Victorians partied hard to usher in a new year and police were pleased with crowds across the state after half a million gathered in Melbourne's CBD to watch fireworks displays.
It was an overwhelmingly safe and enjoyable evening for most of the public, Assistant Commissioner Mick Grainger said.
"We saw great crowd behaviour at suburban and regional community celebrations, with people taking responsibility for their own behaviour and looking out for their friends," he said.
"There were only a small number of people who did the wrong thing, but they were dealt with swiftly by police, so the atmosphere was in no way spoiled."
Police arrested 33 people for assaults, sexual assaults, traffic offences and a robbery and responded to 64 fireworks-related incidents, several of which resulted in serious injuries and fires.
In Tootgarook on the Mornington Peninsula, a 57-year-old woman was hospitalised after her house went up in flames believed to have started after fireworks and flares were set off in the street.
Police are treating the fire as suspicious.
An explosion at a Mill Park house left 11 people hospitalised, one with life-threatening injuries.
The fire is not being treated as suspicious.
A 48-year-old Altona woman may lose an eye after an illegal firework struck her face at Altona beach.
"We saw some serious injuries tonight," Mr Grainger said.
"If you're prepared to play with illegal fireworks, be prepared for the consequences of that."
Celebrations in Queensland were dampened by the weather, with smaller crowds than expected turning out in Brisbane.
On the Gold Coast police said a boat carrying more than 100 people ran aground in the broadwater.
The skipper of the boat was charged with drink driving and is expected to appear in court on Monday.
"We had to get the volunteer marine rescue and the police water boars to evacuate all those people to safety in the marina," Superintendent Andrew Pilotto said.
The night's festivities over, another year of uncertainty has dawned with hangovers from 2023 of extreme weather, cost-of-living woes, unaffordable housing and sovereignty conflicts.
