Tens of thousands of revellers welcomed in the new year across Otago, and most were well-behaved.
In Dunedin, thousands of people gathered in the Octagon at midnight for the traditional firing of the Robbie Burns cannon and fireworks display.
Dunedin City Council community co-ordinator (events) Marilyn Anderson said the evening was a great success, with a good-size crowd eventually making it into the Octagon for the New Year's Eve celebrations.
''People were a bit slow to make their way in but by midnight there was probably a good-size crowd of about 20,000.''
There was one incident where a group of people tried to light their own fireworks in the Octagon but were quickly stopped by security and police, she said.
A police spokesman said despite seven arrests being made in the Octagon during the evening, police were generally happy with the behaviour of the New Year's Eve revellers.
Police reported well-behaved crowds in Central Otago, where there were no formal New Year's Eve events but crowds of several hundred gathered at various venues.
Many in Alexandra dined out and headed home before midnight, but others in Clyde and Bannockburn saw 2018 in backed by pub music: the Bannockburn Hotel and Olivers had live music and the Dunstan Hotel, in Clyde, had a DJ.
A good crowd also gathered in Naseby, where locals and visitors moved between the Royal Hotel and the Ancient Briton Hotel and the new year was piped in by Jock Scott, of Maniototo, at the Ancient Briton.
Central Otago sub-area supervisor Senior Sergeant Ian Kerrisk said crowds had been well behaved and no incidents had been reported.
A chilled-out crowd made up of a cosmopolitan mix of domestic and overseas visitors saw in the new year in Queenstown.
They enjoyed a sunnier-than-expected evening on the resort's waterfront, although temperatures fell to a cool 13degC by midnight.
With more than 80 extra officers brought in to deal with the influx of visitors, police were highly visible and there were few signs of disorder on the streets.
The countdown to midnight was capped off by a spectacular fireworks display above Queenstown Bay.
In Wanaka, police made four arrests but also had to deal with a large number of intoxicated teenagers.
Sergeant Aaron Nicholson, of Wanaka, said a lot of young people had come to Wanaka without any parental supervision, which was ''disappointing''.
In the Waitaki, Oamaru hosted a celebration of its own - for the first time since 2000.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher led a countdown in Wansbeck St while bagpipes played and fireworks were let off from King George Park over Oamaru Harbour at midnight.
In the historic precinct, both pubs were packed, but an all-ages crowd also gathered in the Loan & Merc and The Stables for live music, face painting, dancing and movies.
It was originally planned as a Harbour St street party, but wind and rain through the day on Sunday prompted organisers to put a ''plan B'' in place and hold the New Year's Eve party indoors.
