drug buses covered the state, testing 5051 drivers and finding 41 people over the legal alcohol limit.

Police in Sydney made 94 arrests during the harbourside celebrations that attracted more than one million people.

Assistant Commissioner Catherine Burn, responsible for police operations on New Year`s Eve, said she was pleased with the behaviour of crowds throughout the night.

An estimated 55 tonnes of rubbish were collected in central Sydney streets and parks yesterday. And the party litter at popular spots such as Bondi Beach kept council cleaners busy.

City of Sydney acting chief executive Garry Harding said a crew of about 200 workers started the clean-up job about 2am. "It was very messy, ankle-deep rubbish last night," Mr Harding said.

"We collected about 55 tonnes and had the bulk of that collected by 7am."

South Australian police praised the behaviour of revellers despite extreme heat across much of the state. Tens of thousands of partygoers crowded central Adelaide, where temperatures remained above 30C until after 3.30am.

A police spokesman said the force aimed to maintain a strong presence, with an emphasis on road safety. They arrested 149 people for a range of offences and will charge on summons a further 50 people.

Police stopped 6239 drivers. One motorist was arrested and 51 others will be charged on summons with drink-driving offences.

Hobart also experienced warm conditions and crowds were generally well behaved, a Tasmania Police spokesman said.

In Perth, police made about 170 arrests, but a spokesman said it was no worse than a busy Saturday night. "We`re pretty happy with the public response and behaviour," he said.

Queensland`s wild weather kept crowd numbers down and the rain and winds forced the cancellation of many celebrations. However, Brisbane`s South Bank went ahead with its fireworks display.

"While the weather kept many people at home, an estimated crowd of 35,000 people attended South Bank to enjoy the fireworks," a police spokeswoman said.

The weather caused the cancellation of fireworks on the Gold Coast, and a planned esplanade party at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast was abandoned. Ipswich also cancelled its festivities, with its fireworks display now being rescheduled, possibly for Australia Day.

But Queensland celebrations were marred by violence. A woman, 19, died after being stabbed in the chest at a flat in Bowen, in the state`s north. A man, 30, appeared in court yesterday, charged with murder.

And a 21-year-old was last night in a serious condition in Gold Coast Hospital after being stabbed during a fight on the tourist strip.

In Darwin, thousands of people gathered at Stokes Hill Wharf to welcome the new year with a fireworks display.

A police spokeswoman said 123 people were taken into protective custody during the celebrations. Under Northern Territory law, police can take people into protective custody if they are found drunk in a public place.

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